Plant Life

EELGRASS RESTORATION

Zostera marina, commonly known as eelgrass, is the primary seagrass species found in Rhode Island. Eelgrass is a flowering underwater plant with meadows growing at depths of 3 to 12 feet in Narragansett Bay and the coastal ponds.

The growth and survival of eelgrass is dependent upon clear water to provide light for photosynthesis. Eelgrass beds are a primary source of food and shelter to an abundance of marine life, including economically important finfish and shellfish, such as the Bay scallop. Eelgrass also protects the shoreline by dampening wave energy and reducing erosion. It is widely recognized that the vitality of an estuary’s eelgrass beds is an indicator of its health. Narragansett Bay was once teeming with eelgrass. Today, it has lost 90 percent of its eelgrass beds.

Eel grass restoration — Eel Grass Restoration

Factors in eelgrass bed loss

Pollution from sewage and fertilizers
Digging and raking for shellfish
Boat anchors and propellers that dredge up the bottom
Warming water temperatures
Rising sea levels associated with climate change
“Wasting disease” caused by a slime mold

Eelgrass Restoration

With the support of hundreds of volunteers, the restoration program has transplanted eelgrass to areas of the Bay where it was found historically, and has refined harvest and transplant techniques that restore eelgrass without impacting natural donor beds.The next phase of our restoration efforts will include advocacy to support the necessary water quality improvements to allow eelgrass to survive in the mid and upper Bay and test transplants to assess the effects of those improvements.

Resources

Eelgrass Restoration Fact Sheet

Report: 2012 Mapping Submerged Aquatic Vegetation (SAV) in Rhode Island Coastal Waters

Current Initiatives

Assessing River & Stream Continuity

Deep in the headwaters of the Woonasquatucket River watershed, Riverkeeper Kate McPherson assesses road-stream crossings as part of R.I’s River and Stream Continuity Pilot Program.

Reducing polluted runoff in a town near you

Increased development and precipitation changes around the Bay mean more pollution and more beach closures, adding to our sense of urgency to address the problem of polluted runoff.

Fighting for Atlantic Herring

This fall, we championed strong, ecosystem-based management measures for the Atlantic herring—one of the most important keystone species in the Narragansett Bay ecosystem.

Restoring the Mattatuxet

Riverkeeper Kate McPherson reflects on our recent effort, in partnership with many organizations, to remove the failing dam at Shady Lea Mill and return the river to its free flowing form.