About The Program

The Scituate Reservoir Watershed Education Program was developed in 1993 as a collaborative effort of the Northern RI Conservation District, Providence Water, the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service and the University of Rhode Island Cooperative Extension. The main objective of the program is to provide information and educational opportunities to local residents in order to reduce non point source pollution loading to the Scituate Reservoir.

Providence Water fully funds the program as part of their efforts to protect water quality. Other efforts for protection include Providence Water’s purchase of 25% of the land within the watershed over the years. Most of that land is in areas immediately surrounding the reservoir water bodies. The land owned by Providence Water is primarily managed forest land. Forests purify ground and surface waters. In fact, forests serve as a primary way of protecting and managing public drinking water supplies. Forested buffers protect streams and ponds by filtering sediments and some nutrients that can degrade water quality and aquatic habitats. Forests are critical in sustaining the natural balance of the water cycle and protecting watersheds. Forest serve to protect us from frequent flooding and replenish groundwater resources. This is because the majority of rain and snowmelt soaks into the forest canopy and root system rather than quickly draining to the nearest surface water body.

Explore this section to learn more about the Scituate Reservoir Watershed Education Program and how it serves watershed towns and communities.