WINDSOR, Mass. — The town was awarded a $400,000 Culvert Replacement Municipal Assistance (CRMA) Grant to replace the Dry Brook Culvert.

 

The Town of Windsor will replace a perched and degraded culvert on a tributary to Dry Brook on Cheshire Road, which is an important road between towns for emergency services, commuting, and school bus routes.  

 

The grant is part of a series of grants announced by the Healey-Driscoll Administration totaling over $3.7 million for river and wetland restoration projects throughout Massachusetts.

 

The CRMA Grants, provided by the Department of Fish and Game's (DFG) Division of Ecological Restoration (DER), help municipalities replace outdated culverts with new, improved crossings. These upgrades restore river ecosystems, enhance fish and wildlife passage, and reduce flood risks, improving climate resilience and public safety. The Training Site Initiative will turn some of these project sites into training hubs, creating a network of locations for hands-on learning to teach local roadway managers about culvert replacements in Massachusetts. 

 

"As climate change brings more intense storms and flooding, building resilient infrastructure and restoring ecosystems are vital for Massachusetts. Ecological restoration is key to this effort. DER is leading the charge with nature-based solutions to ensure a strong, resilient future," said Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Rebecca Tepper. "The Healey-Driscoll Administration is committed to supporting projects that restore healthy waterways and looks forward to continued collaboration with municipalities and partners, so we can expand our impact and help communities thrive amid the challenges ahead." 

 

In Berkshire County, two other communities were awarded CRMA Grants.

 

Savoy was awarded a $62,000 grant to collect field data, perform design and engineering work, and conduct permitting work for the replacement of an undersized culvert on Old Main Road over Phelps Brook, which is a Coldwater Fisheries Resource. 

 

Stockbridge was awarded a $51,500 grant to collect field data for a partially-crushed and perched culvert on Rattlesnake Mountain Road over Marsh Brook, where flooding has been an issue.  

 

The Housatonic Valley Association was also given funding through DER's Regional Restoration Partnerships Program.

 

Berkshires Clean, Cold, Connected Partnership was awarded $248,000 to support a network of organizations, agencies, and communities working for healthy aquatic systems and building climate resilience in the Hoosic, Housatonic, and Farmington River watersheds. This award supports their efforts to continue building local and regional capacity for restoration education, planning, and support the implementation of locally-driven priority restoration projects.