Menu Bar

Home           Calendar           Topics          Just Charlestown          About Us

Tuesday, July 30, 2019

DEM closes down shell-fishing

Winnapaug Pond and a major part of Point Judith Pond closed indefinitely
By Will Collette

Image result for Winnapaug Pond
Winnapaug Pond
Heavy rain on July 22-23 apparently caused so much run off that the DEM and the state Health Department have closed all of Winnapaug Pond and a swath of Point Judith Pond to shell-fishing due to unhealthy levels of bacteria.

These levels are so high that you are urged to discard any shellfish you either harvested or bought after July 23 from those two areas

The levels are so high, it prompted this notice:
“Shellfish from water with high bacteria levels could result in gastroenteritis, RIDOH advises. The symptoms of gastroenteritis could include nausea, vomiting, stomachache, diarrhea, headache, and fever. It can be a serious health concern for young children, the elderly, and people with compromised immune systems.”


Image
All waters north of the bold, black line on the map are closed 
to shellfishing effective immediately - DEM
Here is DEM’s description of the parts of Point Judith Pond that are now closed:
“[A]ll waters of Point Judith Pond located north of a line from the eastern tip of High Point in South Kingstown to Thomas Point on Great Island and north of a line from Horseshoe Point, Great Island, to the northern tip of Locke Point in Narragansett are closed to shellfishing. The closure includes all the waters of Wolcott Cove.”
We should expect more events like this in the foreseeable future. Climate scientists project more cases of extreme weather due to climate change. In New England, we should expect more incidents of heavy precipitation.


Climate change is real and has direct, tangible effect on our health and our economy.