[RIShellfishOWR] Shellfish Closure Update - conditional area rain closure changes

[RI Shellfish Closures]

Good morning,
Please be advised that RI DEM is implementing changes in the rain closure duration of the Lower Providence River and Greenwich Bay shellfish conditional areas.  The closure duration for these areas will decrease from 7-days to 6-days after closure rainfall amounts of 0.5" to 1.2".  The closure duration will remain at 7-days for rainfall of greater than 1.2".  The change in rain closure duration will be applied to new rain closures implemented for these areas after May 15th, 2025.

The change is based on improved water quality in these areas.  DEM Office of Water Resources recently completed a review of water quality data and bacteria levels during and immediately after rainfall and this review demonstrated that the Lower Providence River (GA16, also known as 'Area E') and Greenwich Bay (GA8) shellfish areas meet FDA national shellfish sanitation water quality standards 6-days after moderate rainfall of 0.5" to 1.2".

The tables below summarize the revised rain closure criteria, to be applied after May 15th, 2025, for the Lower Providence River and Greenwich Bay conditionally approved shellfish areas. No changes are being made to rain closure criteria for other shellfish conditional areas.


Revised (May 2025) rain closures for Lower Providence River 'Area E' (GA16) and Upper Bay Area A (GA1A).
[cid:image001.png at 01DBC4BD.7EA66A20]


Revised (May 2025) rain closures for Greenwich Bay conditional area (GA8).
Rain in 24-hours at TF Green Airport
GA8 (Greenwich Bay)
<0.5"
OPEN
0.51" to 1.20"
CLOSED
6 days
1.21" to 6.0"
CLOSED
7 days
> 6"
CLOSED
Emergency Closure


*Please be reminded that Greenwich Bay and Providence River are designated Shellfish Management Areas with defined harvest seasons. Please see the DEM regulation Part 4 - Shellfish<https://rules.sos.ri.gov/regulations/part/250-90-00-4 > for description of harvest seasons in Shellfish Management Areas or contact the DEM Division of Marine Fisheries<https://dem.ri.gov/natural-resources-bureau/marine-fisheries > at 401-423-1920.

Current Status of CONDITIONALLY APPROVED shellfish areas or emergency shellfish closures may be obtained by calling the Shellfish Closure Hotline 401-222-2900, 24 hours a day. Shellfish closures are also listed on the DEM Office of Water Resources Shellfish home page<https://dem.ri.gov/environmental-protection-bureau/water-resources/research-monitoring/shellfish-area-monitoring >.

If you have questions or concerns about shellfish closures, you may call 401-222-4700 or email them to dem.shellfish at dem.ri.gov<mailto:dem.shellfish at dem.ri.gov>. You may also sign up to receive email notifications of conditional area and emergency shellfish closures by sending an email to RishellfishOWR-subscribe at listserve.ri.gov<mailto:RishellfishOWR-subscribe at listserve.ri.gov>


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