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Commission rules depressed Route 1/Salem Street feature is not a bordering vegetated wetland
Summary
After a presentation by David Cowell of Hancock Associates, the commission issued a negative determination for a depressed feature at the Route 1/Salem Street interchange, concluding it lacks dominant wetland vegetation and hydric soils; commissioners urged MassDOT to clear blocked catch basins.
The Revere Conservation Commission issued a negative jurisdictional determination for a depressed feature at the Route 1/Salem Street/Route 1 interchange after reviewing a site investigation by David Cowell, a senior wetland scientist with Hancock Associates.
Cowell summarized field observations and soil probes and said the feature lacks dominance of wetland indicator plant species and does not show hydric soils in the tested profile: "I don't believe it's a vegetative wetland at all because it doesn't have dominance of wetland plants and soils," he told the commission. His probe found about 17 inches of unconsolidated sediment deposits over urban fill and evidence of road salts and sediments within the deposited layer.
Commission discussion focused on stormwater infrastructure and maintenance. Several commissioners said the depression appears to be a poorly maintained state detention or collection area with buried or compromised catch basins that have allowed phragmites to colonize. One commissioner urged MassDOT to clean and jet the buried inlets so stormwater will flow correctly rather than allowing long-term pooling. Cowell said his understanding is the feature is likely isolated and that Revere and state infrastructure records show potential buried inlets in the area.
The commission moved for and approved a negative determination for bordering vegetated wetland jurisdiction by voice vote; commissioners noted that flood-plain or land subject to coastal storm flowage questions remain under the commission's purview and that any future Notice of Intent (NOI) for filling or changes would require formal review. Cowell said he would follow up with MassDOT/VHB contact information to help address infrastructure maintenance.
Next steps: the commission recorded the negative determination and flagged maintenance outreach to MassDOT as an outstanding follow-up; if property owners file a Notice of Intent, the commission will review flood-plain and performance-standard compliance at that time.
