The report highlights the importance of headwater streams to the health of the bay. These small bodies of water feed into the bay, and stretch as far north as Worcester, Massachusetts. These feeder streams can be polluted by agriculture and runoff from parking lots and roadways.
Watershed Counts spokeswoman Nicole Rohr said pollution can flow from the streams into the Bay.
“On the flip side, there’s several species of fish that migrate from the Bay up into the fresh water to spawn,” said Rohr. “So we also have to make sure that those fish can get up stream, they have clean healthy habitats – so it’s a two way stream.”
The annual Watershed Counts report also highlights the work of community groups and municipalities to help protect these feeder streams.
Rohr says cleaning up these streams can protect the bay, and improve neighborhoods. She points to Riverside Park in Providence’s Olneyville district as an example. Rohr says the park and nearby stream were restored about a decade ago.
“People keep the park clean,” said Rohr. “Local residents volunteer to clean the park and maintain the park. There’s the bike path that kids use. The Woonasquatucket Watershed Rivers Council has gone out and they do a lot of educational programs. There’s just a lot of community pride in that area now.”
Though small, the streams that feed Narragansett Bay make up 80% of the length of the Narragansett Bay watershed.
