COORDINATION \J1TE OTHT^R AOI<,NCIES 



7li, The study has been coordinated with various Federal, state 

 and local agencies, who were contacted for the purpose of either 

 furnishing technical data or cooperating with the Corps of Engi- 

 neers in those phases of the study where mutual responsibilities 

 and interests were involved. The contributions of the agencies 

 involved and a summary of their views, where views were expressed 

 regarding the proposed plan of protection are discussed below, 



a. Federal agencies . The Weather Bureau of the Department 

 of Commerce has made comprehensive studies of the behavior and 

 characteristics of past hurricanes and has determined the maximxim 

 wind velocities and durations to be expected in futxare storms. 

 The Public Health Service of the Departrient of Health, Education 

 and Welfare is studjd-ng the effect of Lower Bay barriers on pollu- 

 tion and pollution control, A preliminrry evalurtion suggests 

 that the reduction in tidal range created by the barriers would 

 have no effect on the overall quality of the water in the bay, 

 but might have some local adverse effects unless adequate treat- 

 ment is provided. 



The Fish and Wildlife Ser^ce of the Department of the 

 Interior has been making a continuing 5;tudy of the effect of the 

 Lower Bay berriers on the fisheries -resources of the bay. Because 

 the fishing industry is an important source of revenue in Rhode 

 Island, the total annual comraercial catch amounting to nearly 

 ^5,000,000 and the total sport fishery to about ii3, 000,000 at 

 present, a systemr.tic long-range program of studies, scheduled 

 for completion in October 1958, is in progress to evaluate any 

 changes in the fisheries resources that may ?rise from construc- 

 tion of barriers. 



Plans for hurricane protection x-iere closely coordinated Td.th 

 the Departip-nt of the Nav?/ in view of the extensive Naval installa- 

 tions in Narragansett Bay, The Department of the Navy has indi- 

 cated th'-t the proposed opening in the East barrier is not satis- 

 factory and alternative openings are bein-' considered. Other 

 Federal n^encies contacted ',;ere the Geological Survey of the Depart- 

 ment of the Interior, the Coast Guard of the Department of the 

 Treasury, and the Coast and Geodetic Survey and Bureau of Public 

 Works of the Department of Commerce. The work of all the other 

 Federal agencies concerned is continuing in order that the Lower 

 Bay barriers may be improved to minimize any adverse effects on 

 present conditions in the bay. 



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