Roger Williams Park Zoo and its project partners have completed a comprehensive stormwater master plan that outlines long-term strategies to improve water quality across the zoo campus and the interconnected pond system within Roger Williams Park in Providence, Rhode Island.

Funded through a 2023 U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Southeast New England Program (SNEP) Watershed Implementation Grant, the three-year effort evaluated drainage patterns, water quality and existing stormwater infrastructure to identify priority projects for reducing runoff impacts. The plan was developed by Horsley Witten Group in collaboration with Restore America's Estuaries, the Stormwater Innovation Center, Roger Williams Park Zoo, the Audubon Society of Rhode Island, the Providence Parks Department, the City of Providence and landscape architecture firm Ray Dunetz.

The park's seven interconnected ponds have long experienced elevated nutrient, sediment and bacteria levels that contribute to algal blooms and reduced water clarity. The master plan recommends a combination of structural and non-structural stormwater practices, emphasizing nature-based solutions, improved maintenance practices and public education to reduce pollutant loads and improve ecological conditions throughout the watershed.

The project also considered coordination with the city's existing stormwater and combined sewer overflow infrastructure, providing a framework for future implementation and monitoring efforts. According to project partners, work is already underway to advance recommendations from the plan, including a carp management project designed to improve water quality and aquatic habitat in the zoo's wetland system.

Officials said the master plan is intended to serve as a science-based roadmap for future stormwater investments while supporting habitat restoration, visitor engagement and long-term watershed resilience in one of Rhode Island's most prominent urban parks.