The majority of large lakes and ponds in Rhode Island are in fact reservoirs or waterbodies created by building a dam. Often those dams were built sometime ago, and local residents may not even be aware that the dam exists. Unfortunately dams require care and maintenance, which is often overlooked due to lack of awareness or even knowledge of who is responsible for the dam. The resulting inattention occasionally led to significant problems such as dam breaches, and often leaking or other potential stresses to the structures such as tree roots penetrating and threatening dam strength. This page includes links to information about dams in general as well as to Rhode Island specific regulations and articles, and documentation of the recent history of dam management in Rhode Island.
Title |
Contributor/Source |
Resource |
| Rhode Island Dam Atlas (a wealth of information about dams!) |
URI / RISD project
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| Rhode Island’s dangerous dams – editorial |
Providence Journal Bulletin
|
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| The Trouble With Dams |
The Atlantic Monthly
|
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| Office of Compliance and Inspection, Dam Safety Program |
RI Department of Environmental Management
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| Dam Safety Regulations and Resources |
Association of State Dam Safety Officials
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| Boone Lake Dam Management District (established to manage and pay for that management through taxing authority) |
Boone Lake Dam Management District
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