Longer, Wider, Deeper
Longer, wider, deeper
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Longer, wider, deeper •
The Popponesset Spit and Popponesset Outer Approach Channel leading from the Bay to Nantucket Sound are vital organs to Mashpee’s ecosystem. Keeping the Outer Approach Channel dredged allows for proper flushing of the Bay with each tide. The Popponesset Spit protects the Bay and land of Mashpee to flourish.
SPB with the Town of Mashpee, is in the process of obtaining permits to expand and deepen the Outer Approach Channel, and place that dredged sand on the Spit - strengthening the barrier beach.
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• Widening the channel by 50 feet
• Extending the length by 250 feet
• Deepening the channel by 2 feet
• Adding a new catch basin west of the channel to catch sand as it drifts eastward before it fills the channel to prevent it from filling in as rapidly.
The Town of Mashpee has approved final permits for the channel project.
Permit applications have been filed with the State of Massachusetts, and final approvals were granted in 2023.
Army Corps of Engineers dredging permit applications have been filed, with final approvals also expected in 2025.
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~$3.5 Million
Costs include:
>Dredging 40,000-45,000 cubic yards from the Outer Approach Channel for placement on the Spit (annual dredging usually results in 5,000-10,000 cubic yards).
>Purchase and installation of additional beach grass to anchor the new sand
>Project management using Woods Hole Group, our coastal engineering firm
>Additional trucked sand to complete the scope of the design
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We will apply for various State grants once permits have been received.
We are searching for additional grant opportunities as well. We expect the majority of funds raised to come from public donations.
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September 2025-Winter 2026
Permit limitations due to spawning fish and endangered birds’ migratory patterns, likely leaving a window between September and January 15 to execute.
Availability of a dredging contractor to coordinate and oversee the project – options under review.
In 2013, following Hurricane Sandy, SPB with the support of our partner Mass Audubon, initiated a campaign to restore the Popponesset Spit and significantly improve its resilience to future storms and sea level rise while helping to maintain water quality in Popponesset Bay. SPB collaborated with Woods Hole Group, a coastal engineering firm, to develop a strategy and design to achieve these objectives. SPB worked diligently to design and permit the Longer, Wider, Deeper Project, coordinating efforts with State, Federal, Barnstable County, and Mashpee Town officials and Mass Audubon Society.
SPB is undertaking a fundraising campaign with the goal of raising approximately $3.5 million to implement the Longer, Wider, Deeper Project. This initiative aims to significantly enhance and safeguard the Popponesset Spit and Bay, by adding over 70,000 cubic yards of sand to widen the Spit beach and dunes. The Popponesset Approach Channel to Nantucket Sound will be extended by 250 feet, widened by 50 feet, and deepened by 2 feet, incorporating a catch basin along a portion of the channel to prolong the channel's lifespan between future dredging projects. The channel dredging is expected to yield over 40,000 cubic yards of sand to be placed onto the Spit. Additionally, SPB plans to truck in up to 30,000 cubic yards of sand to further buildout the dune and beach area. SPB plans to begin construction in September 2025 and complete the project during the winter 2026 season.
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