(Town Council Orders 18-056, 22-038, 23-049)
The Smelt Brook Local Protection Project (LPP), which includes a small dam (Pond Meadow Park Dam), a perched culvert, and a drop conduit within the lower reaches of Smelt Brook has negatively affected fish passage within the Fore River watershed. The Smelt Brook LPP created physical barriers to migratory fish; in particular, rainbow smelt (Osmerus mordax). Rainbow smelt is a federally listed Species of Concern due to its declining population, and the Fore River Watershed is part of a Federal/State collaborative effort to restore Rainbow smelt spawning habitat within the New England region. The Town of Braintree (in partnership with the Town of Weymouth) has contributed a total of $93,000 to complete the planning and analysis phase of this Army Corp of Engineer's Section 1135 Restoration Project.