Restoring the LowerPawtuxet River

Public MeetingJanuary 29, 2008

Meeting Agenda

7:10-7:15 Welcome (Bob Nero, Chairman, PRA) 7:15-7:25 River Restoration in R.I. (Dir. Mike Sullivan, DEM)

7:25-7:45 Project Overview (Tom Ardito, NBEP)

7:45-8:15 Restoration Alternatives & Recommendations (Jim MacBroom, MMI)

8:15-8:45 Open Discussion

8:45-9:00 Funding & Next steps (Ardito)

The Pawtuxet River Authority was created by an act of the RI Legislature in 1972.

TITLE 46Waters and Navigation

CHAPTER 46-24Pawtuxet River Authority

SECTION 46-24-2

   § 46-24-2  Pawtuxet River authority created. – A board to be known as the Pawtuxet River authority is hereby created. The board shall be a body corporate and politic, constituting a public benefit corporation, and shall serve as the governing body of the authority for the purposes of this chapter. The powers of the corporation shall be vested in and exercised by the majority of the members of the board hereby created and in office.

Current Projects 1. Fish passage at Pawtuxet Falls

2. Canoe launch and nature area at Pocasset

3. Pontiac canoe launch and 48 acre wildlife area

4. Riverwalk at Royal Mills

5. Veterans Square fishing and canoe access

6. Riverwalk & Harris Dam fishing area

1

3

45

6

2

Project Overview

• Introductions

• Purpose of the project

• Fish biology/watershed ecology

• Project process

• Pawtuxet River Authority and Watershed Council• Narragansett Bay Estuary Program• Save The Bay, Inc.• R.I. Coastal Resources Management Council• R.I. Corporate Wetlands Partnership • R.I. Department of Environmental Management• U.S.D.A. Natural Resources Conservation Service• National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration• U.S. Environmental Protection Agency• U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service • And, we hope, YOU!!! People who care about the

environment of the Pawtuxet River & the community of Pawtuxet Village

Project Partners

Goal:• To restore historic runs of migratory

fish (particularly river herring and shad) to the lower Pawtuxet River

Purpose:• To improve the environment of the

Pawtuxet River, Narragansett Bay, and historic Pawtuxet Village

Benefits:• Increase Fish & Wildlife in Pawtuxet

River and Narragansett Bay

• Improve Rhode Island’s Fresh and Salt Water Fisheries

• Restore Historic Ecological Connection between Bay and Watershed

• Restore Historic Natural and Cultural Feature of Pawtuxet Village

Why Restore the Lower Pawtuxet?

R.I. Inland Fisheries Commission, 1869:

“This generation has seen our streams filled with shad and herring…..The principle rivers in the State which were formerly the home of the salmon, shad and herring, are the Blackstone, Pawtuxet and Pawcatuck, and these have become so obstructed with dams, that they no longer offer a passage to their upper waters, which nature prompts the fish to seek at spawning time.”

River Herring or “Buckies”

American shad (Alosa sapidissima)

Blueback Herring (Alosa aestivalis) Alewife (Alosa pseudoharengus)

“Target Species”

Fishing for Buckies, About 1910

Historic Pawtuxet Falls

Early 1900’s

1800’s

Many changes over time

Pawtuxet Falls Today

BEDROCK

CONCRETE

CONCRETE

Restoration Process (What We’re Doing)

1. Feasibility Study: Completed 2005

2. Hydrologic Modeling & Alternatives Analysis: Completed 2007/08. Considerations included:

a. Fish passage for target species

b. Visual Impacts (Aesthetic Considerations)

c. Other Environmental Impacts (Habitat, Wetlands, Water Quality)

d. Recreation (canoeing, kayaking, fishing)

e. Sediment (movement, exposure, erosion, siltation)

f. Flooding

g. Maintenance

h. Cost of Alternatives

3. Next steps:

a. Finalize alternative

b. Begin permitting

c. Funding & Construction (2009, pending $$)

Scope of Work

Sediment Sampling and Analysis Bathymetric Survey Hydraulic Modeling Alternatives Evaluation

• Fish Passage• Ecological implications• Sediment Stability• Recreation• Morphology / Hydraulics

Fish Passage Barriers

• Dams

• Culverts

• Bridges

• Tide Gates

• Utility Crossings

• High Velocity

• Shallow Water

• Poor Substrate

• Water Temperature

• Low Oxygen

Restoration Alternatives

1. No Action—Leave River As-Is

2. Full Dam Removal

3. Partial Dam Removal

4. Full Removal with construction of New Rock Ramp Upstream

5. Denil Fish Ladder

STUDY PROCESSDAM MANAGEMENT ALTERNATIVES

DATA COLLECTION

BASE DATANID

FEMASTATE AGENCIES

DESIGN PLANSHISTORY

OWNERSHIPAS-BUILT DATA

USE

DAM SAFETYHAZARD CLASSIFICATION

PHYSICAL INSPECTIONSPILLWAY CAPACITYSIZE CLASSIFICATION

OPERATIONAL HAZARDSSTRUCTURAL / GEOTECH .

SITE DATATOPOGRAPHY

WETLANDSRARE SPECIESHYDROLOGY

GEOLOGYHISTORIC VALUE

SEDIMENTSWATER QUALITYPUBLIC &

REGULATORYPARTICIPATION

IS DAMSAFE?

EMERGENCYREPAIRS ORDRAWDOWN

MARGINAL DAM

REPAIR ORREPLACE DAM

IDENTIFYALTERNATIVES

ELIMINATE DAM AND IMPOUNDMENTRETAIN DAM AND IMPOUNDMENTPROVIDE FISH PASSAGE LOWER

CREST

FISH LADDER

D/SRAMP

U/SRAMP

HIGH LEVELBY-PASS

CHANNEL

NO ACTION

OTHER

FULLREMOVAL

PARTIALBREACH

LOW LEVELBY-PASS

VERY SMALLOR LOW RISKDAM, SIMPLE

DECOMMISSION

LIMITED FEASIBILITY STUDY

SITE SPECIFIC TOPICS

PUBLIC & REGULATORYPARTICIPATION, SELECT

ALTERNATIVE

IMPLEMENTATIONCONSTRUCTION PLANS

SPECIFICATIONSCOST ESTIMATES

FUNDINGEASEMENTS

REGULATORY PERMITSCONSTRUCTION ADMINISTRATION

SITE RESTORATIONAS-BUILTS

OPERATIONAL PLANEMERGENCY RESPONSE PLAN

DETAILED FEASIBILITY STUDYHYDRAULIC ANALYSIS

SEDIMENT TESTINGSEDIMENT TRANSPORT

CHANNEL MORPHOLOGYU/S AND D/S IMPACTSWETLAND IMPACTS

LAND USE / AESTHETICSAQUATIC SPECIES

RECREATIONLAND RIGHTS

WATER RIGHTSUTILITIES

ACCESSFINANCIAL IMPACTS

CONSTRUCTION METHODSSITE RESTORATIONEROSION CONTROL

YESNO

YES

NO

For additional information,please contact:

James MacBroom, P.E.

716 - 726 South Main StreetCheshire, Connecticut 06410Telephone (203) 271 -1773Fax (203) 272 -9733E-Mail: jimm@miloneandmacbroom.com

Study Process Design Management

Alternatives

• Type & Condition of Dam (Safety)Type & Condition of Dam (Safety)

• Site Limitations (Utilities, Access) Site Limitations (Utilities, Access)

• Up & Downstream Issues (Bridges/Structures, Up & Downstream Issues (Bridges/Structures, Tributaries)Tributaries)

• Environmental Permitting Environmental Permitting

• Alternatives AnalysisAlternatives Analysis

Engineering Issues

Design Variables

• Channel Morphology

• Channel Gradient

• Profile Pattern

• Channel Width & Depth

• Mannings Roughness Coefficient

• Materials

• In-Channel Features

• Sediment Transport / Stability

0

2

4

6

8

0 2 4 6 8

VELOCITY (FPS)

DE

PT

H (

FE

ET

)

TOO DEEP

TOO FAST

TOO SHALLOW

Fish Criteria

Channel Profile

No Action

Full Removal

Existing Conditions Low Tide

Full Removal Low Tide

Existing Conditions Low Tide

Partial Removal Low Tide

Partial Removal

Summary of Water Surface ElevationsControlled Breach Mean April Flow @ Low Tide

   SECTION

  CROSS SECTION

DESCRIPTION 

EXISTING CONDITIONS

PROPOSED CONDITIONS

EXISTING VERSUS

PROPOSED

Elevation (ft)

Velocity (ft/s)

Elevation (ft)

Velocity (ft/s)

Elevation (ft)

Velocity (ft/s)

-130 70 ft. d/s of -1.58 1.37 -1.58 1.37 0.00 0.00-60 D/S face of -1.56 1.63 -1.56 1.63 0.00 0.00

-30

2 U/S face of -0.73 1.94 -0.73 1.94 0.00 0.0036 25 ft. d/s of Dam 2.16 5.55 2.16 5.55 0.00 0.00

61 D/S face of Pawtuxet Falls Dam 2.88 2.77 2.88 2.77 0.00 0.0065 Dam

70 U/S face of Pawtuxet Falls Dam 6.28 0.53 3.00 1.09 -3.28 0.56120 50 ft. u/s of Dam 6.28 0.66 3.01 1.15 -3.27 0.49420 350 ft. u/s of Dam 6.29 1.28 3.07 2.91 -3.22 1.63

1300 FEMA Section A 6.46 1.21 4.35 2.10 -2.11 0.89

1830 300 ft. d/s of Rhodes-on-the-Pawtuxet 6.59 1.23 4.79 1.82 -1.80 +0.593400 FEMA Section B 6.95 1.43 5.65 1.84 -1.31 0.405390 50 ft. d/s of 7.31 0.96 6.33 1.18 -0.98 0.225440 D/S face of 7.32 1.13 6.34 1.44 -0.98 0.31

5494

18520 FEMA Section H 9.96 1.34 9.83 1.38 -0.13 0.04

24460 D/S face of Route 37 Bridge 12.70 1.35 12.70 1.35 0.00 0.00

Full Removal with Upstream Ramp

Fish Ladder Design Criteria

• Low Velocity

• Water Depth

• Fish Entry

• Fish Exit

• Upstream Flow Control

• Variable River Stages

• Vertical Rise

Existing Conditions

Proposed Conditions

Fish Ladder

Goals and Issues Current Conditions/No Action

Alternative

Alt. 1: Dam Removal

Alt. 2: Partial Dam Removal

(Recommended)

Alt. 3: Dam Removal With Ramp

Alt. 4: Denil Fish Ladder

Fish Passage None for herring and shad; some eel passage probable

Some but not ideal Excellent Excellent Very good

Aesthetics No change Restoration of flowing river and natural falls

Portion of old concrete dam visible

Restoration of natural falls, but ramp visible

Minimal impact to dam, but ladder visible

Habitat Unchanged Restore riverine habitat upstream of dam; restore tidal connection to estuary

Restore riverine habitat upstream of dam; restore tidal connection to estuary

Restore some riverine habitat while retaining most of existing pond conditions

Unchanged

Effect on Wetlands None Minimal change expected; possible increase in flood storage

Minimal change expected; possible increase in flood storage

Minor None

Water Quality No change Modest improvement expected upstream of dam

Modest improvement expected upstream of dam

Minor improvement No change

Boating Flat Water Canoeing

Unchanged Reduced Reduced Slightly reduced Unchanged

Free Flowing Kayak

Unchanged Increased Increased Slightly increased Unchanged

Estuary Linkage Unchanged Potential improvement for skilled paddlers only

Potential improvement for skilled paddlers only

Creates new obstacle Unchanged

Sediment Bank Stability Unchanged Minimal change

expectedMinimal change expected

Minimal change expected

Unchanged

Bed Dynamics Unchanged Minimal change expected

Minimal change expected

Minimal change expected

Unchanged

Upstream Property Flooding

Unchanged Some improvement expected

Some improvement expected

Minimal change expected

Unchanged

Maintenance Minimal None Minimal Minimal Significant

Est. Cost N/A $375,000 $255,000 $545,000 $395,000

Funding & Next Steps

• Feb. 2008– Evaluate Public Comments– Meet with Regulators

• March 2008– Finalize Preferred Alternative– Another Public Meeting to Present

• 2008– Permitting– Design & Engineering– Fundraising: Non-Federal Match, approx. $100,000

• 2009: Construction

THANK YOU!