The New Bedford Hurricane Protection Barrier lies across New Bedford and
Fairhaven Harbor protecting about 1,400 acres in New Bedford, Fairhaven, and
Acushnet from tidal flooding associated with hurricanes and coastal storms.
The area represents about 80 percent of land flooded in the September 1938
and August 1954 hurricanes. Construction began in 1962 and was completed in
1966, costing $18.6 million. The project required the relocation of power
cables, modification of sewerage and drainage facilities, and acquisition
of a small boat yard, several buildings, and about 36 acres of land. The city
maintains the project, with the exception of the navigation gates and the
barrier extending across New Bedford and Fairhaven Harbor which are operated
and maintained by the Corps of Engineers. The project is divided into three
principal features: a barrier extending across New Bedford and Fairhaven Harbor
with an extension dike on the mainland; Clarks Cove Dike in New Bedford; and
Fairhaven Dike. The barrier extending across the harbor consists of a 4,500-foot
long earthfill dike with stone slope protection. The barrier has a maximum
elevation of 20 feet and a 150-foot-wide gated opening to accommodate navigation.
It also has two gated conduits that are each nine feet high and six feet wide.
The extension dike starts at the western end of the main dike and stretches
for 4,600 feet along Rodney French Boulevard East. The extension dike has
three circular gated conduits with diameters of two, three, and four feet,
and a street gate on Rodney French Boulevard East (Source US Army COE).
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