Minutes from SCWP Meeting of Wednesday, January 12, 2000 held at the Coastal Institute, URI CRC, Narragansett, RI.

 

Attendance: Amrita Roy (RIEDC), Nina Rooks (WPWA), Suzanne Lussier (USEPA), Rob Adler (USEPA), Kevin Cute (CRMC), Harriet Allen (Town of Charlestown), Dorothy Devine (SRHCC), Teresa McKinley (NRPA), Jeff Nield (RIDEM), Scott Millar (RIDEM), Alan Desbonnet (CRC), Elizabeth Scott (RIDEM), Dexter Miller (NRCS), Naomi Brejman (TNC), Dave Monk (SPC), Jerry Pesch (USEPA), Alicia Lehrer (SRICD), Elizabeth Herron (URICE Water Quality), Vicky O’Neal (NRCS)

 Desired Outcomes of the Meeting:

Ø       Useful input to the appropriateness and completeness of the South County Watersheds Action Program

Ø       Locally derived action priorities

Ø       Reports on activities

Ø       Decision on future meetings

 Parking Lot:    1) SCWP setting future agenda

2) USGS/WRB Basin water budgets - input to what

is done and how it’s presented for towns' use,

3) Updates should become 2nd item on agenda and included in the meeting minutes from the previous meeting (PWP and SCWP) if available & distributed prior to the meeting.  Anyone interested in getting updates in the minutes should send Jeff Nield (jnield@dem.state.ri.us, fax; 222-2591, post: 235 Promenade St.  **This recommendation came from the PWP!

 South County Watersheds Action Program

 

§      J. Nield reviewed the origins of the South County Watersheds Action Plan.  He has received few comments about the plan and would like more feedback so that RIDEM is in a better position to set priorities for the individual elements.  Without added grassroots input about the potential projects funding may not be properly directed, 

 

§      EDC suggested adding a Ladd Center objective to the Action Plan and will work with Jeff to incorporate the issue.

 

§      It was decided that one to one discussions between grassroots partners and DEM Policy and Planning staff would be the most effective way of getting the comments needed for priority setting.  Participants agreed that capacity building in watershed organizations is a must for this and future Action Plans to succeed.

 

§      Available on the web: http://www.state.ri.us/dem/plans/workplan.htm

 

§      Example of input:

Ø       Pursue the possibility of hiring a design person to work on issues raised by watershed groups

Ø       Volunteer groups are looking for capacity building items

Ø       Ask watershed groups to articulate specific issues and then see if they=re in the plan.

Ø       Watershed association work plans are a place to work from also.

 

South County Watersheds Partnership [Electronic] Discussion List

 

A SCWP electronic discussion list has been created. 

1.      To subscribe, send an email to Majordomo@lori.state.ri.us with only the following message:  SUBSCRIBE SCWP.  This will subscribe the email address you are sending from, to the SCWP List. 

2.      To post a message to the SCWP List, email a message to ‘scwp@lori.state.ri.us.’  If you have any questions or would like help subscribing, contact Jeff Nield (401-222-3434 Ext. 4405).

 

Narrow River Water Quality

 

RIDEM has identified serious fecal coliform bacteria problems at several places along the Narrow River.  A search for potential sources has already begun.  A public meeting, to discuss the problem, is scheduled for March 16.

 

Local Issues From South County Watershed Collaborative

 

T       Rivers Day: June 17, 2000

T       Are there possible joint efforts?  WCRPC, SCWC, etc.

T       Outreach

ª        WCRPC Newsletter

ª        Press ‘barrage’ - local newspapers and other media outlets

ª        Heavy duty public outreach is a role for SCWC and SCWP

ª        Focus on drinking water

ª        What are water resource issues in South County?  Water Budget/quantification

ª        Outreach - Need to have people thinking water, water, water!

ª        Impact of failing septic systems on public waterways and perhaps supplies

ª        Impact of water quality on property values, e.g . see study from ME

ª        Sustainable communities

ª        Access to the river

ª        Possibility of extending CRMCs Special Area Mgt Plans further from shoreline

 

Three Major Topic Areas coming from meeting discussion (suggested by facilitator as gleaned from the proceeding discussion)

 

g        Outreach

g        Water Budget

g        Impact of Bad water quality

g        Failing systems, etc.

g        Property value