Chebacco Lake Restoration

Taking the initiative to preserve and protect the marine environment

Chebacco Lake Restoration - Seaside Sustainability is excited to be spearheading the Chebacco Lake Coalition working towards the restoration of the lake and its surrounding watershed.

We have convened a group of stakeholders, including

members of state and local agencies such as the

Chebacco Lake Watershed Association, the

Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries, the local

government, and the community to improve and

preserve the health of this watershed.

The 209-acre lake is a designated habitat for aquatic

life and a crucial water source for several towns. In

Spring 2021, Seaside Sustainability and local

stakeholders launched a collaborative restoration effort

to enhance the health of the Chebacco Lake

Our coalition of local stakeholders worked alongside volunteers to improve the water flow of Alewife Brook. Our work focused on the Apple Street location in Essex and consisted of removing live and dead vegetation from the stream as well as other manageable obstructions that blocked water flow and cleared passage to Chebacco Lake. By removing the plant growth that has clogged the brook, the spawning alewife herring will have unimpeded access to travel to and from Chebacco Lake. Additionally, we cleared invasive species from the area as permitted to improve overall ecosystem health.

Photo: North Shore Magazine, “Fresh Water Lake or Pond”

Watershed and Alewife Brook in Essex County, Massachusetts. The project focuses on

addressing issues such as clogged channels, low water levels, siltation, vegetation growth, and

beaver activity in Alewife Brook, a critical pathway for spawning river herring that leads into the

lake. By improving the brook’s water flow, the team aims to ensure that Chebacco Lake remains

a vital spawning ground for herring while safeguarding the water quality of the entire watershed.

Our coalition of local stakeholders works alongside volunteers concentrated on the Apple Street

area in Essex, removing live and dead vegetation and other obstructions blocking water flow

and passage from Alewife Brook to Chebacco Lake. By clearing the plant growth that has

clogged the brook, spawning alewife herring will have unimpeded access to and from Chebacco

Lake. Invasive species are also removed as permitted, enhancing overall ecosystem health.

Public support and volunteer engagement are instrumental in the project’s success, with the

combined efforts of volunteers, organizational partnerships, and Seaside Sustainability’s

dedication promising a healthier future for Chebacco Lake and Alewife Brook.

Chebacco Lake GIS

Click here (Link pdf of Chebacco Press
Release) to view the official press release of
the Chebacco Lake Project. In the Spring of
2021, Seaside Sustainability and various
stakeholders joined forces to enhance the
health of the Chebacco Lake Watershed and
Alewife Brook in Essex County,
Massachusetts. The primary focus was on
improving water flow in Alewife Brook by
reducing plant growth, aiming to maintain
Chebacco Lake’s significance as a herring
spawning ground while safeguarding water
quality in the entire watershed. Public support
and engagement, including the dedicated
work of volunteers from the watershed
community, played a pivotal role in achieving
success. With the combined efforts of
volunteers, organizational partnerships, and
Seaside Sustainability’s optimism, the future
holds promise for a healthier Chebacco Lake
Watershed and Alewife Brook.

Click here to view the Chebacco Lake GIS assessment. Completed by Sabrina Klavinger, this GIS report provided essential information regarding spatial patterns of the surrounding land of Chebacco Lake.. While comparing Land Use with 2008 Satellite Image Overlay and Aerial Satellite Imagery Over Time in 2019, it was found that there were changes to the developments surrounding Chebacco Lake. More docks were built over time, surrounding greenery decreased, and more developments were added.

Photo: Elizabeth B. Thomsen, CC BY-SA 4.0.

Click here (Link pdf of Chebacco Press
Release) to view the official press release of
the Chebacco Lake Project. In the Spring of
2021, Seaside Sustainability and various
stakeholders joined forces to enhance the
health of the Chebacco Lake Watershed and
Alewife Brook in Essex County,
Massachusetts. The primary focus was on
improving water flow in Alewife Brook by
reducing plant growth, aiming to maintain
Chebacco Lake’s significance as a herring
spawning ground while safeguarding water
quality in the entire watershed. Public support
and engagement, including the dedicated
work of volunteers from the watershed
community, played a pivotal role in achieving
success. With the combined efforts of
volunteers, organizational partnerships, and
Seaside Sustainability’s optimism, the future
holds promise for a healthier Chebacco Lake
Watershed and Alewife Brook.

Chebacco Lake GIS

Click here (Link pdf of Chebacco Press
Release) to view the official press release of
the Chebacco Lake Project. In the Spring of
2021, Seaside Sustainability and various
stakeholders joined forces to enhance the
health of the Chebacco Lake Watershed and
Alewife Brook in Essex County,
Massachusetts. The primary focus was on
improving water flow in Alewife Brook by
reducing plant growth, aiming to maintain
Chebacco Lake’s significance as a herring
spawning ground while safeguarding water
quality in the entire watershed. Public support
and engagement, including the dedicated
work of volunteers from the watershed
community, played a pivotal role in achieving
success. With the combined efforts of
volunteers, organizational partnerships, and
Seaside Sustainability’s optimism, the future
holds promise for a healthier Chebacco Lake
Watershed and Alewife Brook.

Click here to view the Chebacco Lake GIS assessment. Completed by Sabrina Klavinger, this GIS report provided essential information regarding spatial patterns of the surrounding land of Chebacco Lake.. While comparing Land Use with 2008 Satellite Image Overlay and Aerial Satellite Imagery Over Time in 2019, it was found that there were changes to the developments surrounding Chebacco Lake. More docks were built over time, surrounding greenery decreased, and more developments were added.

Photo: Elizabeth B. Thomsen, CC BY-SA 4.0.

Chebacco Lake Press Release

Click here (Link pdf of Chebacco Press
Release) to view the official press release of
the Chebacco Lake Project. In the Spring of
2021, Seaside Sustainability and various
stakeholders joined forces to enhance the
health of the Chebacco Lake Watershed and
Alewife Brook in Essex County,
Massachusetts. The primary focus was on
improving water flow in Alewife Brook by
reducing plant growth, aiming to maintain
Chebacco Lake’s significance as a herring
spawning ground while safeguarding water
quality in the entire watershed. Public support
and engagement, including the dedicated
work of volunteers from the watershed
community, played a pivotal role in achieving
success. With the combined efforts of
volunteers, organizational partnerships, and
Seaside Sustainability’s optimism, the future
holds promise for a healthier Chebacco Lake
Watershed and Alewife Brook.

The significance of this restoration project was

communicated to the public through the

Chebacco Lake Press Release to raise

awareness and build community support.

Chebacco Lake GIS

Click here to view the Chebacco Lake GIS assessment. Completed by Sabrina Klavinger, this GIS report provided essential information regarding spatial patterns of the surrounding land of Chebacco Lake. It was found that the area surrounding Chebacco had become more developed between 2008 and 2019, with more docks being built and the

surrounding greenery decreasing.

Click here (Link pdf of Chebacco Press
Release) to view the official press release of
the Chebacco Lake Project. In the Spring of
2021, Seaside Sustainability and various
stakeholders joined forces to enhance the
health of the Chebacco Lake Watershed and
Alewife Brook in Essex County,
Massachusetts. The primary focus was on
improving water flow in Alewife Brook by
reducing plant growth, aiming to maintain
Chebacco Lake’s significance as a herring
spawning ground while safeguarding water
quality in the entire watershed. Public support
and engagement, including the dedicated
work of volunteers from the watershed
community, played a pivotal role in achieving
success. With the combined efforts of
volunteers, organizational partnerships, and
Seaside Sustainability’s optimism, the future
holds promise for a healthier Chebacco Lake
Watershed and Alewife Brook.