3.21.22 South Watuppa Pond Water Quality Initiative

Fall River Government TV Mar 22, 2022 YouTube Report Issue

The meeting provided an update on the South Watuppa Pond Water Quality Initiative, a collaborative research project involving UMass Dartmouth, the City of Fall River, Westport, and Tiverton, Rhode Island. Ram Bala, Provost of UMass Dartmouth, opened the meeting, acknowledging key supporters including Baikos Bank, Representative Paul Schmid, Senator Michael Rodrigues, and Mayor Paul Coogan. Paul Farland, Fall River's Administrator of Community Utilities, highlighted the immense size of the pond and the long-term nature of its restoration. Zach Henderson of Woodward & Curran presented findings on the watershed, which spans approximately 9,000 acres (14 square miles) and includes areas in Fall River, Westport, and Tiverton. Key external nutrient sources identified were stormwater runoff, septic systems (predominantly in Tiverton and Westport), and agricultural inputs. Professor Brian Howes from UMass Dartmouth detailed the internal pond chemistry, revealing that phosphorus is the primary nutrient driving harmful algal blooms. He explained that during July and August, the pond stratifies, leading to low dissolved oxygen levels at the bottom, which in turn causes a significant release of phosphorus from the sediments, resulting in massive algal blooms, with chlorophyll levels reaching 47 units, 24 times higher than a healthy pond. Future plans include continued water sampling for three years, detailed sediment sampling, continuous oxygen monitoring, and flow monitoring of incoming streams. Funding pursuits include state earmarks, Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness (MVP) grants, Southeast New England Programs (SNEP) grants, ARPA funds, and the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. Proposed mitigation projects include stormwater retrofits at the boat ramp and a wetland restoration project at Sucker Brook near the Atlantic Charter School. Residents were encouraged to adopt best management practices such as limiting fertilizer use, proper disposal of leaf litter and pet waste, maintaining septic systems, and using phosphorus-free detergents. The swimming advisory, in effect since 2017/2018, remains in place.

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