The Greenway has been doing amazing work on the Shawsheen in Andover as you know. We understand that there is clear passage from Essex Street to the Tewksbury border! The scheduled SRWA paddle in the area on 10.20.18 should be beautiful and we owe an obstacle-free paddle to our Greenway friends!
SRWA will try to make paddlers aware of obstacles on the river and will update the information as it becomes available.
Shawsheen River Obstacle Mitagations
Please contact SRWA regarding your experience with obstacles to paddling on the Shawsheen. Attempts are being made to clear the river without harming natural habitats.| Date observed | Site | Description | Date of Action | Comments | Town NOW or stealth? | Mitigation complete date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4/21/18 | Tewksbury Heath area south of Foster Park and between Whipple | Large blowdown with a narrow space under which to navigate; however, with fast moving and higher water, it is an easy roll-over (one person flipped and a week later another almost did) [SRWA team] | 4.28.18 | Bob M. and Kevin – went back to the tree – need lower water to mitigate (at which point it might not be an issue?) | S | |
| 4/21/18 | Tewksbury Foster Park area/Health area | Blowdown [BM] | 4.21.18 | Bob M. opened up 4’ access and returned 4.28 – may need low water to complete – needs land/or 1-2’ water if using 20” chainsaw | S | |
| 4/28/18 | Wilm/Billerica/Tewksbury border at 2000 Whipple | Downed tree on Wilmington side of bridge; taking down house retaining wall (Michelle’s house) [BM] | 4/28/18 | - tree is on the Wilm/Bill side of Whipple St. bridge up against retaining wall. Bob and Keven took “three branches off to reduce trash current load by 20% on tree. Need to finish in low water. Tree is breaking up woman’s retaining wall. She is sending $50.00 contribution to SWRA.” | NA | |
| 4/21/18 | Tewksbury Foster Park | Submerged washing machine (and boats!) | Will need tow truck and junk truck; submerged boats (Bob & Co. previously removed some but they washed back in. Can be hauled to shore by 3-5 people, chainsaw to trash size, and disposed of with trash company or house garbage. | |||
| 4/21/18 | Tewksbury, 2000 Whipple | Stump at launch site | 6/17/18 | Took some bulk of stump; Bob will need a boulder removed to role stump out with SUV; will need Kyle Boyd to arrange | Site is under NOW – do not need approval – LH has DEP sign | Bob & Kevin opened last tree from earth day blowndowns at 2000 whipple and south. Tree was ~1/4 mile downstream, 2nd tree was easy to get under at low water, see pics. Trimmed 4 passages to make them easier to get through. Since earth day two or more tree blew down together 75 yards south of 2000 whipple, see pic. Easy portage around. So now we have a ~3 mile passage from 2000 whipple to KC with one portage. |
| 5/7/18 | Andover Upstream from The Pines | Put in at The Pines and travel upstream: 1. Near 93 overpass 2.5 minutes from put in blowdown with portage around – easy trim with loppers 2. 30 minutes from Pines: Blowdown with easy portage over 3. 70 minutes from start: obstruction – tree not portageable | 5/8/18 | Alice emailed Ken but with backload of work not sure when the large trees can be mitigated | ||
| 5/20/18 | Andover Ballardvale and Horn Bridge | Alice was hiking from Shawsheen in Ballardvale there were several blockages that they could see, could be more that they couldn’t see (you would put in on Dale Street); near Horn Bridge there is another one that is blocking; | 5/21/18 | Alice emailed Ken. | ||
| 6/3/18 | Knights of Columbus putin | Large tree down blocking river immediately after putin paddling downstream | 6/3/18 | Bob M and Kevin cleared a path around trees at KC for portage last. Trees are too big for us to handle | There was a tree 150 yards upstream of KC blocking river. Kevin and I cleared it today 6-10, opening a 3 foot wide passage on south bank of river, We left a couple of branches to help friends pull through gap. Way to get through going upstream, go under tree on right then cut across rive to new gap (-6" deep) on left bank. Going downstream is pretty easy passage. | |