Ninigret Pond

The Rhode Island Coastal Resources Management Council and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers have been working together on the South Coast Habitat Restoration Project since 1997. One part of the project will restore 40 acres of eelgrass habitat to Ninigret Pond by dredging the flood tidal shoals in the pond to an optimum depth for eelgrass growth. Eelgrass provides a habitat that is essential for the lifecycles of several important fish species. It also contributes to the health and productivity of the coastal ecosystem by filtering harmful nutrients and contributing to the food web.

The project area is located along the south coast of Rhode Island in Washington County and in the town of Charlestown. The specific areas of restoration are located in and adjacent to the breachway in Ninigret Pond and at the juncture of Cross Mills Pond with an unnamed outlet stream that discharges into Ninigret Pond.

Senator Jack Reed, who has worked in Congress to secure funding for restoration and preservation of Ninigret Pond, stated, "The restoration of Ninigret Pond offers us all a rare environmental opportunity -- a chance not just to prevent the destruction of natural habitat, but to roll back the clock and restore what has been lost. Rhode Islander's quality of life is closely tied to the health of our natural resources. That's why we need to continue our coordinated and ambitious federal, state and private partnership to protect this priceless treasure of nature."

The total project will cost approximately $2.7 million and be cost shared between the State of Rhode Island and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, 35 percent and 65 percent respectively. The project is authorized under Section 206 of the Water Resources Development Act of 1996, as amended, for the purpose of aquatic ecosystem restoration.

The Rhode Island Coastal Resources Management Council (RICRMC) is the non- Federal sponsor and fully supports the recommended plan. They will share in the costs of project construction as well as future maintenance costs.

Michael Tikoian, Chairman, Rhode Island Coastal Resources Management Council, welcomed attendees to the ceremony and made introductions.

From the State of Rhode Island guest speakers included Governor Donald L. Carcieri, State Senator V. Susan Sosnowski, Chair of Senate Committee on Environment, and Fred Vincent, Director, Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management.

"As we start this largest salt pond restoration effort in New England I would like to thank all of the partners who have made this effort possible," said John Kennelly, Chief of Planning Branch, New England District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. "Our partnership is a noteworthy example of how federal, state and local governments and private agencies should work together for those they represent."

The sand from the dredged areas will be used to replenish the nearby beaches. These beaches are eroding and sand that was transported into Ninigret Pond will be returned to the shoreline. This will provide more protection to the houses along the shoreline in the event of a severe storm.

The project will be maintained by excavating a sediment basin in the Charlestown Breachway. Sand will be captured in the basin instead of entering the pond. This will ensure that the restored eelgrass beds are not reburied. The state will maintain the sediment basin by periodic dredging and pumping the sand back to the beaches.

"This is a striking example of an opportunity that resulted in the melding of mission accomplishment, environmental stewardship and community involvement -- a win-win across the board and an example for others to emulate," said Timothy R.E. Keeney, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Oceans and Atmosphere, NOAA. "The Coastal America Partnership supports and encourages these activities."

The Coastal America Partnership is a collaborative effort of federal, state and local agencies working to protect, preserve and restore coastal resources.

Through the Rhode Island Corporate Wetlands Restoration Partnership, Rhode Island businesses have the unique opportunity to work closely with state and federal agencies as well as with environmental organizations on important projects, such as the Ninigret Pond Habitat Restoration Project, that help restore critical water bodies and fish passages.

"The Rhode Island corporate community supports the efforts of the CRMC and Corps of Engineers to undue past environmental damages and advance the revitalization of Rhode Island's natural coastline," said Richard Kleiman, chairman of the Rhode Island Corporate Wetlands Restoration Partnership Advisory Board and vice president of ESS Group, Inc. of East Providence, a key restoration partner.

Benefits of the project will be that 40 acres of eelgrass will be restored in Ninigret Pond, creating essential fish habitat for winter flounder, striped bass, bay scallop, mussel and lobster; new eelgrass beds will help improve water quality in Ninigret Pond by removing harmful nutrients; sand that is filling the channel and burying the eelgrass beds in Ninigret Pond will be returned to the shoreline to create wider beaches; extra sand on the beach will increase storm protection and slow the erosion rate on the developed barrier; and more sand will be available for dune formation, further increasing shoreline protection for beachfront homeowners.

The problems for this area date back many years. Ninigret Pond was given a permanent breachway during the last century. The most prevalent problem that has arisen with the permanent breachway is an increased rate of sedimentation in the pond, mainly in the form of a flood tidal shoal that continually expands and changes shape. This flood tidal shoal has resulted in the loss of valuable eelgrass beds and shellfish habitat. Also, upland development over the last century has resulted in the loss of valuable spawning habitat in Cross Mills Pond, a freshwater pond connected to Ninigret Pond.

The Corps of Engineers' Feasibility Report examined a host of alternative plans in order to develop a comprehensive restoration plan that minimized environmental impacts and project costs. The alternatives examined for the salt pond included: the no action plan; constructing a sedimentation basin; planting eelgrass on the shoal and constructing a sedimentation basin; dredging the shoal, planting eelgrass, and constructing the basin. Alternatives for the fish passage project include: the no action plan; trapping and transporting; and constructing a fishway.

The recommended plan involves dredging about 40 acres of tidal shoal area in Ninigret Pond and planting eelgrass to restore aquatic habitat. Eelgrass will be transplanted to dredged areas by removing plugs from nearby healthy donor beds or through direct seeding techniques. A 3.5-acre sediment basin will be dredged to prevent future shoaling.

Restoration efforts in the pond will have direct benefit to the fisheries of Block Island Sound. The project also involves construction of a concrete lined bypass channel with two fish ladders from Ninigret Pond to Cross Mills Pond. Restoring the migratory pathway of herring and other anadromous species to Cross Mills Pond will further improve the ecosystem through the restoration of about 20 acres of spawning habitat. Increased use of the pond by anadromous fish will also provide fisheries and wildlife benefits to both Ninigret Pond and Block Island Sound.

Coordination has been maintained with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the National Marine Fisheries Service, and the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management (RIDEM) throughout the feasibility study process. Any concerns about the project were identified early on in the study and resolved. Working with these agencies, the Corps and non-Federal sponsor developed a recommended plan that is acceptable to all and is seen as beneficial to the environment.

Plans and specifications were initiated in September 2002. A Project Cooperative Agreement was signed May 28, 2003. A contract for the dredging portion of the project was awarded on Sept. 30, 2004 to Inner Space Services, Inc., of Casco, Maine.

Project supporters include: the Town of South Kingstown, the Town of Charlestown, the Town of Westerly, the Salt Ponds Coalition, the University of Rhode Island/Graduate School of Oceanography, the University of Rhode Island Department of Geosciences, the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and the National Marine Fisheries Service.

Dredging work is projected to be completed in March 2005. The fishway portion is projected to be completed later in 2005. The eelgrass improvements are projected to be completed over several growing seasons from 2005-2007.