DEM ANNOUNCES CLOSURE OF CHAMPLIN'S COVE SHELLFISH HARVESTING AREA IN NARRAGANSETT
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News Release
RI Department of Environmental Management
235 Promenade Street, Providence, RI 02908
(401) 222-2771 TDD/(401) 222-4462
For Release: November 1, 2002
Contact: Gail Mastrati 222-4700 ext. 2402
Stephanie Powell 222-4700 ext. 4418

DEM ANNOUNCES CLOSURE OF CHAMPLIN'S COVE SHELLFISH HARVESTING AREA IN NARRAGANSETT
Elevated Bacteria Levels Cited as Reason for Closure

PROVIDENCE -- The Department of Environmental Management has announced that much of Champlin's Cove in Point Judith Pond in Narragansett will be closed to shellfish harvesting beginning at sunrise Saturday, November 2.

DEM will close 13.04 acres of the cove, north of a line from the westernmost extension of Delray Drive to the easternmost extension of Flintstone Road, located on Harbor Island.

The permanent closure is the result of an intensive sanitary shoreline survey conducted over this past summer and into the fall by DEM's Office of Water Resources staff, with assistance from the Salt Pond Coalition volunteer monitoring group. Shoreline surveys are a requirement of the National Shellfish Sanitation Program and are regularly conducted in shellfish harvesting areas. The survey revealed elevated bacteria levels that exceed the criteria for safe shellfish harvesting. The source of the bacterial contamination has not yet been positively identified and will be further investigated as part of the Point Judith Pond TMDL water quality restoration plan to be developed by the Office of Water Resources. TMDL, or total maximum daily load, establishes the maximum allowable pollutant loading for a waterbody to meet water quality standards. Typical pollution sources are wild and domestic animals, septic system failures and improper manure handling activities.

Arthur Ganz, supervising biologist in DEM's Marine Fisheries section, noted that Champlin's Cove is not a productive shellfish area and that the cove is not widely fished.

For further information contact Joseph Migliore in the Office of Water Resources at 222-4700 ext. 7258.

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