DEM RECEIVES REPORT ON SALTER'S GROVE CAUSEWAY AND FORWARDS IT TO WARWICK OFFICIALS FOR REVIEW

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Salter's Grove Causeway Report

News Release
RI Department of Environmental Management
235 Promenade Street, Providence, RI 02908
(401) 222-2771 TDD/(401) 222-4462

For Release:	December 9, 2004
Contact:	Gail Mastrati 222-4700 ext. 2402 Stephanie Powell 222-4700 ext. 4418

DEM RECEIVES REPORT ON SALTER'S GROVE CAUSEWAY AND FORWARDS IT TO WARWICK OFFICIALS FOR REVIEW
Next Step Will Be to Consult with the Local Community and Then Initiate Infrastructure Improvements to the Eroded Causeway to Maintain Public Access

PROVIDENCE - The Department of Environmental Management announces that it has received a report regarding possible upgrades to the causeway at the George B Salter Memorial Grove that would improve public access to the site and address environmental concerns associated with the nearly 40-year-old structure. The Department has forwarded the 54- page report to the City of Warwick and asked the city to undertake a concurrent review.

DEM hired Environmental Science Services, Inc. of East Providence last spring to perform an investigation of the site and prepare a report outlining their findings. The investigation evaluated development scenarios with respect to improving public access to the causeway for anglers. The investigation also evaluated habitat value, water quality, sediment transport, wetland features, and other environmental factors.

DEM, in coordination with the RI Coastal Resources Management Council, plans to meet with the city and local legislators to review the report, and participate with the city in a public meeting to discuss the findings.

Robert Sutton, Chief of DEM's Division of Planning and Development, says, "After consulting with the city and local community, and the CRMC, we believe the next step will be to hire a design consultant to produce plans and specifications for infrastructure improvements to the causeway. At this time, DEM does not have a preferred alternative; however, maintaining public access is very important to the Department and a requirement of the funding source, and we cannot consider any alternative that eliminates public access to the breakwater."

Salter's Grove, on Narragansett Parkway, is owned by DEM and leased to the City of Warwick, which operates and manages the park. In the mid-60s, the US Army Corps of Engineers constructed a stone breakwater connecting two small islands - Rock Island and Marsh Island - to protect Pawtuxet Cove from storms. As part of the breakwater construction, the Corps constructed what was to be a temporary causeway connecting Salter's Grove (formerly Warwick Downs) and the breakwater. The causeway was originally scheduled to be removed after the breakwater was built; however, the state Department of Natural Resources, forerunner of DEM, requested that the causeway remain in place. The Army Corps agreed, with the understanding that the state take ownership of the causeway and be responsible for any long term maintenance and repair.

The causeway originally had two 20-foot openings that allowed tidal exchange between the northern and the southern coves at all stages of the tide. However, by 1971, both openings had partially failed and flow between the two coves was greatly reduced. Over the past 30 years, the causeway has eroded and vegetation has grown on the side slopes. Today, a limited amount of flow is possible only over one opening and only at high tide.

The report can be found on DEM's website, www.dem.ri.gov, by clicking on "Programs" and then "Planning and Development".

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