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