Fuss & O’Neill assisted the RI Coastal Resources Management Council, USFWS, Save the Bay and the Town of Charlestown to undertake one of the first dredging and salt marsh restoration projects in Rhode Island. The climate resiliency project addressed the continuing degradation and loss of valuable salt marsh areas in Ninigret Pond due to changing tidal conditions.

Our team conducted targeted sediment and vegetative assessments at the 38-acre site. Tidal records and sea level rise projections were evaluated and used to develop an integrated restoration plan. The plan included metrics and criteria supporting development and implementation of the project’s adaptive management plan and associated post-restoration monitoring. Compliance support included developing permit applications to respective state and federal agencies, and an Environmental Assessment to meet NEPA requirements. Dredge areas were surveyed and volumetric analyses completed to provide updated estimates of available dredge material volumes available to implement restoration.