Daria DiBiasio

May 21, 2025

Water clarity was measured at eight locations in the Providence River and Seekonk River estuaries on May 21, 2025. In the five days prior to the survey, 0.04 inches of precipitation were recorded at TF Green. Secchi depth averaged 2.8 meters. The lowest clarity this week (2.1 meters) was measured at Phillipsdale Landing, while the greatest clarity (3.9 meters) was measured at Conimicut Point. There was no clear north-to-south gradient in water clarity among the sites this week. Overall, water clarity increased from the previous measurements (data collected May 14, 2025).

May 14, 2025

​Water clarity was measured at seven locations in the Providence River and Seekonk River estuaries on May 14, 2025. In the five days prior to the survey, 1.73 inches of precipitation were recorded at TF Green. Secchi depth averaged 2.0 meters. The lowest clarity this week (1.7 meters) was measured at Phillipsdale Landing, Edgewood Yacht Club, and Bullock’s Reach, while the greatest clarity (2.5 meters) was measured at Conimicut Point. There was no clear north-to-south gradient in water clarity among the sites this week. Overall, water clarity decreased from the previous measurements (data collected May 7, 2025).

May 7, 2025

​Water clarity was measured at seven locations in the Providence River and Seekonk River estuaries on May 7, 2025. In the five days prior to the survey, 2.10 inches of precipitation were recorded at TF Green. Secchi depth averaged 2.8 meters. The lowest clarity this week (1.5 meters) was measured at Phillipsdale Landing, while the greatest clarity (4.3 meters) was measured at Conimicut Point. There was a general north-to-south trend of increasing water clarity among the sites this week.

May 14, 2025

Phytoplankton samples were collected on May 14, 2025 at Bullock’s Reach and analyzed in the laboratory shortly after collection.

The water temperature was 16.64 degrees Celsius, and the salinity was 13.43 psu. The qualitative tow net sample had a quick filtration time and the filtrate was mostly clear in appearance.

The analysis of the quantitative whole water sample revealed a total of 1,158,000 cells/L. The microflagellates were found at 307,000 cells/L. The most predominant phytoplankton genera were Dinoflagellate spp. at 523,000 cells/L, Skeletonema spp. at 290,000 cells/L, and Chaetoceros spp. at 20,000 cells/L.

200x phase contrast micrograph of Dictyocha spp.

Dictyocha is a genus of silicoflagellates, which are marine photosynthetic unicellular protists that take the form of either flagellates or axopodial amoebae. Many important species of phytoplankton belong to this genus, and some of them are responsible for algal blooms that are toxic to fish. Silicoflagellates are most commonly found in inshore waters, though they can also be found in temperate, polar, coastal and oceanic regions.

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