The federal government plans to help buy more than 100 properties in Johnston and Cranston, and demolish 134 structures in the Pocasset River’s expanding floodplain.
When it rains hard in Johnston and Cranston, the river often overflows its banks. Floodwaters spread from the tributary outward into business districts and residential areas.
The lobbying efforts of town and city officials in both municipalities may be paying off. The state’s federal delegation recently announced the launch of the Pocasset River Flood Damage Reduction Project, and pledged nearly 50 million taxpayer dollars toward its implementation.
“Through Senator Reed and the rest of the Rhode Island delegation, the Pocasset River project can receive up to $48.5 million in funding, beginning with $12 million already secured by Senator Reed,” said Johnston Mayor Joseph Polisena Jr. “These projects include funding for some buyouts, infrastructure improvements and flood barriers. The project itself is being coordinated by the U.S. Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service.”
The delegation, which includes U.S. Sens. Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse and Reps. Seth Magaziner and Gabe Amo, all Democrats, circulated a press release on Aug. 21, announcing the results “building on years of work to assist flood-prone residents in the Pocasset River Watershed.”
The U.S. Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service (USDA NRCS) “has been authorized to implement the Pocasset River Flood Damage Reduction Project,” according to a joint press release from all four legislators.
The delegation said they “will work together to make additional federal funding available for the program in the years ahead to provide support for the Pocasset River Flood Damage Reduction Project and advance flood prevention infrastructure upgrades and initiatives in the hardest hit areas.”
“The Pocasset River routinely floods areas of Cranston and Johnston with flood damage becoming more frequent in recent years,” acknowledged the delegation. “Flood prevention and mitigation upgrades made possible by this federal funding will protect the safety of Rhode Islanders and help minimize damage to homes in Johnston and Cranston during significant rainfall events. Johnston and Cranston have teamed up to sponsor this project, which will be implemented by Rhode Island NRCS in partnership with the Rhode Island Association of Conservation Districts (RIACD).”
Cranston city officials and Johnston town officials will eventually meet to plan how best to spend the flood money, according to the Cranston mayor’s office.
“A majority of this project and funding will be implemented by Rhode Island NRCS in partnership with the Rhode Island Association of Conservation Districts (RIACD),” said Zack DeLuca, a spokesman for Cranston Mayor Kenneth Hopkins. “A meeting will be held between the cities of Cranston and Johnston, and the representatives of the NRCS to finalize an action plan between all parties.”
Polisena has been warning residents for more than a year that house buyouts were coming. Some homes will be purchased and demolished for the creation of flood mitigation fixtures. In 2021, the NRCS visited Johnston’s Belfield Drive to show off a similar home buyout project. The project may have ultimately helped some, but it didn’t prevent residents of Belfield Drive from being cut off from the rest of civilization after heavy winter rainstorms in late 2023.
“One example of how this federal money will be used is to assist with residential relocation,” DeLuca explained. “Approximately $275,000 is set aside for relocation assistance, and the mayor’s office and city have been in contact with individuals along the Pocassett who have inquired about potential property buyouts and relocation opportunities following the impact of last winter’s rainstorms.”
In Cranston and Johnston, thousands of residents watched the Pocassett creep into homes.
“Our federal delegation continues to deliver for the residents of Rhode Island,” Polisena said. “I’ve seen firsthand how so many have been forced from their homes, lost priceless personal possessions and incurred thousands of dollars in damage, all due to flooding. With this federal funding, residents now have much needed resources to help fight the severe and pervasive effects of climate change that impact their daily lives.”
According to the federal delegation, “a 2008 NRCS study of the Pocasset River Watershed produced recommendations for the plan moving forward today to help residents hardest hit by flooding with voluntary property buyouts.”
The federal delegation has effectively fought for Johnston and Cranston, according to officials in both municipalities. Reed and Whitehouse both have influential roles in key committees.
“Rhode Islanders living in the Pocasset River Watershed deserve the peace of mind of knowing that their families and homes are safe,” said Sen. Reed. “I’ve been working on the federal level for more than two decades to channel resources and support to residents in Johnston and Cranston who have been negatively impacted by flooding resulting from significant rainfall events.”
Reed serves as a senior member of the Senate Appropriations Committee.
“As climate change worsens, we know that flooding like what Rhode Island saw earlier this year will only continue to intensify,” Reed said. “This federal funding will finally advance critical projects and programs to relocate flood-prone residents, restore natural floodplains that have been built over, and create new flood-related infrastructure to keep back rising waters.”
“Flooding has become a recurring nightmare for residents who live in the Pocasset River floodplain,” said Sen. Whitehouse. “The Pocasset River Flood Damage Reduction Project is off to a strong start, and I look forward to unlocking more funds to make Rhode Island more resilient to flooding — all while keeping pressure on the fossil fuel interests behind this climate crisis.”
Whitehouse is a senior member of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee.
“With our state experiencing an increase in flooding events as a result of climate change, it’s critical that we’re doing everything we can to help Rhode Islanders prepare for future storms,” said Rep. Seth Magaziner. “These federal funds will help prevent damage to homes and businesses and protect the infrastructure we all rely on.”
“Every community in Rhode Island deserves protection from the devastating effects of severe storms and floods,” said Rep. Gabe Amo. “I thank my colleagues for their dedicated work to secure federal resources that can help residents in flood-prone areas along the Pocasset River reduce costs associated with this damage.”
“We are grateful to receive this project funding and support from the USDA, NRCS and representatives of our federal delegation,” Cranston Mayor Ken Hopkins said. “Flooding along the Pocasset River has become a perennial issue with the increased frequency of extreme weather events. Investing in these strategies to protect Cranston's riverfront neighborhoods is crucial to preserve our residents’ quality of life.”
This project was authorized through the Watershed Protection and Flood Prevention Act (P.L. 83-566) and will be used to restore the Pocasset River’s 100-year floodplain by offering homeowners in Johnston and Cranston neighborhoods voluntary property buy outs, allowing them to relocate out of flood-prone areas. As additional funding becomes available, the Pocasset River floodplain in those areas could then be restored to provide flood attenuation, community open space, recreational benefits and wildlife habitat. The project will be rolled out incrementally by NRCS and officials expect to begin outreach to eligible neighborhoods one at a time as funding becomes available.
“Floodplains can provide significant protection from flood damages to downstream landowners,” said Phou Vongkhamdy, Rhode Island State Conservationist for NRCS. “This project would significantly limit future uses of land in this floodplain area to make it available to store flood water and provide open space and other community benefits.”
“RIACD looks forward to helping Pocasset River watershed residents get relief from flooding problems that have plagued them for a number of years,” said Richard Went, RIACD president.
The USDA estimates the project will help “nearly 1,000 residents and reduce average annual flood damages in impacted neighborhoods by around $3.1 million.”
“As recently as this January, flooding from the Pocasset River displaced or cut off access to dozens of Rhode Islanders from their homes in Johnston and Cranston and resulted in millions of dollars in damages to homes and properties,” according to the Rhode Island federal delegation press release.
They said the project, carried out by NRCS in coordination with Johnston and Cranston, will include the “acquisition of more than 100 properties located within the 100-year floodplain and demolition of 134 structures located on the properties, resulting in a net restoration of 38.5 acres of floodplain.”
Funds will also be spent on the “dry floodproofing of 25 structures,” “construction of a bypass culvert along Simmons Brook,” and “removal of a debris dam at the confluence of Simmons Brook and the Pocasset River,” according to Rhode Island's federal delegation.
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