Habitat Restoration & Protection Database

Historically, the mouth of Bride Brook was an open channel that meandered through the sandy beach and dune system. Over the course of geological time-scales, this channel would also migrate toward the east or west, never finding a true equilibrium - more of a dynamic equilibrium. The east-west migration of the channel is caused by several factors, including wind, waves, tides, coastal storm influence, and long-shore currents. In 1934 the open channel was dredged and lined with riprap, and two 36-inch culverts were installed to supplement the tidal flow. The 1938 Hurricane blocked the open channel once more, and so it was abandoned at that point in time. The original culverts were removed in 1971 allowing tidal water to flow once again through an open channel. In the early 1980s, however, the existing pair of 3’ x 5’ x 200’ elliptical culverts was installed under the dune in order to maintain a tidal connection to Long Island Sound without the need to routinely maintenance-dredge a naturally meandering sandy-bottomed channel. Unfortunately these pipes, which connect LIS with Brides Brook, Brides Lake, and the extensive tidal marsh system upstream of the railroad crossing, were installed at too high an elevation, are undersized, and do not allow the wetlands to fully drain at low tide. The marsh remains in a permanently flooded state, and there is excessive ponding of water as well as loss of wetland vegetation. These pipes have also deteriorated, partially collapsed, and periodically get clogged with sand. In addition to greatly reduced tidal flow, fish passage is inhibited. The dunes in this area are trampled by pedestrians and numerous trails cut across them. These areas will be filled in with vegetation and fenced off after the construction phase of the pipe replacement project has been completed.