NARRAGANSETT – If your Fourth of July weekend plans included some shellfishing in Point Judith Pond, think again: The state Department of Environmental Management has closed the pond to shellfishing because of the recent heavy rainfall.
In a release, DEM said that “excessive rainfall and runoff” experienced in the area recently has raised bacteria counts in the pond to unacceptably high levels. More than 5 inches of rain fell in the Westerly area and 2.5 inches in South Kingstown and Charlestown during the past 24 hours, DEM said.
Also closed to shellfishing is Winnapaug Pond in Westerly.
Water testing will begin Tuesday, weather permitting, to determine if harvesting can be resumed, the DEM said.
Statewide, DEM has closed Conditional Areas A and B in Narragansett Bay, Greenwich Bay, Kickemuit River and Mount Hope Bay. Those areas are scheduled to open at sunrise on July 10.
DEM operates a 24-hour shellfishing hotline: 222-2900.
The following are comments from the readers. In no way do they represent the view of scindependent.com.
We encourage your feedback and dialog, all comments will be reviewed by our Web staff before appearing on the Web site.
