Pamet River Restoration Project

The Pamet River is a coastal riverine system located in the Town of Truro, MA that spans the width of the outer Cape arm, which separates Cape Cod Bay from the Atlantic Ocean. The 3.5-mile-long river originates east of Route 6, near Ballston Beach. It flows westward through two crossings (culvert under Route 6 and culvert with a tide gate under Truro Center Road), before ultimately draining into Pamet Harbor and thereafter Cape Cod Bay. The river upstream of Truro Center Road is primarily freshwater, as the culverts presently active in the area restrict saltwater tidal flow from Pamet Harbor. The Pamet River is important to the community for both commercial and recreational purposes, and important to the environment for aquatic and wildlife habitat purposes.

The Town of Truro has identified this as a priority area for improvement and is planning upgrades at Truro Center Road and Route 6 tidal crossings, with the goal of providing tidal and habitat restoration, improving stormwater drainage, enhancing public access, and eliminating invasive Phragmites. The existing undersized culverts underneath Truro Center Road and Route 6 and South Pamet Road will be replaced with 30-foot-wide openings, and there will be tide gates at Truro Center Road to manage tide and stormwater flows. Dredging between the crossings is also planned to remove sediment and invasive vegetation. Additionally, the Town is evaluating raising low sections of vulnerable roadways to improve their resilience.