Truro-01
Truro, Wilder Dike
41.993627, -70.050371
Technical Specifications
Basic Properties
- Type
- Flap Gate
- Material
- Metal
- Control
- —
- Condition
- Fair
- Geometry
- Circular
- Status
- Active
- Number of Gates
- 1
Operator & Management
- Operator Type
- PUBLIC
- Operator
- Town of Truro
- Permits
- —
- Purpose
- —
Dimensions & Elevations
- Dimensions
- 3ft diameter
- Invert Elevation
- —
- Installation Date
- —
- Tidal Influence
- —
Culvert Details
- Restriction Type
- Roadway
- Geometry
- Circular
- Material
- Corrugated Metal
- Bottom Material
- —
- Number of Pipes
- 1
- Dimensions
- 3ft diameter
- Condition
- Fair
- Comments
- It is a circular metal pipe coming under the road and into the upstream marsh - not accessible during the site visit.
Salt Marsh Field Assessment Results
Comprehensive field assessment dataPhysical Conditions Assessment
Channel Conditions
- Channel Alteration and Ditching
- Limited (<133 ft/acre)
- Channel Constriction
- Narrower than channel
- Channel Erosion
- None
- Sediment Deposits
- None
Blockages
- Debris Blockages
- None
- Evidence of Overtopping
- No
Ecological Assessment
Habitat Observations
- Ecological Impairment due to Tide Gate
- Severe
- Crab Burrow Intensity
- None
- Ponding and Die-off Depressions
- None
- Phragmites Present
- Severe (>60%)
Invasive Species
- Upstream Invasive Species
- Yes
- Downstream Invasive Species
- Yes
- Invasive Species Notes
- Dense phragmites from channel to upland boundary.
General Comments
Flapper tide gate appears to eliminate influence of incoming tide and only allows freshwater to exit as evident in upstream wetland which appears to be entirely freshwater and covered in phragmites. Sink hole on upstream end behind headwall. Town plans to replace tide gate with either a 30’ opening or two 10’ culverts with an additional third pipe fitted with tide gate for extreme flow events to restore tidal flushing. The next constriction upstream under route 6 will also be replaced.Habitat Transects
First Transect (50 yards upstream of tide gate)
No data
Second Transect (150 yards upstream of tide gate)
No data
Third Transect (300 yards upstream of tide gate)
No data
Restoration Potential
Assessment
- Salt Marsh Impairment due to Tidal Restriction
- Moderate
- Potential Extent of Marsh Restoration
- Moderate
- Implementation Feasibility
- High
- Restoration Priority
- High
- Recommended Improvement Type
- O&M and Infrastructure
Notes
Site shows moderate salt marsh impairment due to restricted tidal flow. Replacement with self-regulating tide gate could restore approximately 5-8 acres of degraded marsh habitat. Good access for construction equipment. Regional coordination completed with town DPW and conservation commission.Historical Records
Environmental Data
- Invasive Species
- Yes
- Restoration Status
- —
- Invasive Comments
- Phragmites is present both upstream and downstream
- Restoration Comments
- Funding is being sought by the town and DER.
- Upstream Area
- Total: 152.38, Salt Marsh: 0
Notes & Comments
- General Comments
- —
- Operation Plan
- —
- Operation Comments
- The flapper is open very slightly; roughly 15-30 degrees off of vertical.
- Gate Comments
- The dike is fitted with a flapper valve (tide gate) at the seaward end of a 3-ft culvert The flapper does shown signs of rust.
- Elevation Comments
- —
- Visit Comments
- —
- Other Comments
- Retaining wall on the downstream side of the road with the tide gate is is poor condition.
- External Data Comments
- —
Part of the Massachusetts Bays Program© 2026 Massachusetts Bays Program. Monitoring tidegates across Massachusetts.