Water projects bill authorizes WaterFire to request barrier closure

THE WATER INFRASTRUCTURE bill passed by the U.S. Senate two weeks ago includes a provision that will allow WaterFire Providence to reimburse the Army Corps of Engineers to close the Fox Point Hurricane Barrier during WaterFire events on low-tide nights when the rivers are otherwise difficult to navigate. / COURTESY WATERFIRE PROVIDENCE/JEFFREY STOLZBERG
THE WATER INFRASTRUCTURE bill passed by the U.S. Senate two weeks ago includes a provision that will allow WaterFire Providence to reimburse the Army Corps of Engineers to close the Fox Point Hurricane Barrier during WaterFire events on low-tide nights when the rivers are otherwise difficult to navigate. / COURTESY WATERFIRE PROVIDENCE/JEFFREY STOLZBERG

(Corrected, 3:37 p.m.)

PROVIDENCE – WaterFire Providence will be able to request that the Army Corps of Engineers close the Fox Point Hurricane Barrier during WaterFire events in exchange for reimbursement of the costs, after the passage by the U.S. Senate on May 22 of a $12 billion water infrastructure bill allocating funding for the nation’s ports and waterways.

The event, which draws as many as 1 million visitors to Providence annually, is one of the city’s largest tourist attractions, but silt buildup in the channel during recent years has caused a significant drop in water levels on low-tide nights that makes maneuvering difficult or impossible for the WaterFire boats.

The Army Corps of Engineers had previously closed the hurricane barrier at its own cost during events to help maintain the water level at low tide, until the impact of federal budget cuts forced the Army Corps to end the practice last year. On May 24, the first event of the 2014 season, WaterFire Managing Director Peter Mello said volunteers had to wear hip waders and light the flames on the rivers from canoes instead of the customary boats.

- Advertisement -

“When we have to do those types of things, it takes many more volunteers than on normal WaterFire night,” said Mello. “We’re pretty adaptable and flexible, so we’re able to figure out ways to keep the event going, but it’s extremely difficult and taxing for us.”

WaterFire organizers worked closely with Rhode Island’s congressional delegates for the last few years to reach the hurricane barrier provision in the federal water infrastructure bill, Mello said. The legislation will allow the organization more flexibility to plan events for nights that coincide with large conferences and conventions, he said, when many sponsors look to host a WaterFire event to provide a unique, memorable experience for their attendees, but low tides often present a challenge.

An Army Corps of Engineers impact study estimated that WaterFire events bring in $114 million in spending at local businesses and restaurants each year, as well as supporting 1,294 jobs in the state and creating $9 million in tax revenue.

Currently, Mello said, WaterFire hasn’t identified how the nonprofit will pay for the reimbursement of the cost to the Army Corps of Engineers for closing the barrier, and he could not provide an estimate of how much such a reimbursement would cost per event. The cost could be funded through an additional sponsorship fee for low-tide nights, he said, or through other funding sources.

“As far as funding, we’re just kind of learning and planning about this right now,” said Mello. “Once the bill is signed by the president, we will have to be in negotiations with the Army Corps of Engineers and the city of Providence to hammer out the details.”

Mello said he is hopeful the bill will take effect early enough to help alleviate the strain on WaterFire’s resources this season, which began May 24 and will run through Nov. 8.

Since the Army Corps of Engineers is required to inspect the hurricane barrier a certain number of times each year, it may be possible to coordinate those inspections with low-tide WaterFire events when the barrier must be closed, reducing the cost to the organization, Mello added. The Army Corps had worked with WaterFire to coordinate inspections when it was paying for the costs itself.

A previous version of this article misstated the number of jobs supported by WaterFire Providence.

No posts to display