The velocities through the openings woiild rapidly decrease to the 

 existing currents in the bay above the barriers. Accurate measure- 

 ments of velocity through the Tiverton barrier opening were not 

 possible because of the small size of the model opening, but it 

 is believed that the maximum velocity would be in the order of S,S 

 knots. No appreciable change in the currents would be experienced 

 through the Fox Point sluice gates. A complete discussion of the 

 current velocity tests conducted by the Waterways Experiment Station 

 is included in the report of the Waterways Experiment Station. 



B-31. TEl'IFSPATJ'vE 



Based on the temperature observations conduuteu by the Marra- 

 gansett i'ferine Laboratory and on the conclusions derived from their 

 salinity studies, it is doubtful that the Lower Bay barriers will 

 cause any important change in the normal distribution of water 

 temperatures as compared with the wide range of temperatures that 

 occurs between flood and ebb, surface and bottom, and mouth to the 

 head of the bay. Further studies are being conducted by the Water- 

 ways Experiment Station to ascertain what effect, if any, the 

 barriers will have on the water temperatures in the bay. 



B-32. SALINin 



It is estimated that there will be some reduction in the 

 salinity of the waters in Narragansett Bay due to the Lower Bay 

 barriers. The exact amount of this reduction is the subject of 

 further studies by the Waterways Experiment Station. The effects 

 on salinity of the Lower Bay barriers are currently being tested in 

 the model at Vicksburg. 



B-33. FLUSH II-I3 



Preliminary studies by the Narragansett Marine Laboratory in- 

 dicate that the flushing time for a particle to traverse the bay 

 from Providence to Newport would be increased 3 to 23 days with 

 Lower Bay barriers (see Table B-8) , 



B-29 



