A multidisciplinary ecology-based environmental consulting firm

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Coastal Resources

Coastal Wetland Delineation

Wetland boundary determinations are often a critical component of waterfront planning. Delineating wetland boundaries requires a thorough understanding of the existing physical features including topography, vegetation, sediments, and hydrologic characteristics. In Massachusetts, dunes, banks, and floodplains are coastal wetlands. Such delineations also require a mastering of federal, state, and local delineation methodology and criteria.

Waterways and Tidelands

Areas of water and associated submerged lands and tidal flats provide important physical and biological values in the marine environment. LEC assesses a variety of different tidelands including those that are filled, flowed, landlocked, private, and Commonwealth. Site mapping and strategic planning services offered by engineers and lawyers usually complete a team effort in designing and permitting waterfront development.

Beach, Bank, and Dune Restoration

LEC has extensive experience with successful design and implementation of beach nourishment, bank restoration, and dune replication projects. Successfully nourishing, restoring or replicating a resource area is linked to site-appropriate design, qualified oversight during installation, and monitoring. When implemented correctly, a restored resource area will provide a long-term net benefit for storm damage prevention, flood control, and wildlife habitat protection.

Barrier Beach Management Plans

Management of developed barrier beaches, historically, has focused more on the protection of facilities and infrastructure than the environment. Although the people who live on these beaches must be protected, the dynamic evolution of the barrier beach system must have the natural ability to continue with storms and sea level rise. LEC assists communities in developing management plans that address strategic retreat, facility relocation, property acquisition, and soft engineering techniques.

Shoreline Protection and Stabilization

Flooding and erosion of our shorelines often require the use of coastal engineering structures, including groins, seawalls, bulkheads, and revetments. To supplement the necessary engineering, LEC provides the assessment of existing conditions used in design and provides recommendations for mitigation measures such as beach nourishment and bank restoration.

Sediment Sampling

Knowledge of existing sediment and soil conditions is required for resource delineation, project design, and construction monitoring. Sampling methods includes hand augering, test pits, and borings. Visual and laboratory analysis of the samples usually include grain size, sorting, color, and roundness. Subsurface sampling is often the only means by which to differentiate between glacial and depositional environments. This is critical in delineating coastal banks and dunes for regulatory purposes.

Worcester, MA Office

100 Grove Street, Suite 302
Worcester, MA 01605
508-753-3077
centrallec@lecenvironmental.com

From Route 495 North or South:

Take Exit 65B to Route 290 West toward Worcester. Take Exit 21. At light, turn right onto Lincoln Street/MA-70 and then immediately slight right to Salisbury Street. Take second right (at the traffic light) onto Grove Street. Follow Grove Street through one traffic light. LEC is located half a block from the traffic light on the right.

From the Mass. Pike West:

Take Exit 94 to Route 146 North toward Worcester. Take Exit 21 towards Route 290 East. Take Exit 21. At light, turn left onto Belmont Street/Route 9 West. At third traffic light, turn right onto Grove Street. Follow Grove Street through two traffic lights. LEC is located half a block from the traffic light on the right.

From the Mass. Pike East:

Take Exit 90 (old exit 10) to Route 290 East toward Worcester. Take Exit 21. At light, turn left onto Belmont Street/Route 9 West. At third traffic light, turn right onto Grove Street. Follow Grove Street through two traffic lights. LEC is located half a block from the traffic light on the right.

From Route 190 South:

Merge onto Route 290 West toward Worcester. Take Exit 21. At light, turn right onto Lincoln Street/MA-70 and then immediately slight right to Salisbury Street. Take second right (at the traffic light) onto Grove Street. Follow Grove Street through one traffic light. LEC is located half a block from the traffic light on the right.

Wakefield, MA Office

380 Lowell Street, Suite 101
Wakefield, MA 01880
(781) 245-2500
northlec@lecenvironmental.com

Traveling North or South on Route 1:

Take the exit for Route 95 South/128 North (Waltham, Gloucester). Follow the ramp for 95 South, Waltham. Now traveling on 95 South (128 South), take Main Street Exit 59, towards Wakefield/Lynnfield Center. At the end of the ramp turn left toward Wakefield/Vernon Street. Proceed on Vernon Street for 0.8 miles. Turn left into the parking lot immediately before the signaled intersection of Vernon and Lowell Streets. LEC is located in the first entrance of the condominium office building in Suite 101 on the first floor.

Traveling North or South on Route 128/95:

Take Main Street Exit 59, towards Wakefield/Lynnfield Center. At the end of the ramp turn left toward Wakefield/Vernon Street. Proceed on Vernon Street for 0.8 miles. Turn left into the parking lot immediately before the signaled intersection of Vernon and Lowell Streets. LEC is located in the first entrance of the condominium office building in Suite 101 on the first floor.

Plymouth, MA Office

12 Resnik Road
Suite 1
Plymouth, MA 02360
(508) 746-9491
southlec@lecenvironmental.com

Traveling North or South on Route 3:

Take Exit 16 (Route 44 West). Follow for approximately 1 mile. Take exit toward Route 80 (Cherry Street/North Plymouth). Turn slight right onto Commerce Way. Turn left onto McAuliffe Way. McAuliffe Way becomes Resnik Road. Travel approximately a half mile. 12 Resnik Road is on the right. LEC is located in the first suite.

East Providence, RI Office

680 Warren Avenue
Suite 3
East Providence, RI 02914
401-685-3109

Traveling North or South on I-95:

Take the exit for I-195 East in RI (Exit 20 southbound, Exit 19 northbound). Continue east across the Providence and Seekonk Rivers and take Exit 2C in RI, towards US-6/US-1A. At the traffic light at the end of the ramp, take a right onto Warren Avenue (westbound). Proceed on Warren Avenue for 0.3 miles. Turn right into the parking lot immediately after the Walk-In Medical Center. LEC is located down the hall to the right.

Traveling West on I-195:

Take Exit 1 in MA for MA-114A and take a right onto Fall River Avenue (114A) at the end of the ramp. Take a left onto County Street and continue underneath the I-195 bypass. At the traffic light, take a right onto Warren Avenue and proceed on Warren Avenue for 0.7 miles. Turn right into the parking lot immediately after the Walk-In Medical Center. LEC is located down the hall to the right.