Meet Your
Watershed
—the WATERSHED—
Three adjacent watersheds are
included in Watershed Counts:
EĂƌƌĂŐĂŶƐĞƩ ĂLJ͕ tŽŽĚͲWĂǁĐĂͲ
tuck, and Rhode Island’s coastal
Salt Ponds.
—the SIZE—
Total square miles: 2,066
ŝŶDĂƐƐĂĐŚƵƐĞƩƐ͗ϭ͕ϬϮϴ;ϱϬйͿ
ŝŶZŚŽĚĞ/ƐůĂŶĚ͗ϵϴϰ;ϰϴйͿ
ŝŶŽŶŶĞĐƟĐƵƚ͗ϱϳ;ϮйͿ
—the PEOPLE—
The region is home to two million
ƉĞŽƉůĞŝŶϭϬϬĐŝƟĞƐĂŶĚƚŽǁŶƐŝŶ
three states.
NARRAGANSETT BAY ESTUARY
Ŷ ĞƐƚƵĂƌLJ ŝƐ Ă ƉĂƌƚůLJ ĞŶĐůŽƐĞĚ
ĐŽĂƐƚĂů ďŽĚLJ ŽĨ ǁĂƚĞƌ ǁŝƚŚ ŽŶĞ
ŽƌŵŽƌĞƌŝǀĞƌƐŽƌƐƚƌĞĂŵƐŇŽǁŝŶŐ
ŝŶƚŽŝƚǁŝƚŚĨƌĞĞĐŽŶŶĞĐƟŽŶƚŽƚŚĞ
ŽƉĞŶ ŽĐĞĂŶ͘ EĂƌƌĂŐĂŶƐĞƩ ĂLJ ŝƐ
ĨĞĚďLJƐĞǀĞƌĂůƌŝǀĞƌƐŝŶĐůƵĚŝŶŐƚŚĞ
Blackstone, Taunton, Pawtuxet,
Woonasquatucket, Moshassuck
and Ten Mile. More than two bilͲ
ůŝŽŶ ŐĂůůŽŶƐ ŽĨ ĨƌĞƐŚǁĂƚĞƌ ŇŽǁ
ĚĂŝůLJƚŽŵŝdžǁŝƚŚƚŚĞŽĐĞĂŶ͛ƐƐĂůƚ
waters, producing a unique estuaͲ
rine habitat.
watershedcounts.org
BrianJonesDesign.com
Map: Paul Jordan—RI Dept of Environmental Management
©Watershed Counts, 2013
Open Space
watershedcounts.org
Intense Development Pressure
/ŶEĂƌƌĂŐĂŶƐĞƩĂLJZĞŐŝŽŶ
ϴϬйŽĨZ/&ĂƌŵůĂŶĚ>ŽƐƚƚŽ
ĞǀĞůŽƉŵĞŶƚ^ŝŶĐĞϭϵϰϬ
About a third of the land available for dŽĚĂLJ ůĞƐƐ ƚŚĂŶ ϳй ;ϰϬ͕ϬϬϬ ĂĐƌĞƐͿ ŝƐ ŝŶ
development in 1995 is now gone, but ĂĐƟǀĞĂŐƌŝĐƵůƚƵƌĞ͕ĂŶĚŽŶůLJŽŶĞƋƵĂƌƚĞƌ
RI, CT and MA have made commitments ŽĨ ƚŚĂƚ ŝƐ ƉƌŽƚĞĐƚĞĚ͕ ďƵƚ ǁŽƌŬŝŶŐ ĨĂƌŵƐ
to preserving open spaces through state- contribute to the local and state econowide and local bond referenda, and by ŵLJ͕ĐŽŵŵƵŶŝƚLJĐŚĂƌĂĐƚĞƌ͕ƋƵĂůŝƚLJŽĨůŝĨĞ͕
ƐƵƉƉŽƌƟŶŐƚŚĞǁŽƌŬŽĨůŽĐĂůůĂŶĚƚƌƵƐƚƐ͘
ůŽĐĂůĨŽŽĚƉƌŽĚƵĐƟŽŶĂŶĚĨŽŽĚƐĞĐƵƌŝƚLJ͘
BrianJonesDesign.com
džƚĞŶĚŝŶŐtĞƚůĂŶĚƵīĞƌƐ
Improves Water Quality
Development and “impervious cover”
ůŽǁĞƌ ǁĂƚĞƌ ƋƵĂůŝƚLJ͘ >ĂŶĚƐ ĂĚũĂĐĞŶƚ ƚŽ
waterways are protected by state reguůĂƟŽŶƐ͕ĂŶĚĞdžƚĞŶĚŝŶŐƚŚĞƐĞďƵīĞƌĂƌĞĂƐ
with protected, undeveloped land proǀŝĚĞƐĂĚĚŝƟŽŶĂůǁĂƚĞƌƋƵĂůŝƚLJƉƌŽƚĞĐƟŽŶ͘
Queen’s River Preserve͕dŚĞEĂƚƵƌĞŽŶƐĞƌǀĂŶĐLJ͕džĞƚĞƌ͕ZŚŽĚĞ/ƐůĂŶĚͶƌŝĂŶ:ŽŶĞƐ
KƉĞŶ^ƉĂĐĞWƌŽƚĞĐƟŽŶ
DŝƟŐĂƚĞƐ&ůŽŽĚŝŶŐ
dŚĞŇŽŽĚƐŽĨDĂƌĐŚϮϬϭϬĚŝƐƉůĂĐĞĚŽǀĞƌ
ϲ͕ϮϬϬƉĞŽƉůĞ͕ĐůŽƐĞĚŽǀĞƌϮϬϬĐŽŵƉĂŶŝĞƐ͕
and caused enormous economic damage
ƚŽZ/͕ďƵƚŇŽŽĚƉůĂŝŶƐƌĞĚƵĐĞĚƚŚĞƌŝƐŬŽĨ
ŇŽŽĚ ĚĂŵĂŐĞ ƚŽ ŽƚŚĞƌ ĂƌĞĂƐ ŽĨ ƚŚĞ ǁĂƚĞƌƐŚĞĚ͘
©Watershed Counts, 2013
Marine Water
KdžLJŐĞŶ ŝƐ ĞƐƐĞŶƟĂů ĨŽƌ ůŝĨĞ͘ ůů ĂƋƵĂƟĐ ŽƌŐĂŶŝƐŵƐĚĞƉĞŶĚŽŶĚŝƐƐŽůǀĞĚŽdžLJŐĞŶĨŽƵŶĚ
ƚŚƌŽƵŐŚŽƵƚ ƚŚĞ ǁĂƚĞƌ ĐŽůƵŵŶ͘ Ƶƚ ƵŶĚĞƌ
ĐĞƌƚĂŝŶ ĐŽŶĚŝƟŽŶƐ͕ ƚŚŝƐ ĞƐƐĞŶƟĂů ŽdžLJŐĞŶ
ĐĂŶ ďĞ ĚĞƉůĞƚĞĚ͘ >Žǁ ĚŝƐƐŽůǀĞĚͲŽdžLJŐĞŶ
ĐŽŶĚŝƟŽŶƐ͕ƌĞĨĞƌƌĞĚƚŽĂƐhypoxia, impacts
ƚŚĞ ďĂLJ͛Ɛ ůŝĨĞ͘ &ŝƐŚ͕ ůŽďƐƚĞƌƐ͕ ĐƌĂďƐ͕ ƐŚƌŝŵƉ͕
ĂŶĚ ƐŚĞůůĮƐŚ ƚŚĂƚ ĐĂŶŶŽƚ ŇĞĞ ƉŽŽƌ ǁĂƚĞƌ
ƋƵĂůŝƚLJ ĐŽŶĚŝƟŽŶƐ ďĞĐŽŵĞ ƐƚƌĞƐƐĞĚ Žƌ ĚŝĞ͘
ĚĚŝƟŽŶĂů ĞīĞĐƚƐ ƌŝƉƉůĞ ƚŚƌŽƵŐŚŽƵƚ ƚŚĞ
ĞĐŽƐLJƐƚĞŵ͘
watershedcounts.org
BrianJonesDesign.com
DĂƌŝŶĞ ǁĂƚĞƌ ƋƵĂůŝƚLJ ŝƐ Ă ĐŽŵƉůĞdž ŝƐƐƵĞ
ƚŚĂƚŝƐŵĞĂƐƵƌĞĚŝŶĂǀĂƌŝĞƚLJŽĨǁĂLJƐ͘dŚĞ
Watershed Counts assessment focuses on
ĚŝƐƐŽůǀĞĚŽdžLJŐĞŶ͕ũƵƐƚŽŶĞŽĨƚŚĞŵĂŶLJŝŵƉŽƌƚĂŶƚŵĞƚƌŝĐƐŽĨŵĂƌŝŶĞǁĂƚĞƌƋƵĂůŝƚLJ͘
ƉŚŽƚŽďLJDŝŬĞ>ĂƉƚĞǁWƌŽĚƵĐƟŽŶƐ
©Watershed Counts, 2013
Impervious
Cover
watershedcounts.org
Impervious Cover such as roadways,
driveways and roofs, has a large imƉĂĐƚŽŶŽƵƌĞŶǀŝƌŽŶŵĞŶƚ͘dŚĞƐĞŚĂƌĚ
surfaces don’t allow rainwater to
ƐŽĂŬŝŶƚŽƚŚĞŐƌŽƵŶĚ͕ǁŚĞƌĞŝƚǁŽƵůĚ
ŶĂƚƵƌĂůůLJ ďĞ ĮůƚĞƌĞĚ ĂŶĚ ƌĞĐLJĐůĞĚ
ŝŶƚŽƚŚĞĞŶǀŝƌŽŶŵĞŶƚ͘
BrianJonesDesign.com
/ŶƐƚĞĂĚ͕ ƌĂŝŶǁĂƚĞƌ ƌƵŶƐ Žī ŝŶƚŽ
stormwater drains heading to rivers,
ƉŽŶĚƐ ĂŶĚ ƚŽ ƚŚĞ ďĂLJ͘ /ƚ ĐĂƌƌŝĞƐ ƉŽůlutants, warms rivers, closes beaches,
ĂŶĚ ǁŽƌƐĞŶƐ ĚŽǁŶƐƚƌĞĂŵ ŇŽŽĚŝŶŐ͘
Because of the well-documented corƌĞůĂƟŽŶ ďĞƚǁĞĞŶ /ŵƉĞƌǀŝŽƵƐ ŽǀĞƌ
and stream health, we can use it as
a surrogate for measuring and manĂŐŝŶŐ ǁĂƚĞƌ ƋƵĂůŝƚLJ ĂŶĚ ǁĂƚĞƌƐŚĞĚ
ŚĞĂůƚŚ͘ LJ ŬĞĞƉŝŶŐ ŽǀĞƌĂůů /ŵƉĞƌǀŝŽƵƐ ŽǀĞƌ ďĞůŽǁ ϭϬй͕ ZŚŽĚĞ /ƐůĂŶĚ
towns can ensure that the land will
ďĞĂďůĞƚŽĂďƐŽƌďĂŶĚĮůƚĞƌƌƵŶŽī͘
Roadside, Hopkinton, Rhode Island — Brian Jones
DĂŶĂŐŝŶŐ ĚĞǀĞůŽƉŵĞŶƚ ĂŶĚ ƌĞƚƌŽĮƚƟŶŐ ƵƌďĂŶ ĂƌĞĂƐ ĐĂŶ ƉƌĞǀĞŶƚ ĞdžĐĞƐƐŝǀĞŇŽŽĚŝŶŐ͕ĞĐŽƐLJƐƚĞŵŝŵƉĂŝƌŵĞŶƚ
ĂŶĚĐŽŶƚĂŵŝŶĂƟŽŶŽĨǁĂƚĞƌƐƵƉƉůŝĞƐ͘
Impervious cover data for all Rhode
/ƐůĂŶĚ ƚŽǁŶƐ ĐĂŶ ďĞ ĨŽƵŶĚ Ăƚ ǁǁǁ͘
ǁĂƚĞƌƐŚĞĚĐŽƵŶƚƐ͘ŽƌŐ͘
©Watershed Counts, 2013
&ƌĞƐŚtĂƚĞƌ
watershedcounts.org
dŚĞƌĞĂƌĞĂůŵŽƐƚϮ͕ϴϬϬŵŝůĞƐŽĨƌŝǀĞƌƐĂŶĚϰϰ͕ϬϬϬĂĐƌĞƐŽĨůĂŬĞƐŝŶƚŚĞEĂƌƌĂŐĂŶƐĞƩ
ĂLJƌĞŐŝŽŶ͘dŚĞƐĞĨƌĞƐŚǁĂƚĞƌƐĂƌĞĂĐƌŝƟĐĂůƌĞƐŽƵƌĐĞ͕ƉƌŽǀŝĚŝŶŐŚĂďŝƚĂƚĨŽƌĮƐŚĂŶĚ
ǁŝůĚůŝĨĞ͕ ĞdžĐĞƉƟŽŶĂůŽƉƉŽƌƚƵŶŝƟĞƐ ĨŽƌ ƌĞĐƌĞĂƟŽŶĂů ďŽĂƟŶŐ͕ ĮƐŚŝŶŐ ĂŶĚ ƐǁŝŵŵŝŶŐ͕
ĂŶĚĚƌŝŶŬŝŶŐǁĂƚĞƌĨŽƌĂůŵŽƐƚƚǁŽŵŝůůŝŽŶƉĞŽƉůĞ͘
BrianJonesDesign.com
Woonasquatucket River in Summer — 2005 — Bruce Hooke
©Watershed Counts, 2013
Healthy Watershed—
watershedcounts.org
Healthy
Economy
Clam Chowdah Drinking
Water
Inlets
Jazz
Beachgoing
Agriculture
Fishing
Greenways
Ecotourism
Kayaking
Lobsters
Marinas
Festival
Ports
Oceanography
gs
o
h
ua
Q
Hiking
Nurseries
Tourism
Real Estate
Sailing
Underwater Vacation Rentals
Research
Whale Watching X-cellent Clamcakes Yacht Building
BrianJonesDesign.com
Zooplankton
©Watershed Counts, 2013
Beach Closures
WHY CLOSE THE BEACH?
Saltwater beaches are closed by the RI Department of Health when bacteria levels
are too high, and opened again when new monitoring samples indicate that condiƟŽŶƐŚĂǀĞŝŵƉƌŽǀĞĚ͘
WHY COUNT BEACH CLOSURES?
ZŚŽĚĞ /ƐůĂŶĚĞƌƐ ĐŚĞƌŝƐŚ ƚŚĞŝƌ ƉĞƌƐŽŶĂů ƌĞůĂƟŽŶƐŚŝƉ ǁŝƚŚ ƚŚĞ ƐŚŽƌĞ͕ ĂŶĚ ďĞĂĐŚ
ǀŝƐŝƚŽƌƐĨƌŽŵŶĞĂƌĂŶĚĨĂƌĂƌĞĂŶŝŵƉŽƌƚĂŶƚƉĂƌƚŽĨƚŚĞƌĞŐŝŽŶ͛ƐƚŽƵƌŝƐŵĞĐŽŶŽŵLJ͘
ĞĂĐŚĐůŽƐƵƌĞƐŚƵƌƚŽƵƌƋƵĂůŝƚLJŽĨůŝĨĞĂŶĚĂīĞĐƚƚŽƵƌŝƐŵ͘ůŽƐƵƌĞƐĂƌĞĐůŽƐĞůLJůŝŶŬĞĚ
ƚŽƌĂŝŶĨĂůůĂƐƐƚŽƌŵǁĂƚĞƌƌƵŶŽīŝƐĂƐŝŐŶŝĮĐĂŶƚƐŽƵƌĐĞŽĨďĂĐƚĞƌŝĂƚŽŵĂŶLJďĞĂĐŚĞƐ͘
WHAT CAN BE DONE?
^ƚŽƌŵǁĂƚĞƌ ŵĂŶĂŐĞŵĞŶƚ ĂŶĚ ŝŵƉƌŽǀĞĚ ŝŶĨƌĂƐƚƌƵĐƚƵƌĞ ůŝŬĞ ƚŚĞ WƌŽǀŝĚĞŶĐĞ ^K
ƉƌŽũĞĐƚůĞĂĚƐƚŽĨĞǁĞƌďĞĂĐŚĐůŽƐƵƌĞƐ͘ŽŶƟŶƵĞĚŝŶǀĞƐƚŵĞŶƚŝŶŵŽŶŝƚŽƌŝŶŐĂůůŽǁƐ
ƵƐƚŽĮŶĚĂŶĚĞůŝŵŝŶĂƚĞƐŽƵƌĐĞƐŽĨĐŽŶƚĂŵŝŶĂƟŽŶ͘
watershedcounts.org
BrianJonesDesign.com
Child playing in the sand at Misquamicut Beach — Julian Colton
©Watershed Counts, 2013
Climate Change
YOU ARE HERE
watershedcounts.org
BrianJonesDesign.com
DĂƐƐĂĐŚƵƐĞƩƐŽĂƐƚůŝŶĞŝŶ^ƵŶŐůŝŶƚͶdžƉĞĚŝƟŽŶϮϴƌĞǁ͕/ŶƚĞƌŶĂƟŽŶĂů^ƉĂĐĞ^ƚĂƟŽŶ
©Watershed Counts, 2013