Water column profiles were conducted at seven locations in the Providence and Seekonk River Estuaries on March 22, 2023 using a Seabird Electronics profiler. There was no precipitation recorded at T.F. Green in the three days leading up to the survey. Evidence of strong density stratification was observed at sites near the middle of the bay (Pomham Rocks, Edgewood Yacht Club, and Pawtuxet Cove), with sites to the north and south of these showing signs of weak to moderate density stratification.
Surface salinities ranged from 3.2 psu at Pawtuxet Cove to 24.3 psu at Bullock Reach Buoy; bottom salinities ranged from 22.8 psu at Phillipsdale Landing to 28.8 psu at Conimicut Point. Surface temperatures ranged from 6.3°C at India Point Park to 7.2°C at Pawtuxet Cove, while bottom temperatures ranged from 5.8°C at Conimicut Point to 6.7°C at Pawtuxet Cove.
Dissolved oxygen (DO) conditions remained above the hypoxia threshold (2.9 mg/L) at all sites this week; the lowest DO observed was approximately 9.9 mg/L in the bottom waters at Edgewood Yacht Club. Fluorescence was higher than the previous survey, with the highest value (22.98 mg/m3) observed near the surface at India Point Park but many other areas remaining relatively low.