Providence Eye: Jarrod Holgate on Snowmelt, Stormwater, and Rising Rivers
In the Providence Eye article Let it Linger? A Slow Snowmelt Replenishes Local Watertables but Releases Pollution into Waterways, Jarrod Holgate, WRWC’s Stormwater Supervisor, shared insight on the challenges Providence faces after this winter’s historic snowfall. He highlighted how lingering snowmelt has dramatically raised water levels in the Woonasquatucket River, making it “the widest and wildest” he has seen in years. Jarrod emphasized the role of WRWC’s green stormwater infrastructure including storm trees, bioretention areas, and Bandalong Bandit litter traps in capturing runoff, filtering pollutants, and preventing local flooding. He noted that recent warm temperatures caused more stormwater to overwhelm waterways instead of naturally replenishing groundwater, showing both the power and limits of urban stormwater management.