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Return of the Tide

The Herring River Estuary in Wellfleet and Truro was an unrestricted tidal marsh until 1909 when a dike was constructed across the mouth of the river ostensibly for mosquito suppression. The dike restricted normal tidal flow and over the years the lack of seawater transformed the Estuary from a healthy, productive salt marsh to the conditions we see today.

After several decades of scientific study and research, a project to restore tidal exchange to the Estuary is now underway. The purpose of this project is to restore self-sustaining coastal habitats on a large portion of the 1,100-acre Estuary. While the ecological goal is to restore the full natural tidal range in as much of the Herring River flood plain as practicable, tidal flooding in certain areas must be controlled to protect existing land uses.

View the video above that summarizes the early history of the estuary and the benefits of restoring tidal flow. The video is shown at the Cape Cod National Seashore Visitor's Centers in Eastham and Provincetown as part of their regular film series.

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