NARRAGANSETT, RI – Four years after Superstorm Sandy hit the East Coast in October 2012 and damaged several coastal wildlife refuges and marshes in Rhode Island and other communities, a new, federally-funded saltmarsh restoration project is underway within the John H. Chafee National Wildlife Refuge on the Narrow River.  Today, U.S. Senator Jack Reed joined officials from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Nature Conservancy, and the Rhode Island Coastal Resources Management Council (CRMC) for a firsthand look at the cooperative effort to rebuild these important natural buffers in order to make them more resilient in the future for people, wildlife, and our economy.

Currently, there are many areas of the saltmarsh where ponded water stays on the surface, even at low tide, drowning vegetation and providing areas for mosquitos to breed, according to the CRMC, which notes: “This is thought to be the result of sea level rise, which is happening at an increasingly faster rate due to climate change. Marshes with healthy vegetation are better able to accumulate sediments and build elevation to keep up with rising sea levels. However, recent evidence suggests that most of the marshes in Rhode Island are not keeping pace with sea level rise and drowning.” 

The restoration project entails removing sand from the Narrow River and spreading it across 30 acres of the marsh, raising the elevation by six inches, thus making it more resilient to sea-level rise.  This month, crews on barges will be dredging and depositing the dredged material onto different areas of the marsh.  CRMC estimates the dredge footprint will create an approximately 65-foot wide channel in the river.  Sand from the dredging will be used to help elevate the marshes on the eastern side of the river.

“This is a great opportunity to strengthen and restore critical saltmarsh habitat at the John H. Chafee National Wildlife Refuge.  This area is an important habitat for fish and wildlife and serves as a storm barrier protecting people.  It also acts as a natural buffer zone and almost like a kidney to the local water system, filtering out sediment and pollutants while soaking up excess water during heavy rains,” noted Senator Reed.  “When it is completed, this project will help us better preserve and protect against future storm surges and increasing sea level rise.”

In the aftermath of Superstorm Sandy, Senator Reed, who was then serving as the Chairman of the Interior Appropriations Subcommittee, worked to secure $787 million for Hurricane Sandy recovery nationwide through the U.S. Department of Interior, to help coastal wetlands, marshes, and shorelines along the East Coast recover from the damage caused by the storm and increase resiliency against future storms and climate change.  About $15 million of this federal funding was committed to various restoration and resiliency projects in Rhode Island, including $1.4 million for the Narrow River Restoration project, which focuses on 30 acres of marsh on the eastern shore of the Narrow River estuary, opposite Pettaquamscutt Cove.

Reed also helped secure $122,000 in federal funding in 2012 to develop a series of maps called the Sea Levels Affecting Marshes Model (SLAMM), which help state and local planning officials understand how sea level rise will impact coastal wetlands and conserve upland areas adjacent to these salt marshes.

During the boat tour of the marshland, officials from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service pointed out the importance of saltmarsh and wetland ecosystems, including their role in providing natural flood protection, erosion control, water quality control, and as a nursery for aquatic species and birds. 

Reed also noted that investing in the restoration of coastal ecosystems can help create jobs and boost long-term economic value.  A recent study by the Center for American Progress found that every $1 million invested in coastal restoration creates about 17 jobs on average.  Additionally, each taxpayer dollar spent restoring wetlands returns more than $15 in net benefits, including buffering storm surges; safeguarding coastal homes and businesses; creating nursery habitats for commercial and recreational important fish species; and, restoring open space and wildlife that support recreation and tourism.

“This is an effective plan to restore degraded saltmarshes as protective buffers against severe storms.  I commend The Nature Conservancy, the US Fish & Wildlife Service, CRMC, and their many community partners who have collaborated on this effort.  We must continue making sound investments to protect our natural habitat and environmental resources,” concluded Reed.