ESS sampled 91 sites within the Palmer River and its tributaries to locate sources of impairment to the Palmer River and ultimately to upper Narragansett Bay.  Each of the 91 sampled sites was sampled during both dry and wet weather conditions for a suite of chemical and physical parameters under an approved Quality Assurance Project Plan (QAPP) developed by ESS. The sample results were used to develop a bacterial Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) for the Palmer River, which was shared among environmental officials in Massachusetts and Rhode Island.  This assessment is also being used by the MassDEP to determine if the mainstem segment of the Palmer River should remain on the Commonwealth’s 303(d) List for pathogens and nutrients.

As part of this project, in conjunction with the MassDEP, ESS became the first consulting firm in New England to apply DNA Ribotyping as part of the non-point source assessment process, allowing the speciation and confirmation of bacterial pollutant sources and the design of appropriate Best Management Practices (BMPs).