Ninigret Pond

{{Use American English|date=July 2025}} {{Use mdy dates|date=February 2026}} {{Infobox lake | name = Ninigret Pond | image = Ninigret Pond in Charlestown, RI.JPG | caption = Seen in August 2009 | image_bathymetry = | caption_bathymetry = | location = Charlestown, Washington County, Rhode Island | coords = {{Coord|41.3792677|-71.6453401|region:US-RI_type:waterbody_source:gnis|format=dms|display=inline,title}} | type = coastal lagoon, saline | inflow = Precipitation, groundwater |pushpin_map=Rhode Island | outflow = Block Island Sound | catchment = {{convert|7645.65|acres|km2|abbr=on}} | basin_countries = United States | length = {{convert|3.91|mi|km|abbr=on}} | width = {{convert|1.83|mi|km|abbr=on}} | area = {{convert|1580.38|acres|km2|abbr=on}} | depth = {{convert|4.3|ft|m|abbr=on}} | max-depth = | volume = | residence_time = | shore = | elevation = {{convert|0|ft|m|abbr=on}} | islands = 8 | sections = | cities = | frozen = | group = }} '''Ninigret''' is a coastal lagoon in Charlestown, Rhode Island, in the United States, located at {{Coord|41.3792677|-71.6453401|region:US-RI_type:waterbody_source:gnis|format=dms|display=inline}}.<ref name="salt ponds">{{cite web|title=Salt Ponds of Rhode Island |publisher=Rhode Island Sea Grant |accessdate=June 12, 2009 |url=http://seagrant.gso.uri.edu/bookstore/saltpond.pdf |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080517014016/http://seagrant.gso.uri.edu/bookstore/saltpond.pdf |archivedate=May 17, 2008 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news|author=Peter Lord|title=Shifting sands|date=January 9, 2005|newspaper=The Providence Journal|accessdate=June 11, 2009|url=http://www.projo.com/fishing/content/projo_20050109_ninigret.a4308.html}}</ref> It is the largest of the nine lagoons, or "salt ponds", in southern Rhode Island.<ref name="nitrogen">{{cite web|author=S.W. Nixon and B. A. Buckley|title=Nitrogen Inputs to Rhode Island Coastal Salt – Too Much of a Good Thing|year=2007|publisher=Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management|accessdate=May 25, 2009|url=http://www.dem.ri.gov/programs/benviron/water/permits/isds/pdfs/spnload.pdf|archive-date=May 25, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090525091525/http://www.dem.ri.gov/programs/benviron/water/permits/isds/pdfs/spnload.pdf|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name="special">{{cite web|author=|title=Rhode Island’s Salt Pond Region: A Special Area Management Plan|year=|publisher=Rhode Island Coastal Resources Management Council|accessdate=June 12, 2009|url=http://www.crmc.ri.gov/regulations/SAMP_SaltPond.pdf}}</ref> It is utilized for recreational activities, as well as oyster and quahog harvesting. Found along its shores are "extensive" archaeological remains.<ref name="salt ponds"/> Ninigret Pond, like others in the region, was "formed after the recession of the glaciers 12,000 years ago".<ref>{{cite web|title=What is a Salt Pond?|publisher=Salt Ponds Coalition|accessdate=June 11, 2009|url=http://www.saltpondscoalition.org/pond%20profiles.html|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20101009221848/http://www.saltpondscoalition.org/pond%20profiles.html|archivedate=October 9, 2010}}</ref> The pond is situated on low-lying ground, and as such, it is considered particularly vulnerable to storm surge flooding.<ref name="special"/> It is connected to Green Hill Pond via a small channel.<ref name="green hill">{{cite web|author=Arthur Ganz|title=Daytripper's Guide: Ninigret Pond|year=|publisher=Rhode Island Sea Grant|accessdate=June 12, 2009|url=http://seagrant.gso.uri.edu/daytrip/coastlines/ninigret_pond.html}}</ref>

The pond is located within the Ninigret National Wildlife Refuge. Both are named for Ninigret, a 17th-century sachem of the eastern Niantic aboriginal American tribe.

==Watershed and restoration== According to information compiled by the Rhode Island Sea Grant program, Ninigret Pond's watershed covers {{convert|7645.65|acres|ha|abbr=on}}, of which {{convert|5820.79|acres|ha|abbr=on}} is occupied by water; Ninigret Pond itself has a surface area of {{convert|1580.38|acres|ha|abbr=on}}, while other, smaller bodies of water account for the other {{convert|244.48|acres|ha|abbr=on}}. Averaging {{convert|4.3|ft|m|abbr=on}} deep, Ninigret Pond has a salinity level of 24 parts per thousand.<ref name="stats">{{cite web|title=Ninigret Pond General Features Data |publisher=Rhode Island South Shore Sea Grant |accessdate=June 12, 2009 |url=http://seagrant.gso.uri.edu/coasts/ninigret/NinigretGFD.html |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110716235740/http://seagrant.gso.uri.edu/coasts/ninigret/NinigretGFD.html |archivedate=July 16, 2011 }}</ref> The pond receives: about 1,927,399,642 gallons of precipitation per year; 8,974,614–12,376,282 gallons of groundwater flow per day; and 1,881,774–4,849,186 of river and stream flow per day.<ref>{{cite web|title=Ninigret Pond Freshwater Input Data |publisher=Rhode Island South Shore Sea Grant |accessdate=June 12, 2009 |url=http://seagrant.gso.uri.edu/coasts/ninigret/ninigretFID.html |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20081013021206/http://seagrant.gso.uri.edu/coasts/ninigret/ninigretFID.html |archivedate=October 13, 2008 }}</ref> It is permanently connected to the Block Island Sound by a constructed breachway.<ref name="NWR">{{cite web|author=|title= Activities within Ninigret National Wildlife Refuge|year=|publisher=Wildernet|accessdate=June 12, 2009|url=http://activities.wildernet.com/pages/area.cfm?areaid=RINWRNI&cu_id=1}}</ref>

As a result of heavy development along the eastern shore, there are indications that water quality is degrading; however, restoration efforts are in place.<ref name="profile">{{cite web|author=|title=Ninigret Pond|year=|publisher=Salt Ponds Coalition|accessdate=June 12, 2009|url=http://www.saltpondscoalition.org/nin%20pond.html}}</ref> Eelgrass population has also been significantly declining.<ref name="special"/> Dredging and cleanup projects have additionally been established. In the past, breakwaters were established, allowing inflows of sand to "choke" the pond. The Coastal Resources Management Council and the Army Corps of Engineers spent in excess of $4.1 million to remove harmful sand accumulations. Despite this, Ninigret was assessed as being the cleanest of the nine salt ponds. In contrast, Winnapaug Pond contains high levels of pollution.<ref name="restoration">{{cite news|author=Peter Lord|title=Shifting sands|date=January 9, 2005|newspaper=The Providence Journal|accessdate=June 12, 2009|url=http://www.projo.com/fishing/content/projo_20050109_ninigret.a4308.html}}</ref> During the 1960s, Ninigret Pond was included as part of one of the first "integrated multidisciplinary studies of a coastal marine ecosystem".<ref name="nitrogen"/>

==See also== {{Portal|Rhode Island}} *List of lakes in Rhode Island *Geography of Rhode Island

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== {{Commons category}} *{{gnis|1217630|Ninigret Pond}} *{{EPA waterbody|RI0010043E-04B|2004=Y|2002=Y|2000=Y}} *[http://seagrant.gso.uri.edu/coasts/ninigret/ninimap.jpg Ninigret Pond map]

Category:Lagoons of Washington County, Rhode Island Category:Saline lakes of the United States Category:Charlestown, Rhode Island