DEM ANNOUNCES FINALIZATION OF RHODE ISLAND'S LIST OF WATERS IMPAIRED BY POLLUTION

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Final 303(d) List

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

For Release:	December 19, 2006
Contact:	Gail Mastrati 222-4700 ext. 2402 Stephanie Powell 222-4700 ext. 4418

DEM ANNOUNCES FINALIZATION OF RHODE ISLAND'S LIST OF WATERS IMPAIRED BY POLLUTION
List Identifies 162 Waterbodies in the State That are Not Meeting Water Quality Standards

PROVIDENCE - The Department of Environmental Management announces that DEM's 2006 list of impaired Rhode Island waters, officially known as the 303(d) list, has been approved by the US Environmental Protection Agency and is thus final. In accordance with federal Clean Water Act requirements, DEM's Office of Water Resources has identified those waters that do not meet water quality standards. Water quality restoration studies, officially known as Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs), must be developed for each waterbody identified as impaired by pollution. The 303(d) list establishes a priority ranking for development of these restoration studies, and, as such, serves to direct water quality monitoring and restoration efforts in Rhode Island.

DEM uses available monitoring data in assessing the water quality of the state's waters. At the time that the assessment was completed in late 2005, monitoring data were available for 42% of the state's 1,498 river miles; of these waters, 39% did not meet established water quality standards for one or more parameters and thus were considered impaired. For lakes, monitoring data were available for over 80% of the state's 20,917 acres of lakes and ponds, and of those 32% were considered impaired. The state's estuarine waters encompass roughly 156 square miles, of which close to 100% are considered assessed and 30% impaired. Commonly found impairments include bacteria, nutrients and low dissolved oxygen levels.

To address waters that are unassessed, DEM has begun implementing new monitoring strategies that over time will reduce the gap in available data. For rivers and streams, of which a majority are currently unassessed, DEM is using a rotating basin approach wherein different watersheds are monitored each year with a goal of covering the whole state within a five-year period. This approach was first applied in the Wood River watershed and the resulting data contributed to a 4% reduction in unassessed rivers and streams between 2004 and 2006. Full implementation of the rotating basin approach and other needed monitoring program enhancements will require additional investment.

In total, DEM has identified 162 waterbodies as impaired on the state's 2006 303(d) list. To date, water quality restoration studies have been completed for 40 waterbodies. DEM is currently working on TMDLs addressing impairments on over 28 additional waterbodies, including the Woonasquatucket River, Mashapaug Pond, Sands Pond (Block Island), Almy Pond, Belleville Pond, Brickyard Pond, Gorton Pond, North Easton Pond, Roger Williams Park Pond, Sand Pond (Warwick), Spectacle Pond, Upper Dam Pond, Warwick Pond, Blackstone River, Scott Pond, Valley Falls Pond, Pawcatuck River (estuarine portion only) and Little Narragansett Bay, Pt. Judith Pond, Old Mill Creek and Buckeye Brook, and Mt Hope Bay and the Kickemuit River estuary.

In the draft 303(d) list made available for public comment in May 2006, DEM had proposed de-listing eight waterbody segments impaired by dissolved cadmium. Upon discussion with EPA, however, DEM determined that these waterbody impairments should remain on the list. The affected waterbody segments include portions or all of Abbott Run Brook (North and South), Clear River, Maskerchugg River, Ashaway River, Chipuxet River, Canonchet Brook, and Keach River.

The final 303(d) list is available on-line at DEM's website, by clicking on http://www.dem.ri.gov/pubs/303d/303d06.pdf, by visiting DEM's Office of Water Resources located at 235 Promenade Street in Providence weekdays from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., or by calling Carol MacAndrew of the Office of Water Resources at 222-3961 ext. 7220.

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