Only remnants of a roughly 200-year-old dam remain in Haverhill, Massachusetts.
For the Little River, that means a route beneath Winter Street toward the Merrimack River with few barriers left.
Here's what to know
A public information session will give Haverhill officials an opportunity to explain what comes next for the dam removal and park project, according to WHAV.
State grants awarded to the city exceed $4 million for the project, initially estimated at $6 million to $9 million.
Taunton-based Lucianos Excavation submitted a $7.3 million bid to take down the stone masonry structure, built in the early 1800s, near Lafayette Square.
A feasibility study was the goal when city councilors backed an application for funding through Massachusetts' Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness program.
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Protecting natural habitat and encouraging nearby development were among Haverhill officials' reasons for pursuing removal.
They also pointed to upstream flooding on Apple Street and Little River Street.
More background
Plans for the neighboring Pentucket Mill on Steven Street depended on removing the dam.
In his 2016 State of the City address, then-Mayor James J. Fiorentini unveiled a proposal from Winn Development to create 80 housing units and a first-floor restaurant.
The dam's potential liability kept the redevelopment from advancing, despite a proposal that would have reopened that stretch of the Little River to the public after a century of closure.
A public park and walkway were part of that plan.
The mill complex's destruction in a three-alarm fire ended the redevelopment effort.
In 2022, Fuss & O'Neill consultants told residents that dam removal would improve water quality and opportunities for recreation, WHAV reported.
What's being done?
A 2023 project tour outlined plans for a footbridge behind Cashman Field that would connect with a path across the river.
Plans also included a canoe and kayak dock, providing residents with another way to access the water.
Officials, contractors, and consultants planned to meet with residents at Cashman's Field, 175 Hilldale Ave., on Nov. 7 from 9 to 11 a.m., for a public information session scheduled by Haverhill's Conservation Department.
WHAV also reported that the city has worked to obtain access to nearby property.
The session includes transportation between the park and dam provided by MeVa Transit, a Spanish interpreter, and hot beverages, with a rain date of Nov. 21.
Fuss & O'Neill senior project manager Julianne Busa described the project's goals beyond dam removal.
"We're also looking to increase river access and provide additional ways for people to get to the river, interact with the river, utilize the river and create some public greenspace and increased tree cover in the downtown area," she said previously, per WHAV.
Where can I learn more?
Haverhill isn't the only Massachusetts community working to reduce flooding and expand outdoor access.
• Berkshire County will map hidden dams that may raise flood risks in Massachusetts streams.
• Boston Children's Museum is spending $15 million on protection against repeated flooding at its Seaport site.
• Massachusetts awarded Worcester $900,000 to map flood risks and guide decisions about future investments.
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