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Rhode Island
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Rhode Island, smallest of the 50 states, is densely populated and highly industrialized. It is a major center for jewelry manufacturing, electronics, metal and plastic products, as well as boat and ship construction . Officially nicknamed "The Ocean State", the state's geography contains several large bays and inlets that amount to about 14% of its 1,241 square miles.
News
New England Water Science Center Newsletter - Spring-Summer 2019
This issue of WaterMarks has information on the full spectrum of work we do: from flood monitoring to drought predictions, water-quality sampling in estuaries to the latest technology in rapid arsenic analysis. In addition, we are starting to highlight a few of our staff in each newsletter, so you get to meet and become more familiar with those who do the work and represent the future of our...
Drought Streamflow Probabilities in Northeast Region
Maximum likelihood logistic regression (MLLR) is used to estimate drought probabilities for selected Northeast rivers and streams. Winter streamflows are used to estimate the chance of hydrologic drought during summer months. This application allows the display and query of these drought streamflow probabilities for Northeastern streams.
New England Water Science Center Newsletter - Fall 2018
Fall 2018 WaterMarks continues a regular series of newsletters from the USGS New England Water Science Center to cooperating agencies, collaborators, and others interested in our work. This issue features:
- Links to new reports and journal articles by our staff
- Updates on recent activities of our Data Section
- Highlights of new and recently completed studies. ...
Publications
Flood-inundation maps for the Pawtuxet River in West Warwick, Warwick, and Cranston, Rhode Island
A series of 15 digital flood-inundation maps was developed for a 10.2-mile reach of the Pawtuxet River in the municipalities of West Warwick, Warwick, and Cranston, Rhode Island, by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with the Rhode Island Emergency Management Agency and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The coverage of the maps...
Bent, Gardner C.; Lombard, Pamela J.
Flood-inundation maps for the lower Pawcatuck River in Westerly, Rhode Island, and Stonington and North Stonington, Connecticut
A series of 11 digital flood-inundation maps was developed for a 5.5-mile reach of the lower Pawcatuck River in Westerly, Rhode Island, and Stonington and North Stonington, Connecticut, by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) in cooperation with the Town of Westerly, Rhode Island, and the Rhode Island Office of Housing and Community Development. The...
Bent, Gardner C.; Lombard, Pamela J.
High-water marks from Hurricane Sandy for coastal areas of Connecticut, Rhode Island, and Massachusetts, October 2012
Because coastal areas in Connecticut, Rhode Island, and Massachusetts were heavily affected by Hurricane Sandy in October 2012, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), under a mission agreement with the Federal Emergency Management Agency, collected storm tide high-water marks in those coastal areas. This effort was undertaken to better understand the...
Ostiguy, Lance J.; Sargent, Timothy C.; Izbicki, Brittney J.; Bent, Gardner C.
New England Water Use
Background: The U.S. Geological Survey compiles the nation's water use data at the county, state, and national levels every 5 years since 1950. The most recent estimated water use compilation was completed in 2015. A summary for New England is presented on this webpage.
The Issue: Comprehensive water use data analysis is needed to quantify the stress on...
Rhode Island Water Use
Background: The U.S. Geological Survey compiles estimates of water use in Rhode Island and the rest of the United States at the county, state, and national levels every 5 years since 1950. The most recent estimated water use compilation was completed in 2015. A summary for Rhode Island is presented on this webpage.
The Issue: Comprehensive water use...
Water Quality Sampling and Monitoring of the Pawcatuck River Watershed
The Pawcatuck River and the Pawcatuck River Estuary and Little Narragansett Bay form part of the boundary between the States of Connecticut and Rhode Island. Both states have identified water quality impairments within these waters related to nutrients (insufficient oxygen) and bacteria. Studies of the eutrophication potential of Long Island Sound embayments have identified that the Pawcatuck...
United States Assessments of Undiscovered Oil and Gas Resources
USGS Energy Resources Program provides periodic assessments of the oil and natural gas endowment of the United States and the World (click here for information about World Oil and Gas Assessments). This website provides access to new, prioritized, assessment results and supporting data for the United States, as part...
Geospatial Dataset of Wells and Attributes in the New England Groundwater Level Network, 2017
The drought of 2016 affected hydrologic conditions throughout New England. Responses of USGS groundwater observation wells to this event, however, were not uniform and were sometimes markedly different from site to site. Although USGS scientists were able to provide explanations for most of these situations, the event highlighted the need for additional well information to develop quantitative...
Characterization of Water Quality in the Sakonnet River, Rhode Island
Sections of Narragansett Bay and its eastern arm, the Sakonnet River, are considered impaired for shell fishing, aquatic habitat and recreational use by the State of Rhode Island Rhode Island. The degradation of aquatic habitat and water quality in the western portions of Narragansett Bay has been and continues to be closely studied. However, there is comparably limited information available...
Surface Water Quality Monitoring in Rhode Island
Since 1979, the USGS has monitored water quality in the major river basins of Rhode Island contributing to Narragansett Bay.
Development of Flood Insurance Maps in New England
FEMA has requested USGS expertise in hydraulics, hydrology, and mapping to general Flood Insurance Maps for New England.
Flow Modeling at Dam Removal Sites Associated with Hurricane Sandy Resiliency Efforts
The purpose of this work is to better understand the effects of dam removal on local hydraulics, fish passage, and flooding. This study is part of a larger effort to monitor ecological resilience changes at nine Hurricane Sandy coastal resiliency aquatic connectivity restoration projects. It will contribute crucial knowledge that will be used to improve aquatic connectivity system cost-...
Bird Banding Laboratory
The Bird Banding Laboratory (BBL) is an integrated scientific program established in 1920 supporting the collection, archiving, management and dissemination of information from banded and marked birds in North America. This information is used to monitor the status and trends of resident and migratory bird populations. Because birds are good indicators of the health of the environment, the...
National Assessment of Storm-Induced Coastal Change Hazards
This project focuses on understanding the magnitude and variability of extreme storm impacts on sandy beaches. The overall objective is to improve real-time and scenario-based predictions of coastal change to support management of coastal infrastructure, resources, and safety.
Information about scientific data collected through field activities conducted by scientists in the USGS Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources program
Maximum likelihood logistic regression (MLLR) is used to estimate drought probabilities for selected Northeast rivers and streams. Winter streamflows are used to estimate the chance of hydrologic drought during summer months. This application allows the display and query of these drought streamflow probabilities for Northeastern streams.
The NWIS mapper provides access to over 1.5 million sites contained in the USGS National Water Information System (NWIS), including sites where current and historical surface-water, groundwater, springs, and atmospheric data has been collected. Users can search by site type, data type, site number, or place.
Interactively explore assessment summary information for continuous (unconventional) assessments conducted at the USGS from 2000-2018. The assessment results data used to generate this visualization can be downloaded here in Excel Format. These data represent all assessment results for Continuous Assessments only from 2000-2018.
The USGS Coastal and Marine Geology Program (CMGP) Internet Map Server is an interactive mapping service which allows the user to explore and download GIS data sets published by CMGP.
Key Findings for Scenario-Based Assessment for Hurricanes
Percentage of sandy beaches very likely (probability > 0.9) to experience erosion associated with collision, overwash, and inundation during category 1-5 hurricane landfall.
Obique photos offer a unique perspective of the coast. Features such as beach erosion or accretion, dune erosion and overwash can all be clearly characterized in this imagery. It also documents coastal infrastructure, as well as the damage that infrastructure may incur as the result of an impacting hurricane.
The National Water Information System (NWIS) web application provides access to real-time and historical surface-water, groundwater, water-quality, and water-use data collected at approximately 1.5 million sites across all 50 states.
Interactive access to coastal change science and data for our Nation’s coasts. Information and products are organized within three coastal change hazard themes: 1) extreme storms, 2) shoreline change, and 3) sea-level rise. Displays probabilities of coastal erosion.
USGS data portray selected structures data, including the location and characteristics of manmade facilities. Characteristics consist of a structure's physical form (footprint), function, name, location, and detailed information about the structure. The types of structures collected are largely determined by the needs of the disaster planning and response and homeland security organizations.
Boundaries data or governmental units represent major civil areas including states, counties, Federal, and Native American lands, and incorporated places such as cities and towns.
The National Hydrography Dataset (NHD) and Watershed Boundary Dataset (WBD) are used to portray surface water on The National Map.
Locations of active wells (at least one measurement during the previous year) in the New England groundwater level network at the end of 2017. The dataset contains 104 wells with continuous water-level measurements (15-minute to hourly measurements), 182 wells with discrete water-level measurements (monthly measurements at most locations), and 95 wells with intermittent water-level measurements.
USGS Flood Inundation Mapper Web Application
This map shows the provinces assessed by the USGS for undiscovered oil and gas resources.
The National Water Information System (NWIS) Mapper provides access to water-resources data at over 1.5 million sites across the U.S., including current and historical data. Users can search by site type, data type, site number, or place.
New England Current Water Conditions (Groundwater, Surface Water and Water-Quality) Maps
StreamStats is a Web-based Geographic Information Systems (GIS) application that provides users with access to an assortment of analytical tools that are useful for a variety of water-resources planning and management purposes.
Maps of flood and high flow conditions within New England
The 3DEP products and services available through The National Map consist of standard digital elevation models (DEMs) at various horizontal resolutions, elevation source and associated datasets, an elevation point query service and bulk point query service. All 3DEP products are available, free of charge and without use restrictions.
Links to publications that contain maps of the sea floor or lake beds and the digital data used to create them.
The USGS Storm Tide Mapper is a tool for viewing, analyzing, and accessing storm tide data collected during and after hurricanes and Nor’easters. The USGS Storm Tide Mapper will continue to provide a unified and consistent source of real-time and archived storm-tide data.
Flood-inundation maps for the lower Pawcatuck River in Westerly, Rhode Island, and Stonington and North Stonington, Connecticut
A series of 11 digital flood-inundation maps was developed for a 5.5-mile reach of the lower Pawcatuck River in Westerly, Rhode Island, and Stonington and North Stonington, Connecticut, by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) in cooperation with the Town of Westerly, Rhode Island, and the Rhode Island Office of Housing and Community Development. The...
Bent, Gardner C.; Lombard, Pamela J. High-water marks from Hurricane Sandy for coastal areas of Connecticut, Rhode Island, and Massachusetts, October 2012
Because coastal areas in Connecticut, Rhode Island, and Massachusetts were heavily affected by Hurricane Sandy in October 2012, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), under a mission agreement with the Federal Emergency Management Agency, collected storm tide high-water marks in those coastal areas. This effort was undertaken to better understand the...
Ostiguy, Lance J.; Sargent, Timothy C.; Izbicki, Brittney J.; Bent, Gardner C.
Streamflow, water quality, and constituent loads and yields, Scituate Reservoir Drainage Area, Rhode Island, Water Year 2016
As part of a long-term cooperative program to monitor water quality within the Scituate Reservoir watershed, the U.S. Geological Survey in cooperation with the Providence Water Supply Board collected streamflow and water-quality data at the Scituate Reservoir and tributaries. Streamflow and concentrations of chloride and sodium estimated from...
Smith, Kirk P. Flood-inundation maps for the Pawtuxet River in West Warwick, Warwick, and Cranston, Rhode Island
A series of 15 digital flood-inundation maps was developed for a 10.2-mile reach of the Pawtuxet River in the municipalities of West Warwick, Warwick, and Cranston, Rhode Island, by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with the Rhode Island Emergency Management Agency and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The coverage of the maps...
Bent, Gardner C.; Lombard, Pamela J.
Streamflow, water quality, and constituent loads and yields, Scituate Reservoir Drainage Area, Rhode Island, water year 2015
Streamflow and concentrations of sodium and chloride estimated from records of specific conductance were used to calculate loads of sodium and chloride during water year (WY) 2015 (October 1, 2014, through September 30, 2015) for tributaries to the Scituate Reservoir, Rhode Island. Streamflow and water-quality data used in the study were collected...
Smith, Kirk P.
Nutrient and metal loads estimated by using discrete, automated, and continuous water-quality monitoring techniques for the Blackstone River at the Massachusetts-Rhode Island State line, water years 2013–14
Flow-proportional composite water samples were collected in water years 2013 and 2014 by the U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection, from the Blackstone River at Millville, Massachusetts (U.S. Geological Survey station 01111230), about 0.5 mile from the border with Rhode Island. Samples...
Sorenson, Jason R.; Granato, Gregory E.; Smith, Kirk P.
Quality of water from crystalline rock aquifers in New England, New Jersey, and New York, 1995-2007
Crystalline bedrock aquifers in New England and parts of New Jersey and New York (NECR aquifers) are a major source of drinking water. Because the quality of water in these aquifers is highly variable, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) statistically analyzed chemical data on samples of untreated groundwater collected from 117 domestic bedrock...
Flanagan, Sarah M.; Ayotte, Joseph D.; Robinson, Gilpin R.
Streamflow, water quality, and constituent loads and yields, Scituate Reservoir drainage area, Rhode Island, water year 2013
Streamflow and concentrations of sodium and chloride estimated from records of specific conductance were used to calculate loads of sodium and chloride during water year (WY) 2013 (October 1, 2012, through September 30, 2013) for tributaries to the Scituate Reservoir, Rhode Island. Streamflow and water-quality data used in the study were collected...
Smith, Kirk P.
Streamflow, water quality, and constituent loads and yields, Scituate Reservoir drainage area, Rhode Island, water year 2012
Streamflow and concentrations of sodium and chloride estimated from records of specific conductance were used to calculate loads of sodium and chloride during water year (WY) 2012 (October 1, 2011, through September 30, 2012), for tributaries to the Scituate Reservoir, Rhode Island. Streamflow and water-quality data used in the study were...
Smith, Kirk P.
Streamflow, water quality, and constituent loads and yields, Scituate Reservoir drainage area, Rhode Island, water year 2011
Streamflow and concentrations of sodium and chloride estimated from records of specific conductance were used to calculate loads of sodium and chloride during water year (WY) 2011 (October 1, 2010, to September 30, 2011), for tributaries to the Scituate Reservoir, Rhode Island. Streamflow and water-quality data used in the study were collected by...
Smith, Kirk P.
Streamflow, water quality, and constituent loads and yields, Scituate Reservoir drainage area, Rhode Island, water year 2010
Streamflow and water-quality data were collected by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) or the Providence Water Supply Board (PWSB), Rhode Island's largest drinking-water supplier. Streamflow was measured or estimated by the USGS following standard methods at 23 streamgages; 14 of these stations were also equipped with instrumentation capable of...
Smith, Kirk P.; Breault, Robert F.
Streamflow, water quality, and constituent loads and yields, Scituate Reservoir drainage area, Rhode Island, water year 2009
Streamflow and water-quality data were collected by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) or the Providence Water Supply Board (PWSB), Rhode Island's largest drinking-water supplier. Streamflow was measured or estimated by the USGS following standard methods at 23 streamgage stations; 13 of these stations were also equipped with instrumentation...
Breault, Robert F.; Smith, Kirk P.
National Oil and Gas Assessment Provinces
This is a graphic from the USGS National Oil and Gas Assessment Explorer application, which allows user to drill into 70 oil and gas assessment provinces throughout the United States.
Collecting water samples on Sakonnet
Alana Spaetzel collecting water-quality sample on Sakonnet tidal strait in Rhode Island
Sakonnet River, the eastern arm of the Narragansett Bay, Rhode Island
Sakonnet River, the eastern arm of the Narragansett Bay, Rhode Island
Image of the Week: Gypsy Moth Infestation Continues in New England
Gypsy Moth populations are at their highest levels since the 1980s, causing damage to hardwood trees in the New England area.
At the USGS EROS Center, we study land change, operate the Landsat satellites, and maintain the longest, continuously acquired collection of images of the Earth's land surface.
USGS EROS Center (
...
Hurricane erodes N.C. road
As US models predicted Hurricane Joaquin washed out a road at Kitty Hawk, NC in 2015.
Photo of the seafloor in Block Island Sound, Rhode Island
Photo of the seafloor in Block Island Sound showing a rock crab and several shrimp on a boulder that is covered with bryozoans. The photo was collected in support of research and management activities (e.g., wind farms and fisheries) along the Rhode Island inner continental shelf.
Rhode Island Seafloor
This photograph is of the seafloor on the Rhode Island coast and shows a skate on a fine-grained, likely silty or muddy seafloor. This photograph was collected to support research and management activities (e.g., wind farms and fisheries) along the Rhode Island inner continental shelf.
New England WSC Newsletter - Spring 2018
Spring 2018 WaterMarks continues a regular series of newsletters from the USGS New England Water Science Center to cooperating agencies, collaborators, and others interested our work. This issue features:
- Links to new reports and journal articles by our staff
- Current hydrologic conditions, with a focus on winter ice in streams
- Highlights
New England WSC Newsletter - Fall 2018
Fall 2018 WaterMarks continues a regular series of newsletters from the USGS New England Water Science Center to cooperating agencies, collaborators, and others interested in our work. This issue features:
- Links to new reports and journal articles by our staff
- Updates on recent activities of our Data Section
- Highlights of new and recently
New England Newsletter - Spring-Summer 2019
This issue of WaterMarks has information on the full spectrum of work we do: from flood monitoring to drought predictions, water-quality sampling in estuaries to the latest technology in rapid arsenic analysis. In addition, we are starting to highlight a few of our staff in each newsletter, so you get to meet and become more familiar with those who do the work and
This issue of WaterMarks has information on the full spectrum of work we do: from flood monitoring to drought predictions, water-quality sampling in estuaries to the latest technology in rapid arsenic analysis. In addition, we are starting to highlight a few of our staff in each newsletter, so you get to meet and become more familiar with those who do the work and represent the future of our WSC.
Maximum likelihood logistic regression (MLLR) is used to estimate drought probabilities for selected Northeast rivers and streams. Winter streamflows are used to estimate the chance of hydrologic drought during summer months. This application allows the display and query of these drought streamflow probabilities for Northeastern streams.
Fall 2018 WaterMarks continues a regular series of newsletters from the USGS New England Water Science Center to cooperating agencies, collaborators, and others interested in our work. This issue features:
- Links to new reports and journal articles by our staff
- Updates on recent activities of our Data Section
- Highlights of new and recently completed studies.
Spring 2018 WaterMarks continues a regular series of newsletters from the USGS New England Water Science Center to cooperating agencies, collaborators, and others interested our work. This issue features:
- Links to new reports and journal articles by our staff
- Current hydrologic conditions, with a focus on winter ice in streams
- Highlights of several new interpretive studies
USGS field crews are deploying storm-tide and wave sensors today from Maine to Delaware to track and study a Nor’easter forecasted to begin tomorrow.
Significant flooding along the coast of Massachusetts occurred Thursday, January 4, 2018, caused by a powerful blizzard. Peak storm surge of approximately 3.00 feet occurred at the astro high tide; and, according to the National Weather Service, is the highest since records began at the Boston tide station in 1921.
A carbonatite here, a glacial moraine there, a zig-zagging fault or two, even a behemoth of a batholith. The geology of the 50 States is an enormous patchwork of varied forms, beautiful in their variance but challenging to present as a single map.
Twin satellite views show gypsy moth destruction in Rhode Island.
A high-tech buoy that monitors water quality in real time was just installed in one of New England’s most popular lakes, where in the future it will help with determining when swimmers should and shouldn’t be in the water.
New USGS models help predict storm effects on beaches
As the 2016 hurricane season opens, weather forecasters, emergency managers and coastal residents have access to tools developed by the U.S. Geological Survey that predict, more precisely than ever, where beach erosion and beachfront flooding will take place during hurricanes and other storms.
First-of-its-kind survey shows that algal toxins are found nationwide
Much of the coast from Maine to Virginia is more likely to change than to simply drown in response to rising seas during the next 70 years or so, according to a new study led by the U.S. Geological Survey.
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Locations
New England Water Science Center - Massachusetts/Rhode Island Office
Phone: (508) 490-5000
Fax: (508) 490-5068