Feature

Innovative Stormwater Solutions for Chepachet Village, Rhode Island

Proposed Wet Vegetated Treatment System (a.k.a. - constructed wetland)

Chepachet Village is a classic New England historic rural village established more than two centuries ago along the Chepachet River in Glocester, Rhode Island. The village’s densely developed historic neighborhoods and location along a river have made it challenging to effectively manage stormwater runoff in a way that protects environmental and public health.

Through a grant by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management, HW has been working with the Town to identify opportunities to implement innovative neighborhood-scale stormwater systems that promote the safe conveyance and effective treatment of stormwater runoff.

After a comprehensive village-wide analysis of potential sites, HW has identified a publicly-owned riverfront Brownfield site as the optimal location for a stormwater management system. The site is the former location of a turn-of-the-century cotton mill complex and currently consists of 17.6 acres of densely vegetated, undeveloped land along the north and south sides of the Chepachet River. A large portion of the site contains wetlands, which makes it a suitable candidate for the location of a Wet Vegetated Treatment System, also frequently referred to as a constructed wetland.

The proposed site has also been chosen as the location for a future riverfront park. This presents a unique opportunity for the Town to incorporate the constructed wetland into the park as an educational feature, highlighting an alternative approach to stormwater management.

HW is working closely with the Town of Glocester, the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management, the Department of Transportation, Historical Preservation and the Heritage Commission to develop a final design.

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