A structure in a water management system that allows water to move, controls the direction or rate of flow, maintains a desired water surface elevation or measures water. Several types of structures are available and depending on the location, use and site constraints one type will be better than others.
How it helps
Restoring or managing water flow can help by:
Providing habitat for fish, wildlife and other animals
Restoring healthy salt marsh ecosystems
Managing invasive species that take advantage of degraded ecosystems
Maintaining healthy fish populations for commercial purposes
Controlling the water level for drainage or flooding
Find NRCS Massachusetts technical information in the Field Office Technical Guide: eFOTG.
Photo Gallery
Click a photo below to see an enlarged version:
Title:
Structure for Water Control 587: Undersized culvert (Before)
Caption:
Under-sized culverts are barriers to the tidal flow and migration of fish. When natural tidal flow is restricted, the salt marsh ecosystems become degraded.
Structure for Water Control 587: Healthy salt marsh (After)
Caption:
Tidal creeks drain fresh water and distribute tidal water in a healthy salt marsh. Installing properly sized water control structures is critical for maintaining and restoring salt marsh ecosystems.
Structure for Water Control 587: Old culvert disrupts tidal flow (Before)
Caption:
Man-made barriers interfere with normal daily tidal flow. By improving hydrology (the movement of water) to these areas,
fish and wildlife that depend on these ecosystems benefit.
Structure for Water Control 587: Phragmites autralis dominates a salt marsh
Caption:
Phragmites autralis (Common reed) has taken over this degraded salt marsh where natural tidal flow was restricted. Restoring the natural tidal flow with larger culverts helps manage invasive species.
