Earth Day cleanup of Woonasquatucket a success

April 24, 2006, PROVIDENCE – The Narragansett Bay Commission, along with the Rhode Island Coastal Resources Management Council, held its annual Earth Day clean up of the Woonasquatucket River on Thursday, April 20, from 9 a.m.-2 p.m. According to those who participated, the cleanup was a resounding success.

“We are so pleased with the results of this clean-up,” said Vincent Mesolella, Chairman of the Narragansett Bay Commission. “The Narragansett Bay Commission particularly appreciates the efforts of all our partners and the hard work of everyone who got a little dirty for the goal of clean water. Thursday’s clean-up has done great things for the Woonasquatucket River. However, there is still much work to be done.”

Participants hauled tons of trash and debris out of the river and along the banks, and CRMC staff worked diligently removing trash from the river and its banks in the vicinity of Donigan Memorial Park, which is adjacent to the Rising Sun Mills dam and development complex. The CRMC staff, along with other participants and NBC workers, filled a 20-yard roll-away Dumpster and a 3-4 yard NBC truck with debris. The majority of the refuse was discarded tires, followed by plastic bags and other assorted garbage, including one bike, several shopping carts, a lawn swing and swing set.

More exciting, however, is the diversity of organisms in the river in that location. Participants observed alewifes (anadromous river herring) at the dam, which is also the location of the proposed fish ladder to which the CRMC recently awarded funding. CRMC staff also reported seeing American eel, live freshwater mussels, crayfish, and unfortunately, Asian clams.

The Narragansett Bay Commission (NBC) has been organizing and holding Earth Day cleanup events since the 1990s, and officially established the River Restoration Initiative in 2002 to restore the Woonasquatucket River in Providence.

In addition to the typical garbage, annual river cleanups have also unearthed other items, from wagon wheels and bottles dating from the 18th century to shopping carts, tires, wallets, coins and syringes.

“The CRMC is proud to have been a co-sponsor of the Narragansett Bay Commission’s annual Earth Day Woonasquatucket River Cleanup and an active participant,” said CRMC Chairman Michael M. Tikoian. “We are glad to see that this river is recovering after years of abuse and neglect. The CRMC’s Urban Coastal Greenways policy, as a major component of an updated Metro Bay Special Area Management Plan (SAMP) will help promote more awareness along urban waterways as the public gains more access to these vital areas.”

Other co-sponsors included the Woonasquatucket River Watershed Council, the RI Department of Transportation, RI Resources Recovery Corporation and the City of Providence.

Workers from the CRMC and NBC clean up a section of the Woonasquatucket River.

After a day of cleaning the river at Donigan Memorial Park, this Dumpster was full.

CRMC staff and other volunteers take a swing out of the river.