News Articles

We received the final report from URI on the impact of dredging the channel connecting Ninigret and Green Hill Pond (GHP) on the circulation and flushing of GHP. This study was initiated by FOGHP in 2017 and was funded by the State of Rhode Island and the Town of South Kingstown.

The study shows that dredging the channel connecting the two Ponds would be safe and beneficial but the overall impact on reducing bacteria in GHP is less than we had hoped. Although the simulations show a significant increase of water flowing into and out of GHP from channel enhancement, the net result is a relatively small overall reduction (8%) in mean fecal coliform bacteria levels throughout Green Hill Pond. A senior water resources engineer who reviewed the study stated that the bacteria reduction is likely to be highly uneven given the tidal flow and location of the channel. Specifically, there will likely be significantly more improvement than 8% occurring on the western side of the Pond (nearer the bridge) and and significantly less occurring on the eastern and northern side (where, unfortunately, most of the bacteria problem is located). Given these results, we think it will be unlikely to obtain the estimated $1 million in construction funding for channel enhancement strictly as a means of reducing bacteria levels. However, we are exploring whether it can fit within larger coastal RI projects that are either currently underway (e.g. CRMC’s shoreline adaptation) or out for proposal (e.g. NFWF’s resilient communities). We always considered channel enhancement to be only part of the solution and still think that is true.