Crabs and Mangroves in Jobos Bay Puerto Rico

Mangrove System in Jobos Bay, Puerto Rico.

One Coastal Fellow at the University of Rhode Island, Ryann Rossi, is currently working on a fascinating 3-part project with her mentor, Brita Jessen, out of both the Bay Campus at URI and Jobos Bay, Puerto Rico. Rossi’s work for Jessen’s dissertation at the Graduate School of Oceanography at URI is entitled “Ecological Effects of Nutrient Enrichment in a Coastal Mangrove System.” Jessen’s dissertation consists of three parts, one of which we discussed in detail with her and Rossi. They are studying the effects of agriculture and urban sprawl, and the associated nutrients they bring on mangrove systems in southern Puerto Rico.

Nutrients may sound good for humans, but for our ecosystems they can often mean bad news. An abundance of nutrients are introduced to ecosystems by fertilizers and pollution. They can wreak havoc upon the natural state of the environment. While the effects of nutrients on the environment have frequently been studied in developed countries such as the United States, there is a lack of studies of the problem in less developed countries such as Puerto Rico. Not only are Jessen and Rossi studying nutrient cycling in an area that has been virtually unexamined, they are studying in an area of growth and dynamism – Puerto Rico is rapidly being affected by urbanization and agricultural development. Monsanto and Pioneer – two of the largest agricultural industries in the world – have recently announced they will be expanding their facilities in Puerto Rico. Since 2003 more than 50 pharmaceutical facilities and 49 medical device companies have set up shop, and more than $4 billion has been invested in biotechnology manufacturing facilities. As the urbanized areas in Puerto Rico switch over from septic systems to sewage systems, there may be a lessening of nutrient overload from human sanitation; however, urbanization and agricultural development will likely outpace the improvements made by the transition to sewage systems.

Ryann Rossi eating lunch in the field.

The particular environment in which Jessen and Rossi are conducting their studies is the mangrove system. Mangroves are natural barriers between the sea and land and are natural carbon sinks, meaning they accumulate and store carbon dioxide (CO₂) from the sea, land and atmosphere. Like the salt marshes and wetlands here in Rhode Island, they too are feeding and nursery grounds for countless species. Tropical areas typically have lower nutrient concentrations, and thus, clearer waters than temperate regions. In order to accommodate for the lack of data, Jessen and Rossi are adapting their research from work done by Jessen’s graduate advisor, Dr. Scott Nixon. Their studies are similar to those that have been conducted in salt marshes all over the coastlines of America.

Nutrient enrichment stimulates microbial activity, which increases the rate of decomposition of materials such as leaves, seaweed and dead fish. Another key player in the decomposition of organic materials are crabs. And in Puerto Rico, there are many species. Crabs are “shredders” and the primary consumers of mangrove leaves. In the words of Rossi, crabs are “ecosystem engineers.” By this she means that they alter the habitat by increasing the rate of decomposition of mangrove leaves and other decaying material. They also dig burrows, which mix sediments and bring oxygen to roots in the peat-based sediment.In order to examine the effects of nutrient overload in the relatively unstudied ecosystem of mangroves, Jessen and Rossi have created a group of mini-ecosystem testing grounds in Jobos Bay to determine how various levels of nutrients will affect the mangrove systems. They have simulated the effects of both agriculture and urban development, while maintaining several control plots. In the urban testing areas, they are using a water-based fertilizer with a nitrogen to phosphate ratio of 16:1, while the agriculturally effected plots, use a water-based fertilizer with a nitrogen to phosphate ratio of 50:1. Both ratios are similar to what is found to contribute in temperate areas. The control plots maintain their natural nitrogen to phosphate ratios.

A quarter compared to the size of a
hole dug by a crab (ecosystem engineers).

Jessen and Rossi’s research not only tests the effects of agricultural development and urbanization on mangroves, but also – within the different test plots – what exactly is leading to the decomposition of leaves. In other words, is it microbial activity from the increased nutrients or the feeding of crabs that primarily contributes to the breakdown of leaves and increases the stability of the peat-based sediment? Jessen and Rossi know that fertilizers (nutrients) speed up microbial processes and thus, increase degradation rates with increasing levels of pollution. Sea level rise and the ability of the coastline of Puerto Rico to handle it is also an issue of concern.

In order to test the effects of anthropogenic growth, Jessen and Rossi have placed yellow leaves (those that are about to fall off the plant) inside mesh “litter” bags in each testing site so that only microbes (not crabs) can feed on them. Each bag contains approximately four grams of leaves, about 7-9 leaves. Three bags were left at each site during their last visit in early July. They’ll return to Jobos Bay in early August to weigh the bags to see how much has been broken down by microbial degradation during the interim. They will then compare the amount of microbial breakdown of the leaves within the bags to the amount of degradation of leaves that have been exposed to crabs. The crab-exposed yellow leaves have been marked by Rossi’s careful work of tying strings to each one. The final weights of the exposed and contained leaves will allow the pair to make a comparison between the amount of microbial (inorganic) decomposition and organic degradation by crabs.

Jessen and Rossi are highly enthusiastic about their research and experiences in Puerto Rico. They are very grateful to their funders, some of whom include The Nature Conservancy, the R.I. and Puerto Rico Sea Grants and the U.S. Forest Service. The URI Coastal Institute and National Estuarine Research Reserve in Jobos Bay, Puerto Rico have provided fellowships for both.

Jessen is always looking for willing and motivated students to volunteer to work with her on her exciting dissertation studies. If you have an interest, please contact her at bjessen@gso.uri.edu.

Brita Jessen of Boston, MA attended Wellesley College for her undergraduate studies and is currently studying biological oceanography under the guidance of Professor Scott Nixon. Ryann Rossi of Malta, NY will graduate from URI with a B.S. in marine biology in 2013.

Elizabeth Gooding & Lesley Lambert

WPWA Survey for Aquatic Invasive Plants

Volunteers paddle among
nuisance pond plants

The Wood-Pawcatuck Watershed Association (WPWA) – in conjunction with URI Watershed Watch, RI Natural History Survey, and RIDEM – hosted a two-part invasive species workshop this past week. The first part of the workshop was held at the Coastal Institute at URI’s Kingston Campus on Thursday, July 14^th from 6:00 to 8:30 PM. This portion of the workshop focused on educating volunteers about aquatic plant ecology, training them to identify the invasive plants, and discussing with them all that a survey entails. The second part of the workshop took place on Saturday, July 16^th from 9:00AM to 12:00 noon at the Kingston Community Center at Asa Pond in South Kingston.

A view finder allows you to look
under the surface of the water

It was here that the volunteers reviewed and put into practice the identification skills they developed in part one of the workshop. The volunteers learned how to conduct the survey from boats, canoes, and kayaks. Anyone with access to a boat was welcome to join in the free survey. Plant identification guides and other necessary materials were provided free of charge. One such material involved in the survey were viewfinders, which are essentially see-through cylinders that allowed participants to view the submerged aquatic vegetation without any glare from the sun. Secchi disks were used to test the turbidity of the water. Volunteers gathered samples from the pond and placed them in bags labeled with their location and then marked that location on a map of the pond.

Native floating heart (white flowers)

Invasive species can have a significant impact on the ecosystems they invade and Asa Pond is no exception. While plants are generally considered beneficial to aquatic ecosystems, as they lower the water temperature through shading and prevent erosion, invasive plants can disrupt the natural ecosystem when they out-compete native species. According to Elizabeth Herron, who has worked for the URI Watershed Watch since 1992, the most common submerged invasives in the Rhode Island are – in decreasing order of abundance – variable leaf milfoil and fanwort. These species are particularly prolific because they can reproduce from fragments; in other words, a piece of one of these plants can grown into its own full-grown plant. Also, as may be the case with purple loosestrife overtaking native loosestrife and nymphoides peltata out-competing native floating heart, the bright colors of the invasives are more attractive to pollinators, which leads to more seeds being spread of the invasives and, thus, their proliferation.

Invasive yellow floating heart

Herbicides are the most effective means of combating the overabundance of invasive species and some have even been developed to specifically target invasives while leaving native plants unscathed. Unfortunately, herbicides can be very expensive and require a permit from the Department of Environmental Management; thus, they are not always a viable option for control of non-native species. Preventing the introduction of invasive species is generally the most desirable option; however, many people introduce invasives unknowingly and, education and outreach are important. Oftentimes, boats will introduce invasives when they are not properly washed. Similarly, plant fragments that remain in trail/bait buckets can lead to the introduction of invasives to areas where they’ve not previously been seen. Protocol for cleaning boats and buckets is currently being established. WPWA is currently working with groups in Connecticut to get support for invasive aquatic plant monitoring.

Variable Milfoil is an invasive species

The good news is that despite the heavy public use of Asa Pond, no invasive aquatic plants were detected during the survey. Still, throughout Rhode Island there is much work to be done in terms of preventing the spread of aquatic invasive plants, but through educational public outreach events such as the two-part workshop, progress can be made. If improvements are to be made it will require hard work on the part of volunteers and stakeholders throughout the watershed. If the turnout for this year’s workshop is any indication, there are many citizens concerned with the health of their watershed.

Invasive water chestnut

RELATED LINKS:

http://www.wpwa.org/

http://uri.edu/ce/wq/ww/

http://www.rinhs.org/

http://www.dem.ri.gov/

Elizabeth Gooding

Stingrays and Skates

Atlantic Stingray

Some people are scared of stingrays, some people like them, and then there are those very few people who live for stingrays. We had the opportunity to meet one such researcher from the University of Rhode Island and his Coastal Fellow who is following in his footsteps. John (Jack) Szczepanski was preparing for a joint meeting of ichthyologists and herbatologists in Minneapolis, when he and his Coastal Fellow, Peter Schooling (Marine Affairs - URI ’13) took a break from their preparations and research to share a brief lunch with us and discuss their interests and research.

Szczepanski gave us some basic details about sting rays to get us started. Stingrays are elasmobranches; like skate rays and sharks they have a skeleton made entirely of cartilage. Certain rays have reinforced jaws which allow them to consume hard species such as crabs, whelks, and snails. Stingrays have strong chemoreception and use their sense of smell to find their food. They store urea in their tissues to control salt intake because unlike most fish they don’t filter out the salt water, rather they store all the nutrients, which makes them taste bad and smell like ammonia. Stingrays are commonly used as lobster bate. They are also sometimes used as faux sea scallops in the Midwest and many species of rays are eaten in certain cultures. Electric rays, which are often found in Rhode Island, appear large and blobby and have an electric organ-muscle. The poisonous barbs on a stingray’s tail (that famously and tragically killed Steve Irwin) can break off and likely do not grow back.

Electric Ray (the red area is the
electric field emitted)

Generally, stingrays move inland during their remarkably long (11 month!) gestation period. An egg case is absorbed in the side of the mother stingray, who eventually gives a live aplacental birth. This type of reproduction is known as ovoviparity; in other words, the ray embryos develop in eggs that are held within the mother until they are ready to hatch. Some rays are rather large when they are born. For example, bull nose rays are generally between 18 and 30 cm at birth. Stingrays do not have a set breeding season. In contrast to stingrays, skates lay eggs, which is one of the major differences between the two otherwise similar species.

Szczepanski with the stingray
that stung him in the hand
on his honeymoon!

Large groups of stingrays (particularly the eagle ray and bull nose ray) migrate north from tropical waters in the summer. They are new but no longer uncommon in RI and have been seen in Narragansett Bay as early as May. Their migration this far north that early in the season may be indicative of climate change. Szczepanski believes their migration patterns may also be indicative of ecological changes because they are generally not commercially fished. Much of Szczepanski’s research takes places in Delaware Bay, which serves as a breeding ground for sharks that are sand-born and then spend the rest of their adult lives offshore. Delaware is very species rich, but comparisons can still be made to RI despite our fewer and smaller populations. Perhaps the most important correlation that can be drawn between the two water bodies is that they are both estuaries – breeding grounds/nurseries for numerous species.

Szczepanski with a stingray
on his honeymoon.

Szczpanski has gone out on many surveys to assess populations of stingrays (including one on July 20, 2010 while he was on his honeymoon and ended up getting stung in the hand!) While out on the boat, he measures the disk width from wing tip to wing tip and length from nose to pelvic fins, determines the sex of the stingray, and then checks for its stomach contents. Szczepanski then weighs and identifies the food from the belly of the stingray. Skates can have their stomach pumped to remove the contents for measurement. Little skates, which are common in Rhode Island eat a variety of food. Among other things, Szczepanski is trying to determine if their diets are more specific in Delaware, where they have a greater variety of food to choose from, than in Rhode Island. Clear nose skates, which are also common in Rhode Island tend to feed on squid, wheat fish, worms, crabs, shrimp, and more. Bull nose rays eat anything from whelks to mud snails and hermit crabs and sometimes even razor clams. Cow nose rays have strong jaws and plate-like teeth which are used for crushing. They, too, eat razor clams. Szczepanski believes that the mechanisms stingrays use to find food are – in order of importance – smell, sight, and electroreception.

Over the course of two years, Szczepanski will perform more than 20 surveys per bay (about one every month) in the Delaware and Narragansett Bays. He hopes to monitor how many stingrays are caught during each trip and their weights and species type. His work takes a serious dedication because he has almost no funding aside from his graduate studies research allowance. Szczepanski says he is grateful to have the cooperation of fishermen who allow him to examine the stingrays caught in their nets.

Elizabeth Gooding

LiDAR

The Changing Water’s Edge - 06/23/2011 – 8:30AM-12:30PM

Simulated LiDAR Survey

On June 23, 2011, experts, researchers, and governments officials came together to discuss the potential effects and implications of sea level rise. Every aspect of sea level rise and its results were examined during the four hour meeting held at Save the Bay in Providence. The meeting was composed of three major sections: maps and resources for local managers, case study presentations and discussions, and a view from the private sector.

Rhode Island does not have a plan to deal with sea level rise; however, it is crucial that one be developed, as the Newport Tide Gauge shows that the rate at which the sea level is rising is increasing. Planning is currently in Phase 1, consisting of data consolidation as well as the identification and quantification of vulnerable assets. Storm surge and spring high tide in Wickford can be viewed as precursors of impacts from sea level rise.

The LiDAR data was collected on May 2, 2011 and the product delivery is expected by the fall of2011. The deliverables should include raw point cloud data as well as classified points that specify ground, non-ground (trees, buildings, etc.,) water, and noise (ie. birds.) The existing data from 1997-2009 consists of maps of different scales, formats, and quality. Those maps have been compiled to make one accurate map available for viewing on ArcGIS. The information derived from LiDAR data can help standardize the accuracy of our understanding of the terrain of Rhode Island. It has such precise resolution, its margin of error is only +/- 6inches. The previous map had a margin of error of greater than +/- 3 feet.Recently a LiDAR(Light Detection and Ranging) survey of RI took place. The data from these surveys can provide a foundation for elevation data of the state, which can allow for predictions of areas that will be most impacted by sea level rise. LiDAR has a number of benefits. First of all, it is very precise, recording over 100,000 points per second. It has the ability to get multiple returns from a single pulse: in other words one pulse could detect a bird, the trees over which it is flying, and the ground beneath that tree canopy. The two major LiDAR products are digital surface models and digital elevation models, the latter of which can create bare earth digital elevation models(DEMs) which are used to calculate the areas impacted by sea level rise. The bare earth DEMshave 10 foot cell sizes and are hydroflattened, showing neither contour lines nor bathymetry.

A one foot sea level
rise in Wickford Harbor

LiDAR data will be particularly useful when examining the state’s tidal marsh areas. The total area and actual location of tidal marshes is important for a number of reasons. Tidal marshes are quite vulnerable to sea level rise and their locations and total area can change as a result of sea level rise. Many roads are blocking their retreat and if those roads are not moved, the marshes will inevitably be inundated. South County is a prime example of where this is likely going to be an issue. In order to model the potential effects of sea level rise, Kevin Ruddock of the Nature Conservatory presented models of how a 1 feet, 3 feet, and 5 feet sea level rise would impact different areas of the state. He depicted the scenarios using SLAMM (Sea Levels Affecting Marshes Model.) This modeling program takes into account inundation, erosion, overwash, saturation, and accretion on the topography of the state. It presents data on a1:12,000 scale.

Following the presentation and discussion of the compelling SLAMM maps, there was a discussion with North Kingstown town officials. After a short break, panelists from Bristol,Newport, and Warwick discussed the potential impacts of sea level rise in their respective areas. Diane Williamson, the Community Development Director in Bristol, discussed concerns regarding storm surge and the infrastructure in the Poppasquash/Hope Street infrastructure where culverts are being blocked by the receding seawall. There is a question of whether or not to repair the road, as it is at such a risk for flooding, it may be a waste of money.

A three foot sea level
rise in Wickford Harbor

In terms of flooding, she succinctly said it “hits you at home because it is your home.” Her talk was followed by a presentation by Newport Planning Director, Paige Bronk. He discussed how storm surge is also a concern in the area, as Newport lies well within a 100-year floodplain. Storm surge threatens retail business on Thames Street; however, due to the historic nature of those buildings, raising them remains controversial. Bronk called for a stronger state building code that will consider flooding. He also encouraged zoning relief for properties at risk of coastal flooding. Finishing this portion of the meeting, Janine Burke from the Warwick Sewer Authority discussed how the floods of 2010 presented a true challenge to the wastewater infrastructure in the city. She provided forceful pictures and statistics about how the Sewer Authority faced an unprecedented challenge from the floods; her office was evacuated on March30^th and water levels there rose to six feet. The floods tested pumping stations that were “built like submarines,” completely wiping out six of them. The biggest impact of the floods could be seen in sanitary sewer overflows and electrical system problems. As a result of the floods, the wastewater treatment employees are now actively involved in emergency planning. Burke suggested that in planning for climate change, the following are major points to be addressed:energy efficient initiatives, renewable energy, consideration of future hydrology, and avoidance of construction in floodplains.

A five foot sea level
rise in Wickford Harbor

Finishing up the day, Sandy Taft, Director of US Climate Change Policy for National Grid discussed adjusting to climate change and addressing the risks associated with it. He said we must consider the impact of weather – wind, water, and temperature – on infrastructure. Taft suggested looking at long term threats and prioritizing based on how long each asset will be in place. In terms of flood types, he mentioned four types: coastal/tidal, fluvial/river, groundwater, and flash flooding and that they have been focusing on river flooding. While Federal Emergency Management Agency ranks areas in terms of risk as either low, medium, or high, the maps being used to categorize those areas may be outdated or based on historical events and therein lies several problems which we all face. LiDAR is a very helpful data source but National Grid found that sometimes it is not enough. For example, LiDAR cannot record inside a structure and therefore National Grid has had to conduct surveys of the equipment inside a building to determine if they will be flooded based on their elevation. Once flood implications are understood, several construction alternatives can be deployed which Taft described as avoidance, resistance, resilience, and reparability. Since National Grid is a UK-based company, Taft shared the different data sources that are made available in the UK versus the US and, as a result, the different internal design standards deployed.

Overall, the day was hugely informative for all of those involved. The speakers highlighted the extent to which sea level rise will have far-reaching implications, many of which are often not immediately obvious.

Elizabeth Gooding

Dams, Culverts and Stream Crossings, Oh My!

River Herring (a.k.a Alewife)
Alosa pseudoharengus spend
their life in the ocean and
travel up rivers to breed.    

Imagine being a river herring. After spending a few years growing up in the Atlantic Ocean, it is time to return to the river you were born in. Your senses bring you back to the mouth of the Pawtuxet River where you swam out into the Narragansett Bay, tasting saltwater for the first time, just a few short years ago. You are ready to return to your hatching grounds with your school so you can repeat the process like so many ancestors before you.

The portion of Pawtuxet Falls Dam you see
here is slated to be removed this summer. The
removal will restore the connectivity of the river
to the Bay, and minimally decrease flooding in the area.

But to your dismay, a huge waterfall pours down in front of you (remember, you are a fish, less than a foot long). You cannot jump over the dam, and you cannot swim around it. Just then a large blue bucket scoops you out of the river. You sit in the bucket, afraid of what lies ahead. Then, without notice, you are dumped back into the river! But now you are upstream of the dam. You have just a short way to go to get back to your spawning ground. But you are not in the clear yet. Just up ahead you sense your way. You must pass through a dark and dingy tunnel, under a large strip of concrete with huge hunks of metal barreling overhead. The culvert you are passing through is a stream crossing, where a road passes over the stream. It has been a wet spring so there is just enough flow for you to pass safely. Had it been a dry spring, this culvert would be full of sticky mud and swimming through it would be impossible.

As you can see, this culvert can pass fish.
(Photos courtesy of NRCS)

Despite the odds, you have made it to your spawning ground! Unfortunately, only a few of your kind made it this far. Your school has decreased in numbers, but you make the best of it, and hope the weather and predators will be kind to your young.

No fish could jump high enough to make it into this culvert!

Your job is done. You follow the flow of the river back out to Narragansett Bay where you meet up with the rest of your school and return to life at sea.

While dams once powered the Industrial Revolution, and culverts allow us to pass safely over streambeds, these man-made obstacles can prevent wildlife from accessing their native habitats. In Rhode Island there are more than 671 dams. While some dams hold back water for us to drink, or maintain the level of a lake or pond, others serve no purpose. In fact, 180 dams in Rhode Island are classified as hazardous to life or the environment in the event of failure. The owner of the dam is responsible for maintaining their dam, however, many of the historical dams in Rhode Island have no identified owner because the mills they once powered are long gone. Despite the difficulties of ownership and strained fiscal situations, the watershed organizations and associations continue to work toward restoring the natural flow and environmental connectivity of the rivers. In some cases this means building a fish ladder, or installing a bypass channel that will allow fish and other animals to move upstream without having to leave the river. But when possible, the dam is just removed. By removing a dam all together, we not only re-establish the connection between the river and the Bay, but we eliminate maintenance cost.

If the culvert in the red square is repaired it would
open more than 17 miles of habitat in the
Pawcatuck River watershed to fish and wildlife.

The culverts that carry the streams under our roads were not always designed with fish and wildlife in mind. There are more than 2,780 miles of river within the Narragansett Bay Watershed. This does not include the streams or brooks that may flow through your backyard or neighborhood. Nonetheless, these streams and brooks play a significant role in feeding the rivers, connecting habitats and providing food and shelter to our fish and wildlife. The Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) has identified 4,353 stream crossings in Rhode Island. They have inventoried more than 950 stream crossings in 12 watersheds in Rhode Island so far.  The inventory identifies the characteristics of the crossings and assesses the quality of the crossing based on standards developed by the University of Massachusetts, Amherst Extension program in the College of Natural Sciences. Within the Wood-Pawcatuck Watershed alone, more than 150 culverts are classified as severe barriers, meaning they do not support the needs of fish and wildlife.

As part of this project, NRCS is working with landowners and other organizations to identify potential restoration projects. Landowners with culverts on their property are encouraged to apply for grants under the Wildlife Habitat and Incentives Program to fund the restoration of their ineffective culverts. To learn more about this project visit the Rivers and Streams Continuity Project at UMass Extension.
Lesley Lambert

Pawtuxet Falls Dam Removal Project Update

To learn more about the Pawtuxet River
Watershed, click here.

The Pawtuxet River is the second largest source of fresh water to the Narragansett Bay. The Pawtuxet River watershed is the largest watershed in the state. It comprises the Scituate Reservoir and its tributaries, the North Branch of the Pawtuxet, the Pocasset River, the Big River and its tributaries, the Flat River Reservoir and its tributaries -- the South Branch of the Pawtuxet, and the main stem of the Pawtuxet. In total, the watershed contains 64 ponds, 93 brooks, 7 tributary rivers, and 18 dams.
The first dam on the river, Pawtuxet Falls, is located at the mouth of Pawtuxet Cove. The concrete dam you see today was constructed in 1924 by the Providence Water Supply Board. The concrete structure replaced the previous wooden structure and was built at the same time Scituate Reservoir was being constructed in the upper watershed. The Scituate Reservoir currently supplies drinking water to nearly two-thirds of the state's population.
With the second largest volume of water in Rhode Island and a substantial drop in elevation from its headwaters to Narragansett Bay, the Pawtuxet River watershed became a center of textile manufacturing plants. Numerous impoundments were created along the river and its tributaries, and along the banks were a series of mills and mill villages, many of which now have historical significance. In the late 19th century, this development was so intensive that an urban area emerged in the eastern Coventry-West Warwick area. Factories and villages both discharged their effluent and waste in the river, degrading water quality in the lower portions of the watershed.

Click here to download a flyer
about the project and meeting

With poor water quality and dams peppering the river, migrating fish such as river herring, American shad and Atlantic salmon could not reach their fresh water spawning grounds. But there is a light at the end of the story! The Pawtuxet River Authority and its partners are working to remove portions of the concrete dam at Pawtuxet Falls, which will open seven and a half miles of river to migrating fish.
On June 21st at 7pm, the Pawtuxet River Authority will host a public meeting at Rhodes-on-the-Pawtuxet to update stakeholders on the progress of the dam removal project. Although construction has not yet begun, permits and contracting are underway. The public is welcome and encouraged to attend the public meeting. 

If you would like to be added to the stakeholder mailing list so you can receive information about future meetings and updates on construction progress contact Lesley Lambert at lesley@nbep.org.