[Rimarinefisheries] Message regarding Buckeye Brook/Old Mill Creek/Upper Bay shellfish closure

[rimarinefisheries at listserve.ri.gov]

Since the August 26 sewage overflow to Buckeye Brook that necessitated the Department of Environmental Management (DEM) to enact an emergency shellfish closure on August 27 - the size of which DEM decreased on August 31 - city and state agencies have been testing waters near the spill site. The Warwick Sewer Authority has been collecting samples of Buckeye Brook, the Rhode Island Department of Health and the City of Warwick have collected samples at Conimicut Beach, and DEM has collected samples of the Upper Narragansett Bay.

At this time, DEM has determined that the water quality in Buckeye Brook and in the Bay near Old Mill Creek is no longer showing impacts from the sewage release and a shellfish sample has tested free from contamination. Results collected in the shellfish closure area have shown highly variable bacteria levels, however, and it is necessary to keep waters near the mouth of Old Mill Creek closed to shellfishing.

DEM will continue to monitor waters near the mouth of Old Mill Creek to determine if the size of the closure currently in place can be reduced. A closure will be required until consistently acceptable bacteria results are obtained.

RIDOH monitoring shows that bacteria are within acceptable limits at Conimicut Point Beach, but the City of Warwick is no longer staffing lifeguards there. RIDOH discourages swimming at beaches without lifeguards.

Since 2008, DEM has listed Buckeye Brook and other waters within the Buckeye Brook Watershed as impaired waters due to chronically elevated bacteria levels. Testing since the August 26 overflow confirms that these waters still are impaired. DEM will continue to communicate with the public and work with partners to protect water quality and public health.

DEM is planning to schedule a working group meeting to discuss the results of work that is underway by various entities and work that needs to be completed to address the chronic fecal coliform and enterococci bacteria elevations and primary and secondary contact recreation impairments within the Buckeye Brook Watershed (Old Mill Creek, Buckeye Brook, Parsonage (Knowles) Brook, Lockwood Brook, Warner Brook and Tributaries to Warwick Pond).  Meanwhile the Total Maximum Daily Load that RIDEM completed in 2008 can be found here: http://www.dem.ri.gov/programs/benviron/water/quality/rest/pdfs/buckeye.pdf


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