Dan Tanona
June, 2022
Friends of Green Hill Pond
Green Hill Pond has a very distant connection to the ocean resulting in the slowest tidal flushing of any of our salt ponds. This results in very high levels of nitrogen and bacteria compared to the other ponds. Pond water testing has shown that the level of bacteria levels spikes after heavy rainfall carries the animal deposits of fecal coliform into the pond. This in turn, caused the State of Rhode Island to close the pond to shellfishing. Which, along with the general desire to improve the health of Green Hill Pond led to the creation of The Friends of Green Hill Pond. The FOGHP, along with its partners the Town of South Kingstown, the University of Rhode Island and others began to attack the problem by looking at ways to improve the flushing from the ocean. After an initial URI in-depth evaluation showed that this would not be as effective as hoped and quite expensive as well, they turned their focus to reducing the contaminants entering the pond via abatement of the bacteria using pretreatment units at key entry points to the pond. So, instead of flushing the bacteria out, keep it from getting into the pond in the first place!
The following is from the Newsletter as mentioned above regarding a different type of abatement:
| New Grant is Awarded to Improve Green Hill Pond! |
| The Town of South Kingstown (Town) and Friends of Green Hill Pond (FGHP) are thrilled to announce a $99,000 grant from the Narragansett Bay Estuary Program (NBEP) that will be used to enhance our existing stormwater management project. As we discussed in our January newsletter, stormwater runoff has been identified by the RI Department of Environmental Management as a major source of bacteria entering Green Hill Pond. You may recall that in 2020 the Town and FGHP were able to secure a $100,000 grant along with matching funds from the Town of $52,250 and from FGHP of $22,500 to conduct a comprehensive stormwater attenuation study. After a Covid delay, that study is almost complete. It identified 31 stormwater catchment areas in the Green Hill Pond watershed. The study also completed partial designs on four of the highest priority areas. Once the Town finalizes the study, we will share more details in a subsequent email. The Town and FGHP recognizes that more needs to be done to improve water quality. Specifically, final design and permitting work needs to be completed on the initial four high-priority catchment areas, the number of catchment areas with completed designs needs to be expanded, and we need to better support homeowners in their efforts to control stormwater on their own property. This new $99,000 grant from NBEP along with $33.000 in additional matching funds split between the Town and FGHP will help us make substantial progress towards these goals. As we have said before, our mission is to drive concrete actions that improve the health of Green Hill Pond. Thank you again for your support of our efforts. Dennis Bowman President Friends of Green Hill Pond |
Salt Ponds Coalition
The following is from our own Ann Manion, Salt Pond Coalition Board of Director member
Since 1985, the Salt Ponds Coalition [SPC] has managed the Pond Watcher Program for Green Hill Pond. This non-profit is the official state-designated watershed group for the salt ponds region. With a mission to protect and enhance the health of the salt ponds for the benefit of wildlife and people, SPC manages 5 water testing sites on Green Hill Pond and a total of 27 testing sites in South County.
SPC Pond Watchers conduct water testing from April to October. We thank retiring Green Hill Pond Watcher George Hill who has faithfully served SPC for more than 20 years, and welcome new Pond Watchers Tom Meade and Joan Pavlinsky. Other Green Hill Pond Watchers include Lori Keough, Erma Russo, Rachel Lyons, and Ray Gradale. Please thank these individuals when you see them for their volunteerism.
Financial support from Green Hill residents is needed. Without SPC, there would be no organization to monitor Green Hill Pond and provide essential data on the health of the pond to the state, Town of South Kingstown, and advocate organizations like Friends of Green Hill Pond.
Support Water Quality Testing of Green Hill Pond
by becoming an individual member today at joinsaltponds.com
SPC has begun a $150,000 project with the University of Rhode Island and the Town of Charlestown that focuses on reducing pollution in Green Hill Pond. The study looks at the impact of degraded wastewater treatment systems and explores new technologies to address excessive nutrients entering the pond.
In concurrence with Rhode Island’s science education standards, in 2022 SPC completed a field trip curriculum now available to science teachers seeking hands-on learning opportunities for their students. The program fosters future stewards by educating them on salt ponds and wildlife estuary environments.
Our online summer fundraiser takes place July 15th-17th. We invite your participation! You’ll have the chance to bid on items like a Watch Hill Harbor cruise aboard the yacht Aphrodite, Patriots game tickets, and a wide range of products, services, and gift certificates from your favorite Rhode Island businesses.
Follow SPC at facebook.com/saltpondscoalition and Instagram (@saltpondscoalition) and get news on FREE upcoming activities, such as Family Salt Pond Safaris, Kayak Pond Paddle Tours, and Guided Beach Walks.
Get involved! Join a committee, Become a Pond Watcher, or an Education Volunteer. Contact Green Hill resident and SPC board member Ann Manion at annmanion@mac.com or 978.460.1157 to learn more.
Shoreline Access Bill
We’ve focused on the Shoreline Access Law several times previously and its finally come to the floor of the RI General assembly. Its officially Bill H 8055 and has been reported upon extensively in the news. Basically, the RI constitution stated that the public had access to the beach to the shoreline without defining where the shoreline was. In 1982, the State Supreme Court dictated that it would be the mean high tide averaged over the past 18.6 years. Given current sea level rise, it would now be well under water in most places. The recent bill would correct by stating that it would now be 10 feet above the current wrack line – the line of seaweed and shells left by the last most recent high tide. This will almost assuredly be contested by shoreline homeowners.
Update as of June 2, 2022
The Rhode Island House of Representatives unanimously passed the Shoreline Access Bill H 8055. For more detailed information, here are a couple of links to articles about the passing of the bill and about what happens next:
https://www.providencejournal.com/story/news/politics/2022/06/02/ri-house-passes-shoreline-access-bill-awaits-senate-action/7482398001/https://thepublicsradio.org/article/shoreline-access-bill-passes-in-rhode-island-house-fate-in-senate-uncertain
Green Hill Civic Association 