Roger Williams Park Ponds Restoration Project

Project Update Concept Plans Developed for Structural and Non- Structural Best Management Practices Draft Water Quality Management Plan Prepared and Under Review Goose Management Contract with US Department of Agriculture Sign Outreach Program Begun Steering Committee Meetings on December 8, 2011 and January 18, 2012

Roger Williams Park Pond System

The Roger Williams Park Ponds are in trouble today

How Is The Phosphorus Getting Into the Park Ponds ? Major Sources of Phosphorus: 1. Mashapaug Pond flow into Roosevelt Pond 2. Storm water from watershed adjacent to Park 3. Storm water from inside the Park 4. Internal recycling of Park pond sediments 5. Geese

Draft Water Quality Management Plan Comprehensive Document covers the upper and lower watersheds Prepared by Horsley Whitten Group and Loon Environmental under the direction of the City’s Parks and Recreation Department, Narragansett Bay Estuary Program and the Steering Committee Many meetings, site visits and a public meeting last fall to identify the water quality problems and concerns.

Plan Contents: Characteristics of the ponds and watershed Description of the current problem based on existing water quality data and past reports (i.e. Pare Report) Identification of Sources of Impacts Methods for Improving Water Quality Conditions

What We Learned: The Upper Watershed Contributes a very large portion of the Phosphorus load to the ponds. The Geese contribute at least 1/3 of the Phosphorus load within the lower watershed. The sediment within the ponds releases phosphorus to the water column under the right conditions and needs to be considered for water quality improvements.

Recommendations: In Park Actions: Structural Best Management Practices Construction of projects that will remove pavement, plant shorelines, treat stormwater. Projects include 30 possible sites. Prioritization process completed considering Phosphorus removal, removal of Geese habitat, ability to construct and ability to implement

Recommendations: In Park Actions (Cont): Structural Best Management Practices Six sites were identified as Priorities Polo Lake, F.C. Green Memorial Blvd. (Site 17/18) Wet Bioretention Cunliff Lake, F.C. Green Memorial Blvd. (Site 24) Bioswale Edgewood Lake, Edgewood, Beachmont and FC Green Memorial Blvds. (Site 28) Infiltration Basin

Recommendations: In Park Actions (Cont): Structural Best Management Practices Six sites were identified as Priorities Willow Lake, Carousel Parking Lot (Site 3B) Bioretention Edgewood Lake, Oakland Cemetary and Wentworth Ave. Elm Pond (Site 29) Terraced Shallow Bioretention Roosevelt Lake, F.C. Green Memorial Blvd., (Site 6) Wet Vegetated Treatment System Ornamental Bridge (Site 12) Terraced Bioswale

Recommendations: In Park Actions (Cont): Curb removal to direct runoff to pervious surfaces Vegetation plantings along the pond edges Educational programs for reducing Phosphorus from activities like pet waste and lawn fertilizers

Recommendations: In Park Actions (Cont): Goose Management Control of the geese has the potential to reduce up to 17% of the total Phosphorus load to the ponds. Planting shoreline areas where geese access the water and educating the public not to feed the geese will reduce habitat. Carp Management Carp are abundant in the ponds and stir up the bottom sediment which can release Phosphorus into the water column and suspends sediment.

Recommendations: Lower Watershed Outside of Park Actions: Municipal actions street sweeping catchbasin cleaning and replacement side walk replacements with buffer strips Residential actions Educate Neighborhoods about the Phosphorus problem Pet Waste Cleanup Reduce Lawn Fertilizer use Rain gardens and rain barrels to reduce stormwater

Recommendations: Upper Watershed Outside of Park Actions Dosing Station – Chemically treat inflow of water from the Upper Watershed at the Roosevelt Lake inlet This would reduce the total Phosphorus load by ½ and reduced total suspended solids. Streetsweeping, pavement reductions, catchbasin repair and maintenance, redirect downspouts, reduce or eliminate commercial fertilizer use. Stormwater Retrofits – seven candidate sites

Next Steps… Contact one of our Partner Groups: Providence Parks + Recreation Narragansett Bay Estuary Program U.S. Environmental Protection Agency RI CRMC RI Department of Health RI Department of Environmental Management RI Department of Transportation Save the Bay US Fish & Wildlife Service USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service URI Outreach Center RI Bass Federation Environmental Justice League of Rhode Island Roger Williams Park Zoo Serve Rhode Island Pawtuxet River Authority RI Natural History Survey Urban Ponds Procession

Next Steps… Planning Finalize Priority Best Management Practices (February) Review Water Quality Management Plan Analyze fish tissues (Spring) Develop Sign Graphics Continue Public Outreach

Next Steps… Public Comment Tell us your ideas Help us with public outreach Visit our web site: Contact us at (click Parks + Recreation) The 2011 Urban Pond Procession