The Herring River – A Changing Waterway in Wellfleet

The Herring River in Wellfleet is one of Cape Cod’s most historic tidal rivers. For centuries, it served as an important natural resource for the native Wampanoag people, who fished its annual spring herring runs. Early European settlers relied on the river as well, building weirs and mills to take advantage of the seasonal abundance.

In 1909, the construction of a dike at Chequesset Neck Road dramatically changed the river. Designed to control flooding and create more mosquito‑free land for development, the dike blocked the natural tidal flow from Wellfleet Harbor. Over time, this caused the river’s salt marshes to decline, water quality to deteriorate, and fish passage to become restricted.

Today, the Herring River is the focus of one of the largest salt marsh restoration projects in the Northeast. Plans call for restoring natural tidal flow, improving habitat for fish and wildlife, and revitalizing the river’s ecosystem. The work aims to bring back some of the ecological richness that sustained Wellfleet’s fishing heritage for centuries.

Then

Future