Trustom Pond
Encyclopedia
Trustom Pond is a closed lagoon
in South Kingstown
, Washington County, Rhode Island
, United States
. It is one of nine coastal lagoons (referred to as "salt ponds" by locals) in southern Rhode Island. It has a surface area of 800 acres (323.7 ha), and is the only undeveloped salt pond in the state. The pond averages 1.3 foot (0.39624 m) deep, and has a salinity level of 5 parts per thousand. It is non-tidal, except when breached by storms. The water directly receives about 219844022 gallons (832,200,199 l) of precipitation per year, with an estimated 796215 gallons (3,014,001.8 l) in daily groundwater flow. No streams flow into the pond, though a nearby stream "captures water that otherwise would have flowed to Trustom Pond".
Trustom Pond National Wildlife Refuge is a National Wildlife Refuge
, inhabited by over 300 species of birds, 40 species of mammals, and 20 species of reptiles and amphibians. As such, it is a popular bird-watching destination. In 1987, 365 acres (147.7 ha) of land were donated to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; subsequent donations and purchases raised the protected area to 800 acres (323.7 ha), with current plans for expansion. The wildlife refuge receives approximately 50,000 visitors annually. The Trustom Pond National Wildlife Refuge includes 3 miles (4.8 km) of foot trails, surrounded by fields, shrublands, woodlands and small freshwater ponds. Wildlife managers create breachways to the Block Island Sound
, lowering water levels and creating mudflats which become feeding areas for wader
s.
Trustom Pond is a closed lagoon in South Kingstown, Washington County, Rhode Island, United States.[3] It is one of nine coastal lagoons ( in southern Rhode Island.[4][5] It has a surface area of 800 acres (3.2 km²), and is the only undeveloped fresh-water pond in the state.[6][7] The pond averages 1.3 feet (0.40 m) deep. It is non-tidal, except when breached by storms.[1] The water directly receives about 219844022 gallons (832,200,199 l) of precipitation per year, with an estimated 796215 gallons (3,014,001.8 l) in daily groundwater flow.[8] No streams flow into the pond, though a nearby stream "captures water that otherwise would have flowed to Trustom Pond".[9]
Lagoon
A lagoon is a body of shallow sea water or brackish water separated from the sea by some form of barrier. The EU's habitat directive defines lagoons as "expanses of shallow coastal salt water, of varying salinity or water volume, wholly or partially separated from the sea by sand banks or shingle,...
in South Kingstown
South Kingstown, Rhode Island
South Kingstown is a town in Washington County, Rhode Island, United States. The population was 30,639 at the 2010 census.South Kingstown includes the villages of Kingston, West Kingston, Wakefield, Peace Dale, Snug Harbor, Tuckertown, East Matunuck, Matunuck, Green Hill, and Perryville. Peace...
, Washington County, Rhode Island
Washington County, Rhode Island
Washington County, commonly known colloquially as South County, is a county located in the southwestern part of the U.S. state of Rhode Island. Washington County borders Kent County to the north, New London County in Connecticut to the west, Suffolk County in New York to the southwest, the Atlantic...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It is one of nine coastal lagoons (referred to as "salt ponds" by locals) in southern Rhode Island. It has a surface area of 800 acres (323.7 ha), and is the only undeveloped salt pond in the state. The pond averages 1.3 foot (0.39624 m) deep, and has a salinity level of 5 parts per thousand. It is non-tidal, except when breached by storms. The water directly receives about 219844022 gallons (832,200,199 l) of precipitation per year, with an estimated 796215 gallons (3,014,001.8 l) in daily groundwater flow. No streams flow into the pond, though a nearby stream "captures water that otherwise would have flowed to Trustom Pond".
Trustom Pond National Wildlife Refuge is a National Wildlife Refuge
National Wildlife Refuge
National Wildlife Refuge is a designation for certain protected areas of the United States managed by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service. The National Wildlife Refuge System is the world's premiere system of public lands and waters set aside to conserve America's fish, wildlife and plants...
, inhabited by over 300 species of birds, 40 species of mammals, and 20 species of reptiles and amphibians. As such, it is a popular bird-watching destination. In 1987, 365 acres (147.7 ha) of land were donated to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; subsequent donations and purchases raised the protected area to 800 acres (323.7 ha), with current plans for expansion. The wildlife refuge receives approximately 50,000 visitors annually. The Trustom Pond National Wildlife Refuge includes 3 miles (4.8 km) of foot trails, surrounded by fields, shrublands, woodlands and small freshwater ponds. Wildlife managers create breachways to the Block Island Sound
Block Island Sound
Block Island Sound is a strait in the open Atlantic Ocean, approximately wide, separating Block Island from the coast of Rhode Island in the United States...
, lowering water levels and creating mudflats which become feeding areas for wader
Wader
Waders, called shorebirds in North America , are members of the order Charadriiformes, excluding the more marine web-footed seabird groups. The latter are the skuas , gulls , terns , skimmers , and auks...
s.
See also
- List of lakes in Rhode Island
- Geography of Rhode Island
Trustom Pond is a closed lagoon in South Kingstown, Washington County, Rhode Island, United States.[3] It is one of nine coastal lagoons ( in southern Rhode Island.[4][5] It has a surface area of 800 acres (3.2 km²), and is the only undeveloped fresh-water pond in the state.[6][7] The pond averages 1.3 feet (0.40 m) deep. It is non-tidal, except when breached by storms.[1] The water directly receives about 219844022 gallons (832,200,199 l) of precipitation per year, with an estimated 796215 gallons (3,014,001.8 l) in daily groundwater flow.[8] No streams flow into the pond, though a nearby stream "captures water that otherwise would have flowed to Trustom Pond".[9]
