News – Narrabay

Clean Water Open House: Follow the Flush!

In celebration of Rhode Island Clean Water Week, the Narragansett Bay Commission (NBC) will offer free public tours of its award-winning Field’s Point Wastewater Treatment Facility in Providence on Saturday, April 18 from 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM.

The tours will include a look at the region’s most sophisticated water quality lab, “touch-a-truck” and “touch-a-boat” with the NBC’s maintenance and research vehicles, photo ops inside a sewer pipe, and other fun activities.

In addition, the NBC will issue certificates of completion to all students who take the tour that may be redeemed for extra credit at school (but students are advised check with their teacher first).

Members of the public can book a tour at 10:00 AM, 10:30 AM, 11:00 AM, 11:30 AM or 12:00 noon by emailing nbcpr@narrabay.com. Spaces are limited. The tour will take approximately 90 minutes.

Enter NBC’s 2027 Student Poster Contest Today!

Contest deadline is Friday, May 1!

The Narragansett Bay Commission (NBC) is proud to sponsor its 33rd annual student poster contest. The theme of this year’s contest is Water’s Journey Through Time. The NBC would like students to artistically showcase how water has changed or will change over time. Students may want to research what the Narragansett Bay looked like many years ago and depict that view in their poster. Some may want to use their imaginations and create a poster of what Narragansett Bay will look like 20, 30, 40, or even 50 years from now. Others may want to create snapshots of Narragansett Bay starting in the past and traveling into the future. We encourage students to use their creativity and come up with their own idea of what the theme means to them.

The theme of the poster contest this year correlates with an event where NBC will open a time capsule that was buried 25 years ago. The time capsule was buried on April 24, 2001, in honor of NBC Field’s Point Wastewater Treatment Facility’s 100^th birthday! The ceremony will take place during Clean Water Week. There are other events happening around the state honoring water that week. Please visit https://ricwa.org/event/clean-water-week-open-house/ to learn more.

The contest rules are as follows:

Students must be in grades K-6 and reside in Providence, North Providence, Johnston, Central Falls, Lincoln, Pawtucket, Cumberland, Cranston, Smithfield, or East Providence.
Posters cannot be larger than 11×17 or smaller than 8 1/2×11.
Posters must include the student’s name, grade, school, home address, and phone number on the back.
Posters become the property of the Narragansett Bay Commission.
Winners receive a $100 cash prize, winning posters are printed in NBC’s 2027 poster calendar, and winners are invited to a recognition ceremony on Wednesday, June 3^rd, 2026 at 5:00 at the NBC Field’s Point Wastewater Treatment Facility at 2 Ernest Street, Providence.
Mail posters to the Narragansett Bay Commission’s Public Affairs Office at One Service Road, Providence, RI 02905.
THE CONTEST DEADLINE IS FRIDAY, MAY 1, 2026!

We hope that your school will be able to participate in the contest! For more information, please call the NBC’s Environmental Education Coordinator at 401-443-4947.

Win a $250 Gift Card!

Want to win a $250 gift card? You can with the Narragansett Bay Commission AutoPay and paperless e-billing sweepstakes! To enter, visit www.narrabay.com/customer-care/pay-bill/ and log into your account. Enroll in either AutoPay or paperless e-billing and you’re in. Current users will automatically be entered.

The sweepstakes runs from November 1, 2025 – January 31,2026, making it the perfect way to get your new year started right. Enroll and enter today.

NBC Welcomes New CFO

Kevin McDonald has joined the Narragansett Bay Commission as Chief Financial Officer, where he will oversee the agency’s $302 M annual budget, which includes significant infrastructure investments such as the final phase of the agency’s Combined Sewer Overflow project. Mc Donald previously served as Director of Loan Operations for the US Army Corps of Engineers Water Infrastructure Financing Program and as a Senior Underwriter for the USEPA’s Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act Program.

“We are so pleased to welcome Kevin to the NBC,” said Executive Director Laurie Horridge. “His knowledge of public finance—and the water sector specifically—will benefit both the NBC’s ratepayers and the health of Narragansett Bay. We look forward to his collaboration and innovation as we continue to deliver on our clean water mission.”

McDonald has an undergraduate degree from Brown University in American History and a graduate degree from Harvard University in City and Regional Planning.

“Follow the Flush” with a Free Tour!

Narragansett Bay Commission Offers Free Clean Water Tours: Follow the Flush!

The tours will include a look at the region’s most sophisticated water quality lab, “touch-a-truck” and “touch-a-boat” with the NBC’s maintenance and research vehicles, a clean water scavenger hunt, and other fun activities.

“This facility is simultaneously one of the oldest and most advanced clean water facilities in the nation,” said NBC Chairman Vincent Mesolella. “We’re so excited to give the public the opportunity to ‘follow the flush’ and view the process that has made Narragansett Bay cleaner than it has been in 150 years.”

In addition, the NBC will issue certificates of completion to all students who take the tour that may be redeemed for extra credit at school (but students are advised check with their teacher first).

“I am confident that anyone who experiences this tour will be amazed and appreciative by the clean water efforts in our community,” Mesolella added.

Members of the public can book a tour on the half hours between 10:00 AM and 1:00 PM by emailing nbcpr@narrabay.com. Spaces are limited. The tour will take approximately 90 minutes.

The NBC joins four other clean water agencies in Rhode Island offering free public tours during Rhode Island Clean Water Week. Information on other tours is available at ricwa.org

May 25 – 31, 2026

Walker Point

Overall, the water quality at Walkers Point was good this week. Weather conditions included light rain events this week, with 0.32 inches of precipitation recorded at T.F. Green. Surface salinity averaged 14.8 ppt and ranged from 4.3 ppt to 28.7 ppt. At the bottom, salinity averaged 27.1 ppt and ranged from 17.6 ppt to 30.7 ppt. Temperatures averaged 17.4°C at the surface and 14.8°C at the bottom. Surface temperatures ranged from 13.6°C to 21.3°C, while bottom temperatures ranged from 13.5°C to 17.8°C.

Dissolved oxygen (DO) at Walkers Point remained above the hypoxia threshold (i.e., DO>2.9mg/L) at the surface and bottom depths. Surface DO averaged 9.0 mg/L and ranged from 6.3 mg/L to 14.0 mg/L. Bottom DO concentrations averaged 5.3 mg/L and ranged from 4.0 mg/L to 7.8 mg/L. Chlorophyll readings averaged 6.01 µg/L at the surface and 3.1 µg/L at the bottom. Maximum chlorophyll at the surface reached 33.09 µg/L on the night of May 27^th.

Bullock Reach

The Bullock Reach buoy was deployed May 28^th for the 2026 season. Overall, water quality was good at Bullock Reach this week. Salinity averaged 27.2 ppt, 22.4 ppt, and 29.7 ppt at the surface, middle, and bottom sondes, respectively. Surface salinity ranged 22.4 – 29.7 ppt, middle salinity range 24.6 – 31.6 ppt, and bottom salinity ranged 29.5 – 32.7 ppt. Surface temperature averaged 16.0°C and ranged from 13.0°C to 19.5°C. Middle temperature averaged 15.1°C and ranged from 13.9°C to 18.7°C. Bottom temperatures averaged 14.0°C and ranged from 13.1°C to 15.1°C.

Dissolved oxygen (DO) at Bullock Reach remained above the hypoxia threshold (i.e., DO >2.9 mg/L) throughout the week. Surface DO averaged 8.36 mg/L and ranged 7.30 – 10.95 mg/L. Middle DO averaged 7.65 mg/L and ranged 6.22 – 9.95 mg/L. At the bottom, DO averaged 6.97 mg/L and ranged 5.81 – 7.72 mg/L. Chlorophyll readings ranged from low to elevated throughout the week. Readings averaged 11.06 µg/L at the surface, 10.43 µg/L at the middle, and 5.80 µg/L at the bottom. The maximum surface chlorophyll was 28.61 µg/L on the afternoon of May 31^st.

May 18 – 24, 2026

Walker Point

Sondes were swapped this week on the morning of May 19^th. Overall, the water quality at Walkers Point was good this week. Weather conditions included light rain events this week, with 0.96 inches of precipitation recorded at T.F. Green. Surface salinity averaged 16.1 ppt and ranged from 7.4 ppt to 25.1 ppt. At the bottom, salinity averaged 24.0 ppt and ranged from 18.5 ppt to 28.1 ppt. Temperatures averaged 18.1°C at the surface and 16.0°C at the bottom. Surface temperatures ranged from 15.2°C to 23.3°C, while bottom temperatures ranged from 14.0°C to 19.4°C.

Dissolved oxygen (DO) at Walkers Point remained above the hypoxia threshold (i.e., DO>2.9mg/L) at the surface and bottom depths. Surface DO averaged 8.4 mg/L and ranged from 6.9 mg/L to 12.2 mg/L. Bottom DO concentrations averaged 6.4 mg/L and ranged from 4.6 mg/L to 8.3 mg/L. Chlorophyll readings averaged 6.34 µg/L at the surface and 3.3 µg/L at the bottom. Maximum chlorophyll at the surface reached 22.69 µg/L on the afternoon of May 24^th.

Bullock Reach

Bullock Reach sondes will be deployed later this spring for the 2026 monitoring season.

May 11 – 17, 2026

Walker Point

Overall, the water quality at Walker Point was good this week. Weather conditions were dry, with only 0.13 inches precipitation recorded at T.F. Green. Surface salinity averaged 12.5 ppt and ranged from 3.0 ppt to 25.2 ppt. At the bottom, salinity averaged 23.8 ppt and ranged from 7.0 ppt to 28.3 ppt. This week, temperatures averaged 15.3°C at the surface and 13.4°C at the bottom. Surface temperatures ranged from 12.6°C to 19.6°C, while bottom temperatures ranged from 11.5°C to 16.2°C.

Dissolved oxygen (DO) at Walker Point remained above the hypoxia threshold (i.e., DO>2.9mg/L) at the surface and bottom depths. Surface DO averaged 10.8 mg/L and ranged from 8.3 mg/L to 13.5 mg/L. Bottom DO concentrations averaged 7.3 mg/L and ranged from 3.1 mg/L to 9.7 mg/L. Chlorophyll readings averaged 8.02 µg/L at the surface and 2.5 µg/L at the bottom. Maximum chlorophyll at the surface reached 29.71 µg/L on the afternoon of May 12^th.

Bullock Reach

Bullock Reach sondes will be deployed later this spring for the 2026 monitoring season.

May 4 – 10, 2026

Walker Point

The Walker Point sondes have been deployed for the season on May 7^th, 2026. Overall, the water quality at Walker Point was good this week. Weather conditions included light rain events this week, with 0.58 inches of precipitation recorded at T.F. Green. Surface salinity averaged 9.0 ppt and ranged from 3.9 ppt to 24.4 ppt. At the bottom, salinity averaged 26.8 ppt and ranged from 20.9 ppt to 28.9 ppt. This week, temperatures averaged 15.6°C at the surface and 12.1°C at the bottom. Surface temperatures ranged from 12.5°C to 17.8°C, while bottom temperatures ranged from 11.3°C to 13.7°C.

Dissolved oxygen (DO) at Walker Point remained above the hypoxia threshold (i.e., DO>2.9mg/L) at the surface and bottom depths. Surface DO averaged 11.2 mg/L and ranged from 8.7 mg/L to 14.0 mg/L. Bottom DO concentrations averaged 7.7 mg/L and ranged from 6.6 mg/L to 10.0 mg/L. Chlorophyll readings averaged 15.30 µg/L at the surface and 0.7 µg/L at the bottom. Maximum chlorophyll at the surface reached 46.85 µg/L on the afternoon of May 10^th.

Bullock Reach

Bullock Reach sondes will be deployed later this spring for the 2026 monitoring season.

June 17, 2026

Water clarity was measured at six locations in the Providence River and Seekonk River estuaries on June 17, 2026. In the five days prior to the survey, 0.01 inches of precipitation were recorded at TF Green. Secchi depth averaged 2.5 meters. The lowest clarity this week (1.9 meters) was measured at Phillipsdale Landing and India Point Park, while the greatest clarity (3.3 meters) was measured at Conimicut Point. There was a general north-to-south trend of increasing water clarity among the sites this week. Overall, water clarity increased from the previous measurements (data collected June 10, 2026).

June 10, 2026

Water column profiles were conducted using a Seabird Electronics profiler at seven locations in the Providence River and one location in the Seekonk River on June 10, 2026. In the four days leading up to and including the survey day, there were 0.22 inches of rain recorded at T.F. Green International Airport (Warwick, RI). The water column was moderately stratified at Phillipsdale Landing, weakly stratified at India Point Park, Pomham Rocks, Edgewood Shoal, Edgewood Yacht Club, and Bullock’s Reach, and well-mixed at Conimicut Point and Pawtuxet Cove.

Dissolved oxygen conditions were slightly below the hypoxia threshold (2.9 mg/L) in the lower part of the water column at Edgewood Shoal and Phillipsdale Landing. The highest fluorescence reading was observed about 1.00 meter below the surface at Phillipsdale Landing.

June 10, 2026

Water clarity was measured at eight locations in the Providence River and Seekonk River estuaries on June 10, 2026. In the five days prior to the survey, 0.22 inches of precipitation were recorded at TF Green. Secchi depth averaged 1.9 meters. The lowest clarity this week (0.7 meters) was measured at Phillipsdale Landing, while the greatest clarity (2.9 meters) was measured at Conimicut Point. There was a general north-to-south trend of increasing water clarity among the sites this week. Overall, water clarity decreased from the previous measurements (data collected June 3, 2026).

June 3, 2026

Water column profiles were conducted using a Seabird Electronics profiler at seven locations in the Providence River and one location in the Seekonk River on June 3, 2026. In the four days leading up to and including the survey day, there were 0.22 inches of rain recorded at T.F. Green International Airport (Warwick, RI). The water column was moderately stratified at Point St Bridge, Pomham Rocks, India Point Park, and Phillipsdale Landing, weakly stratified at Bullock’s Reach, Conimicut Point, and Edgewood Yacht Club, and well-mixed at Pawtuxet Cove.

Dissolved oxygen conditions were not below the hypoxia threshold (2.9 mg/L) at any of the visited locations. The highest fluorescence reading was observed about 2.50 meters below the surface at Pomham Rocks.

April 29, 2026

Nutrient samples were collected from seven river stations and seven bay stations on April 29^th. All bay stations were sampled at the surface and bottom. In the five days prior to sampling, trace amounts of precipitation were recorded at T.F. Green.

Among the river stations sampled, the highest total nitrogen (TN), and dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN) were observed Pawtuxet River @ Broad St (TN = 1,040 ppb, DIN = 942.2 ppb). The highest total dissolved nitrogen (TDN) was observed at Blackstone River @ Slater Mill (1,750 ppb). However, a significantly higher TDN compared to the TN observed at this site may indicate an issue with the sampling or analysis. The lowest TN, TDN, and DIN were observed at Moshassuck River @ Footbridge at Mill St (TN = 524 ppb, TDN = 573 ppb, DIN = 408.1).

Among the bay stations sampled, the highest surface TN, TDN, and DIN were observed at Pawtuxet Cove (TN = 971 ppb, TDN = 1,260 ppb, DIN = 739.1). The lowest surface TN was observed at Pomham Rocks (359 ppb). The lowest TDN was observed at Conimicut Point, Pomham Rocks, and Bullock Reach Buoy (<100.0 ppb). The lowest surface DIN was observed at Conimicut Point (13 ppb, reflecting minimum detection limits for DIN).

The next scheduled sampling date is May 12^th, 2026.

April 15, 2026

Nutrient samples were collected from thirteen river stations and eight bay stations on April 15^th. All bay stations were sampled at the surface, and Edgewood Shoal was sampled at the surface and bottom. In the five days prior to sampling, 0.03” of precipitation were recorded at T.F. Green.

Among the river stations sampled, the highest total nitrogen (TN), total dissolved nitrogen (TDN), and dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN) were observed Ten Mile River @ Central Ave (TN = 1,680 ppb, TDN = 1,680 ppb, DIN = 1,388.7 ppb). The lowest TN and TDN were observed at Moshassuck River @ Higginson Ave (TN = 426 ppb, TDN = 416 ppb). The lowest DIN was observed at Coles River @ Milford Rd (149 ppb).

Among the bay stations sampled, the highest surface TN and TDN were observed at Phillipsdale Landing (TN = 1,024 ppb, TDN = 975.5 ppb, average of duplicates). The highest DIN was observed at Pawtuxet Cove (729.8 ppb). The lowest surface TN and TDN were observed at Conimicut Point (TN = 474 ppb, TDN = 168 ppb). The lowest surface DIN was observed at Conimicut Point and Bullock Reach Buoy (13 ppb, reflecting minimum detection limits for DIN).

The next scheduled sampling date is April 29^th, 2026.