Boston North Shore Study
Regional Saugus River Floodgate Project - Everett, Lynn, Malden, Revere and Saugus, Massachusetts
Restoration Plan Features, Benefits & Costs
Plan Features
Breaching Two I-95 Openings
Improved Drainage for East Saugus
East Saugus Wall & Berm Sections
Generally Features are 2 Feet Higher Than Existing Ground Levels
Plan Benefits
- Increase flushing & tide levels to 500 acres of Estuary.
- Restore tidal flushing and tide levels to 440 acres of wetlands to full productivity.
- Improve nursery and feeding habitat for 38 species of fish, birds & wildlife.
- Increase productivity by 18,000 pounds/year of organic matter to feed fish & wildlife.
- Eliminate most of the phragmites reed, return area to productive high marsh, & improve views & aesthetics.
- Eliminate most fires in the phragmite reeds.
- Eliminate 90 to 99% of dreaded marsh mosquito.
- Improve drainage system for East Saugus.
- Meet the requests of Federal and State Agencies and local interests.
Preliminary Cost of Restoration
| First Costs | 2020 Price Level |
| Widen/Breach I-95 Openings | $2,865,000 |
| Stone Protection: | |
| Tower & 107 Bridge | 180,000 |
| East Saugus: | |
| Walls, Berms, Drainage | 2,719,000 |
| Lands, Easements, Rights of Way | 1,320,000 |
| Planning, Engineering & Design | 1,140,000 |
| Construction Management | 370,000 |
| Savings w/Regional Project | -1,900,000 |
| Total Cost | $6,690,000 |
| Federal Cost, if implemented (75%) | $5,000,000 |
| Non-Federal Cost, if implemented (25%) | $1,690,000 |
Project Justification
Total project investment* $2,760,000 (1991 Price Level)
Would restore/prevent the loss of about 100 acres --- or a cost of $27,600 per acre of wetlands.
This compares to the cost of 2 other Corps projects at $100,000 per acre in 1991 to replace wetlands.
The high ecological quality benefits, low comparable cost, public support & federal interest warrants further investigation.
*includes first cost, interest during construction & savings with regional floodgate project.