Despite being the largest freshwater body in Providence, Mashapaug Pond is seemingly hidden. On a Jane’s Walk tour led by Traci Picard earlier this year, the public historian explained that many infrastructural cues might dissuade a passerby from getting close to the pond: Tucked behind the metal gates of the Tesla dealership across from the Popeyes, labeled with “NO TRESPASSING” signs, the pond is shrouded by commercial property.
Once you make it to the pond’s gate, you are met by Providence Parks Department signs warning you not to swim, eat fish from the pond, or drink the water due to the polluted water.
Here are some facts about Mashapaug Pond, a waterway with a robust history of development, displacement, and pollution.
1.8 square miles – the size of the Mashapaug Pond watershed
77 acres – the surface area of the pond
9.8 feet – the average depth of the pond
83% – of the watershed is developed, including residential, commercial, and transportation uses
20 – the number of public health advisories related to cyanobacteria blooms in both Mashapaug and Spectacle Ponds since 2011
70 – the number of business near the Mashapaug Pond Watershed required to control stormwater runoff by RIDEM
1998 – the date when Mashapaug Pond was added to RI’s list of polluted waters. It has remained on the list since.
There are two upcoming public meetings hosted by RIDEM regarding the Draft Mashapaug Watershed General Permit. The virtual meeting will be held July 30 at 2pm and the in-person workshop will be held July 31 at 6pm at the Cranston Senior Center.
Sources
RIDEM – Mashapaug Pond Stormwater Management
Dana Schneider is a writer who lives in Elmwood with her cat, Froggy. Her background is in public policy and poetry, and she’s interested in how we experience everyday life within and despite the structures that surround us.
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