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Commission reviews sediment‑removal plan for 198 Granite Street; National Grid, conservation restriction holders must sign off before work proceeds
Summary
Consultants outlined a plan to excavate and reconstruct a scoured channel at the 198 Granite Street outfall. The commission said it needs a city license agreement and approvals from conservation‑restriction holders (Mass Audubon and Greater Worcester Land Trust); National Grid's willingness to accept or host stockpiled material remains the key logistical hurdle and proponents expect an update by Aug. 3.
Consultants for the property owner updated the Worcester Conservation Commission on plans to remove accumulated sediment and reconstruct a channel associated with the outfall at 198 Granite Street. Glenn Kovalski of EBT Environmental and Chris DiMazio outlined an approach that calls for removing sediment down to the A horizon, building a rock‑armored channel sized to resist peak flows, salvaging and replanting native wetland species, and using staging and bypass piping to keep the work area dry.
Kovalski said the team plans to use a mid‑size excavator and handwork to limit sediments left behind and noted a discrepancy in rock size call‑outs on earlier plan sheets that the team corrected. "The channel will be built with larger subangular rock up to about 10 inches where needed to withstand the flows we've observed," he said, explaining the design and showing photos of current scour.
City staff said two administrative steps must occur before on‑city property work can begin: a license agreement from the law department to allow access to city land and letters of concurrence from Greater Worcester Land Trust and Mass Audubon because the work touches land protected by a conservation restriction. A remaining operational challenge is where to place or dispose of the excavated sediment; consultants reported ongoing internal talks with National Grid about either allowing stockpiling on their adjacent property or accepting material there. Consultants said they expect a decision from National Grid and the CR holders by the commission's next meeting and that if those pieces are in place the commission could consider amending the enforcement order to require implementation during the dry season.
Commissioners welcomed the plan but emphasized the need for clear disposal and containment arrangements, the license agreement and CR holder approvals before formal implementation.
