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ABOUT

About the Stormwater Innovation Center:

The Stormwater Innovation Center (SIC) is a collaborative initiative dedicated to improving water quality and stormwater management in Rhode Island. From green infrastructure research to professional trainings to community science programs, we lead a wide range of initiatives addressing stormwater challenges comprehensively. Through collaborative projects with government, non-profits, and industry partners, we connect research, education, and real-world implementation to build a cleaner, more resilient future for Rhode Island’s waterways.

Our Mission:

The Stormwater Innovation Center (SIC) is dedicated to advancing effective stormwater management, fostering education, and building partnerships to improve water quality across Rhode Island.

  • Advance Stormwater Management Design, Construction, and Maintenance: Through research and monitoring of green infrastructure projects, we develop and share best practices in stormwater design, construction, and maintenance.

  • Education and Engagement: We empower communities and professionals with programs like public events, school activities, tours, and trainings, including the Rain Harvest Festival and specialized webinars.

  • Collaborative Partnerships: By working with government agencies, non-profits, universities, and the private sector, we share knowledge and resources to address stormwater challenges.

  • Restoration and Implementation: We support and lead water quality improvement projects throughout Rhode Island, turning research into real-world impact.

History

Poor water quality has been a problem in Tongue, Spectacle, Mashapaug, and the Roger Williams Park ponds for a long time. In 1982, three of the ponds in the park were dredged as an attempt to improve water quality, but phosphorous-laden storm water and road sand continued to flow directly into the ponds. 

 

The ponds were first listed in the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management’s (RIDEM) impaired water bodies list in 1992. In 2007 RIDEM released a Total Maximum Daily Load report (TMDL), which highlighted the phosphorous problem in the Roger Williams Park pond system. 

   

In 2013, the Roger Williams Park Water Quality Management Plan was created by the Horsley-Witten Group to identify possible sources of water quality contamination and develop a plan to reduce pollution in the ponds. Stormwater runoff was identified as a major transporter of pollutants into the ponds. 

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In 2017, RIDEM and the City of Providence entered a consent decree to address the water quality issues in Roger Williams Park, so the Stormwater Innovation Center was born as a result of the partnership between the City of Providence Parks Department, Audubon Society of Rhode Island, The Nature Conservancy, the University of Rhode Island's Coastal Institute, Restore America's Estuaries, Rhode Island Department of Transportation, and the SNEP Network!

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