Saturday, April 27 from 9-11am, Narrow River Preservation Association will host a cleanup in the Narrow River watershed.
Meet at the parking lot at the southeast corner of Sprague Bridge.
Join NRPA as we clean up part of the watershed!
Please email events@narrowriver.org with any questions.
(Rain date Sunday, June 2)
This popular family science and exploration event is held annually on a Saturday morning in June and a Saturday morning in September at 95 Middlebridge Road, Narragansett.
About What Lives in the River:
All ages are invited to join Narrow River Preservation Association for this hands-on exploration of fish, shellfish, crabs and other inhabitants of Narrow (Pettaquamscutt) River. We will use nets large and small to catch river creatures and examine them in touch tanks and under microscopes. Experts and guide books will be on hand.
FREE and open to the public- FUN for all ages! Children under 12 must be accompanied by an adult. All young children and youth should be supervised closely at all times.
Participants are welcome to get into the water, please dress appropriately. Because this is a natural environment, there are sharp objects in the water. Boots, sandals or shoes that can get wet are recommended. The gathering area is a field with grass and dirt surfaces. Wheelchairs are welcome.
Clinging jellies have been found in Narrow River. Click here to learn more about clinging jellyfish.
We will also host What Lives in the River on Saturday, September 21, 2024 from 9-11 at the same location (rain date September 22). Read more about that event here.
Thanks to all who joined up in June 2023 for What Lives in the River.
Here is a list of what was discovered living in the Narrow (Pettaquamscutt) River at our event!
Organisms visible to the unaided eye:
Organisms visible with microscopes:
Annually in late June, Narrow River Preservation Association hosts a one mile open water swim in one of Rhode Island’s most scenic waterways.
2024 DETAILS:
When: Saturday, June 22, 2024, 9:00am (rain or shine)
Where: URI Boathouse – Campanella Rowing Center, 166 Walmsley Lane, North Kingstown, R.I.
Registration: Online or by mail. Online registration closes at 6pm the day before the swim. In person the morning of the swim will be available if space allows.
Entry Fee: $40 through June 14; $45 on or after June 14 and the day of the swim. Includes 2024 Turnaround Swim T-shirt (size guaranteed for registrations by 5/26). Entry fees are non-refundable.
Swim Sponsor: $70 (includes swim registration, one year NRPA membership and name listed on the 2024 Turnaround Swim T-shirt), $75 after June 14 and on day of swim. T-shirt size and printing of Sponsor’s name on t-shirt not guaranteed after May 26.
Distance: One Mile (1/2 mile out and 1/2 mile back). Common start for wetsuit and non-wetsuit divisions.
Limit: 150 participants.
Timing: Ankle chip timing by Timing Plus New England.
Check In: 7:45 to 8:40 a.m. No one will be admitted to the Turnaround Swim unless he or she has checked in and received a numbered swim cap by 8:40 a.m.
Maximum Time: Swimmers are given one hour to complete the swim.
Mandatory Safety Briefing: 8:55 a.m.
Safety: Because of the uncertainty of weather conditions such as fog or lightning, the lifeguards and event committee reserve the right to cancel the event to ensure the safety of the participants.
Curious about swimming in Narrow River? Check out this essay by swimmer and Narrow River enthusiast Veronica Berounsky!
Click here to sign up. All are welcome to this free event.
On Saturday morning, August 10, 2024, Narrow River Preservation Association welcomes artists of all ages and skill levels welcome to create art along Narrow River.
(Rain date Sunday, August 11, same time and location.)
FREE and open to All ages! The gathering area is a field with grass and dirt surfaces. Wheelchairs are welcome.
If you would like to volunteer to support this event, then please VISIT THIS LINK to share your areas of interest with us.
Click here to read an article in The Independent about Art on the River featuring photos by Michael Derr.
Thanks to everyone who joined us on Saturday, August 6, 2022 for Art on the River
We had a wonderful time creating seaweed art, making fish prints, learning to play hubbub from Silvermoon LaRose of the Tomaquag Museum and then each decorating our own hubbub game to keep!
(Rain date Sunday, September 22)
This popular family science and exploration event is held annually on a Saturday morning in June and a Saturday morning in September at 95 Middlebridge Road, Narragansett.
About What Lives in the River:
All ages are invited to join Narrow River Preservation Association for this hands-on exploration of fish, shellfish, crabs and other inhabitants of Narrow (Pettaquamscutt) River. We will use nets large and small to catch river creatures and examine them in touch tanks and under microscopes. Experts and guide books will be on hand.
FREE and open to the public- FUN for all ages! Children under 12 must be accompanied by an adult. All young children and youth should be supervised closely at all times.
Participants are welcome to get into the water, please dress appropriately. Because this is a natural environment, there are sharp objects in the water. Boots, sandals or shoes that can get wet are recommended. The gathering area is a field with grass and dirt surfaces. Wheelchairs are welcome.
Please come to the event even if you didn’t preregister! Walk-ins are also welcome.
Clinging jellies have been found in Narrow River. Click here to learn more about clinging jellyfish.
We will also host What Lives in the River on Saturday, June 8, 2024 from 9-11 at the same location (rain date June 9). Read more about that event here.
Thanks to all who joined up in June 2023 for What Lives in the River.
Here is a list of what was discovered living in the Narrow (Pettaquamscutt) River at our event!
Organisms visible to the unaided eye:
Organisms visible with microscopes:
Many residents and visitors to the Narrow River enjoy kayaking, canoeing, paddle boarding and boating. These are some of the best ways to enjoy the watershed. Narrow River Preservation Association (NRPA) works to preserve, protect, and restore the natural environment and quality of life for all communities within the Narrow River (Pettaquamscutt Estuary) and Watershed. This includes those who utilize the watershed in boats and personal and paddle watercraft.
Please join us for Navigating the Narrow Watercraft Safety Event
10am on Saturday April 6, 2024 at Mettatuxet Yacht Club, 36 South River Dr., Narragansett, RI 02882
Navigating the Narrow will provide information to boaters, kayakers, paddle boarders and all who simply love the Narrow River about safely and responsibly enjoying this amazing natural resource.
Doors open at 10 am with informational displays.
At 10:30 am, a panel of local experts will lead a discussion about safe boating and ways that boaters can protect the delicate local ecology.
We welcome questions and comments submitted ahead of time or in person here.
This video addresses basic boating safety for the Narrow (Pettaquamscutt) River. Many thanks to Parker McGregor for making this informative video for his senior project.
The Narrow River is a beautifully unique waterway tidal estuary that flows from its headwaters in North Kingstown to the Atlantic Ocean. Despite the serene and calm environment, the dynamic nature of the waterway presents many risks to boaters. Wind direction, travel direction, and tide height need to be considered every time you go out on the water.
Navigating the Narrow River is under the jurisdiction of the United States Coast Guard (USCG), Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management (DEM), and three local municipalities of Narragansett, North Kingstown, and South Kingstown. Each municipality has their own harbor master who is responsible for rule enforcement. Safe and responsible boating requires the proper attention and education of boaters.
Who should I call if I witness a boating accident or other emergency on the river?
Call 911 for all life safety and significant emergencies. An RIDEM Rhode Island Boating Accident Report must be filled out by the owner/operator of any vessel that is involved in a boating accident–on the inland waters and the coastal waters contiguous to this state–that meets the following criteria:
Reportable accidents must be submitted within five (5) days after the incident on forms provided by the department. Accidents must be reported to the state authorities where the accident occurred.
What should I do if I witness a boater breaking the law?
People who spot boaters making a wake or otherwise breaking the law are encouraged to call the Municipal Harbormaster. If a boater is doing something particularly egregious, you are encouraged to photograph the boat (including identification numbers) and email the photo and a description of the offense to the Harbormaster:
Narragansett Harbormaster: (401) 640-1038 or harbormaster@narragansettri.gov
South Kingstown Harbormaster: (401) 783-3321 ext.104 or harbormaster@skpd.org
North Kingstown Harbormaster: (401) 294-3316 ext. 8255 or harbormaster@northkingstown.org
What do I need to be aware of regarding preservation of the river?
NRPA has many ongoing water quality and watershed preservation programs. Boaters should be respectful of the natural habitats therein and do their best not to disturb them.
Studies on water quality and clarity found that boats did have a noticeable impact. The presence of vessels seemed to increase the growth of algae and kick up sediments, both of which obstruct sunlight and spoil the water.
Additionally, deposits left from boats can change the water’s chemistry and a decrease in water quality is bad for both wildlife and humans. A large amount of impairment to wildlife is also caused by smaller, less noticeable aspects of boats. Chemicals used to clean, protect, and run watercraft often leach into the water, severely impacting the environment and weakening or killing the wildlife. Aquatic plants and animals have specific requirements for light, temperature, pH level, etc. Toxins from detergents, paints, petroleum products, batteries, and metals have disastrous effects on wildlife’s ability to survive and thrive, including cancer, mutations, birth defects, and outright death.
NRPA suggests measures such as the following to help mitigate any negative impacts people or watercraft may have on the river and its inhabitants:
What should I be aware of regarding the river’s flow, tides and dynamics?
The Narrow River is in constant motion. The daily tides affect the river’s flow, shoreline and salinity levels. They are influenced by lunar and seasonal fluctuations and weather events.
The Narrow River is not a navigable waterway. Its boating channels are not professionally maintained. Depths at low tide can be as low as one foot in the boating lanes, with sandbars surfacing above the water level.
Clearance under the Middle and Lacey/Bridgetown Bridges varies with the tides and weather conditions. The clearance can be as low as four feet.
High and low tides are caused by the moon. The moon’s gravitational pull generates something called the tidal force. The tidal force causes Earth—and its water—to bulge out on the side closest to the moon and the side farthest from the moon. These bulges of water are high tides.
Two high tides and two low tides happen every 24 hours and 50 minutes. Their time varies throughout the year. Click this link for the Narrow River Tide Chart.
The flow at the mouth of the river allows the ocean water to come into the river. The Narrow River has salinity well into the upper reaches above Lacey Bridge (Bridgetown Road). At dead low tide it looks like the river is blocked off from the ocean. The river has been blocked by sand at its mouth during extreme weather conditions. These events are temporary, and Mother Nature finds way to return the river to its normal conditions.
What are the boating certification requirements?
The following are Boating Certification Requirements:
What are the boating rules and are they different for different parts of the Narrow River?
The Narrow River is under the jurisdiction of the United States Coast Guard (USCG), Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management (DEM), and three local municipalities (Narragansett, North Kingstown, and South Kingstown). Each municipality has their own harbor master. RIDEM and the USCG websites have many resources to reference.
The rules for boating are not different in different parts of the river, but each area has its own topography. Safe and responsible boating requires proper attention by boaters in all areas. The lakes are open deep areas with some shallow areas, the narrows are tight areas and mostly No Wake Zones, the beach area is more affected by the tide and has more varying sand bars, and the mouth of the river is difficult to navigate.
How can boaters and kayakers best interact?
Motorboats must to yield to paddle craft and maintain control of their boat at all times. Just because there is a local channel that boaters use due to the water depths, motorboats must still operate with due care around paddle craft regardless of where they are.
Paddle craft should be courteous by staying clear of the areas that are better suited to power boats whenever possible. Paddle craft should be respectful of motor boat channels, watch for moving boats, and minimize their time in the motor boating lanes. These channels are narrow and fast moving and motor boats do not have much room to maneuver within them, especially during low tide.
What are No Wake Zones and where are they?
“No Wake” means operating a boat at the slowest speed necessary to maintain steerage and that reduces or eliminates waves that appear as white water behind the boat.
Current laws stipulate no wake under bridges, around mooring fields, near docks and near swimming areas, and, although the inlet to the river is not marked as a No Wake Zone, is a safe practice to observe there. While the motor boating channel cannot be better marked at this time, the speed limit must meet the above definition.
South Kingstown Ordinance 4-5.4 states the following for No Wake Zones on the Narrow River: “No vessel shall be operated in excess of five (5) miles per hour and/or create a wake within the area from Hahn Avenue to four hundred (400) feet north of Radial Drive, in the Narrow River.” If you witness someone making a wake in a No Wake Zone, contact the Municipal Harbormaster.
As for the speed limit outside of No Wake Zones, boaters need to be safe and responsible. R.I.G.L 46-22-9.5 Speeding regulates speed on RI waters as follows, unless local regulations are more restrictive: “(a) No person shall operate any motor-boat or vessel in any harbor or inlet or any pond or other confined body of water in this state in excess of forty-five (45) miles per hour during the hours from sunrise to sunset and twenty-five (25) miles per hour during periods of darkness or other periods of restricted visibility; provided, however, nothing herein shall prohibit the posting of lesser speed limits where deemed necessary by the appropriate state or local authority.”
Access to the River-There is no limit of the number of boats or paddle craft allowed on the river. Boaters and paddlers should always take care when navigating the river, especially when it is being heavily used.
Recreation users riding the tide such as large inflatables (inflatable ducks, swans, alligators, frogs, creating a human chain, without steerage/paddle power) should use extreme caution and must also follow safe navigation practices and be courteous of the boaters and paddle craft.
What are best practices for fueling a boat?
When fueling a boat, you should observe the same rules as when fueling a vehicle combined with a few additional precautions specific to the water:
Recent Boating Incidents Involving Fatalities
YOU can help keep Narrow River Clean!
Follow these simple tips to do your part.
This excellent guide provides specific information on ways to be sure your activities are safe and healthy for your nearby waterway! Click the image to download the free guide.
Those who regularly visit the mouth of Narrow River know that the channels and sand spit are constantly reshaped in response to coastal storm events, beach erosion, tides and currents. These are natural coastal processes.
During the past two years, the combination of coastal storms and alongshore sediment transport from the town beach has dramatically increased the volume of sand within the flood tide delta (“sandbar”) just inside the mouth of the river. This has presented a challenge for boaters on the river, particularly following storm events, as the channels near the mouth reorganize and can be difficult to navigate.
It is important, however, to recognize that flood tide deltas (like the sandbar at the mouth) are naturally occurring deposits that form inside tidal inlets and are dynamic landforms that will continue to change as sediment is transported by storm surges, tidal currents and ocean waves.
This time lapse video compares aerial images of the mouth of Narrow (Pettaquamscutt) River from April 2003 to April 2022. The red dot in the video indicates the location of the flagpole – a former boat outhaul post placed in the 1960’s by the Dunes Club caretaker.
Due to the difficult navigation of the mouth, Tony Columbo of the Mettatuxet Yacht club championed an effort to dredge the sand deposits to the Town of Narragansett. Correspondingly, the Town of Narragansett has hired an engineering firm to develop solutions which aim to restore safe recreational boating while maintaining and preserving critical habitats within the Narrow River. The RI Coastal Resources Management Council (CRMC) Narrow River Special Area Management Plan (SAMP) includes provisions that allow the river mouth to be dredged periodically. The dredged sand would be used to replenish the Narragansett Town Beach. Dredging is only allowed to support safe recreational uses of the river under the SAMP.
NRPA exists to preserve, protect, and restore the natural environment and the quality of life for all communities within the Narrow River; NRPA will be actively engaged in all capital projects proposed in the Narrow River watershed including dredging and dredging alternatives.
NRPA is designated by the RI Rivers Council as the “state-designated Watershed Council” for the Narrow River (Pettaquamscutt Estuary) Watershed. In accordance with General Laws of Rhode Island Section 42-28-8, NRPA has the authority to evaluate proposed actions so that any resulting concerns may be considered by the CRMC.
Issues to be evaluated by NRPA include:
We will update our membership with further information as the project planning advances.
NRPA has maintained a library of relevant engineering studies from the last several decades that evaluate the impacts of dredging the river mouth or the beneficial re-use of the dredged sediment. These items are linked below for our membership and members of the public who wish to learn more. We will continue to update these materials as information becomes available.
In a 2009 unpublished draft report, the US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Water Management Section discussed results of a numerical modeling study to determine the relative impacts of incremental dredging alternatives at the mouth of Narrow River ranging from 28,000 cubic yards to 68,000 cubic yards. The modeling considered effects on tide range, current speeds, peak volume flows, and tidal prism/flushing time changes. In general, the modeling demonstrated an increased tide range and corresponding reduction in flushing times with greater dredge volumes.
In 2011, the town commissioned the Narragansett Town Beach Replenishment Feasibility. The goal of this study was to identify a potential beach replenishment solution for Narragansett Beach that provides protection for the upland infrastructure and creates a sustainable beach with a reasonable performance lifetime. The beach nourishment alternatives ranged from 50,000 cubic yards (a volume that could be sourced from the mouth of the River, based on the 2009 USACE study above) to 327,200 cubic yards.
In 2016, the US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), USACE, and CRMC recommended that a numerical modeling study be undertaken to determine what the impact of dredging at the mouth might be on the circulation, flushing, and general water quality in the river. A hydrodynamic model was used to evaluate a series of four hypothetical dredging scenarios, from -1 m Mean Sea Level (MSL) to -3 m MSL, which removed between 1.5 m (4.9 ft) and 3.5 m (11.5 ft) from the flood tidal delta at the mouth, or between 21,500 m3 (28,100 yds3) and 184,000 m3 (241,000 yds3). Like the 2009 study, this modeling effort found an increase in the tide range (reduced restriction to the flow) with increasing dredging depth. An example of the model results is presented below, which shows the model-predicted water levels upstream of Sprague Bridge (Boston Neck Road) over a 5-day period. The increase in the tide range was greater for the larger volume dredging scenarios and most noticeable at low tide. The tidal flushing time within the River was reduced from 3.8 days compared to the range of 3.5 to 2.3 days for the dredging scenarios.
Another important consideration with dredging at the mouth and thus increasing the tide range is the effect on Mean High Water (MWH) levels in the area of the USFWS salt marsh restoration project. This restoration project included both drainage improvements and the placement of thin layers of dredged material on marsh surfaces in the river to build resiliency against increasing levels of sea level rise. In response, Craig Swanson and Malcolm Spaulding (the authors of the 2016 model predictions) provided a comparison of the duration of tidal inundation for the different dredge alternatives with respect to measured marsh control point elevations provided by the USFWS.
Since 1970, Narrow River Preservation Association (NRPA) has been working to engage people to preserve and protect the Narrow River (Pettaquamscutt Estuary) and its watershed.
We need YOUR SUPPORT for our many education and preservation programs, including:
We need your support now more than ever. Please donate.
ABOUT US:
Narrow River Preservation Association is a 501 (c) 3 certified non-profit organization based in Saunderstown, RI. NRPA was founded in 1970.
* For information about the proposed dredging at the mouth of Narrow River, see this page. *
On Thursday, January 11, Steve Carey, retired University of Rhode Island Graduate School of Oceanography professor, filmed the mouth of the river. There had been a significant storm the day before. Many thanks to Steve for sharing his videos.
(For best viewing, we recommend adjusting the settings on the videos to 1080 HD resolution.)
Steve shot this footage on Saturday, January 13 at about 1:30 pm, well past the morning high tide. The house at the mouth of the river had suffered even more damage from the previous night’s storm.
The videos below, as well as this photo from February 2021 show the same area.
Similar to what occurred February 1-2, 2021, the sand spit at the mouth of Narrow River was overwashed by waves during a strong Nor’easter on January 17, 2022. Once again, a significant amount of sediment from the beach face was transported into the river. In fact the overwash from this storm essentially plugged the channel which typically carries the majority of the flow during an outgoing tide, forcing water to exit the river along the north side of the large sand bar just inside the mouth (the “flood tide delta”).
The channel and sand spit are perpetually evolving in response to coastal storm events, waves, tides and currents, and sediment moving along Narragansett Town Beach. These are natural coastal processes. The tidal exchanges between the bay and the river continue and the spit may return to a similar (pre-storm) configuration over time, although it is possible that the northern channel could widen and become dominant. Time will tell.
Below are photos of the mouth of the river over time. Many thanks to our contributing photographers!
Narrow River Mouth 1-18-21 from Dale Denelle on Vimeo.
