Flood Overview (Photos Below)
It has been over a year since Rhode Island experienced a state of emergency. On March 30 & 31, 2010, waters rose to levels that hadn't been seen in over 100 years causing hundreds of people to evacuate their homes and businesses. In 1886, there was a tremendous flood of similar proportion that affected the village of Usquepaugh and destroyed the original mill that sat on the other side of the spillway/waterfall. As a result, our predecessors rebuilt the mill on the upriver side and continued to utilize the river's power. Thanks to their intelligence and wisdom, Kenyon's Grist Mill was virtually undamaged. Water never reached the production floor, but the basement filled with 6-7 feet.
Unfortunately, the earthen dam and spillways, also owned by Kenyon's Grist Mill suffered severe damage from the excessive rain. This caused the dam to scour and eventually breach. Our dam was built in 1696 to create a reservoir of water to power various mills on the site. It has created a very well established watershed that must be protected and preserved. This part of Rhode Island's environment stretches through South Kingstown, Exeter, and North Kingstown. The Nature Conservancy’s Queen's River Preserve and the Audubon Society of Rhode Island’s Eppley Preserve and Fisherville Brook Wildlife Sanctuaries rely on this reservoir, which creates a habitat for a variety of wildlife. Though Kenyon’s Grist Mill no longer uses the water to power the mill, the aesthetic nature of such a site is an asset to the business as well as the entire village. Since the site is privately owned, all of the work that has been done in Usquepaugh on the dam and spillways has been done at Kenyon’s Grist Mill’s expense without federal funding. The final, estimated costs for the completed/permanent restoration project range from $600,000 to $1,000,000.
Today, after temporary repairs, the dam and spillways here in Usquepaugh look just fine to most people. They are, however, in dire need of further repair and restoration.
Before the Flood
This photo documentary was created to honor the beauty and serenity of the Queen's River and the earthen dam before the disaster struck. It also gives a firsthand look at the power and strength of water and the destruction it left behind.
Two years prior to the flood, Kenyon's Grist Mill invested nearly $50,000 in maintenance and improvements on the earthen dam. The work that was done precluded its total failure during the flood. As shown below, the stones that were installed at the river's edge still stand today.
Flood Day 1: Tuesday, March 30, 2010
In the month of March, South County received 19.37 inches of rain. On Monday, March 29th at midnight, the water was even with the top of the earthen dam. The box culvert, installed by the state in the 50's would not take any more water. This caused the water to back up and saturate the dam.
When we arrived in Usquepaugh on March 30th at 6 a.m., we witnessed the earthen dam topping and beginning to scour. Old Usquepaugh Road was covered, but still passable. At 4 p.m., the water had taken over the road as well.
By the mill, Glen Rock Road became part of the river, making it necessary to chain the dumpster. It was hard to believe that there could be any more water coming.
Flood, Day 2: Wednesday, March 31, 2010
When we arrived on the morning of March 31st, we were amazed at the power of water. This was absolutely unimaginable! Roads were closed and we needed a boat to get to the building. Fortunately, the water never reached floor level. The basement was another story.
The arch bridges on Old Usquepaugh Road and Route 138 caused their own problems, creating a bottle neck, which flooded the village completely.
After the Flood: April 1, 2010
As the water began to recede, we were able to get a peek at the magnitude of the damage. There were sheets of asphalt, debris, and tons of soil that had swept down river.
Drying Out: Mid April 2010
We were able to truly investigate the damages after the water receded completely. There were piles of rocks and massive erosion. A large amount of soil disappeared altogether. As seen below, the box culvert could only handle this amount of water. It took nearly two weeks for the basement and the mechanicals to dry out in order to resume production.
Spring Tours Begin: End of April 2010
During the spring & summer, Kenyon's Grist Mill is visited by a large number of coach buses for tours. Although wholesale and manufacturing is the major part of our business, we enjoy teaching the public about Rhode Island’s history and culinary heritage. With the help of volunteers, spring clean up around the mill begins.
At this time, the dam repair project is put on hold, as the engineers decide what to do with Old Usquepaugh Road, a state road. We were unable to start any repair work until their decisions were made.
New Growth in Destruction: May/June 2010
Nature continues to grow as we continue to wait. We were encouraged with nature’s attempt to make itself look more beautiful amidst the destruction. Since Old Usquepaugh Road continued to be unusable, neighbors had to adapt to a new route to their homes.
Old Usquepaugh Road and the earthen dam are both vital areas for our festivals. It was mandatory to cancel the Spring Festival that was planned on May 22 & 23. All we could do was wait.
First Dig: June 2010
We were excited when the first equipment arrived in mid June to repair the road and were told that the entire road project would be completed by July 9. Many repairs to the road were necessary to access the damaged areas on the earthen dam. The arched bridge and the box culvert were the two areas that needed the most attention.
Beginning of Construction: Late June 2010
At this point, men were working on site every day battling the heat. Progress seemed to be at a snail’s pace. We were hoping that they would rectify the problem and make the box culvert wider and larger to accommodate excess flood waters. Unfortunately, the plan was to entomb the undersized box culvert and maintain its size.
Progress: Late June/Early July 2010
The progress of the construction moves forward steadily, but it is obvious the road would not be completed July 9. We finally could begin projects on the earthen dam. Rocchio Construction crew by day and Kenyon’s Grist Mill volunteers by night. We first created a protective row of sand bags along the edge of the Queen’s River.
Rocks & Dirt: Early July 2010
At this time, final repairs on the box culvert and the Usquepaugh Bridge were completed. Although the road was still closed and awaiting more fill and asphalt, we were finally able to access all of the areas on the earthen dam. We continued working every night moving rocks and replacing lost fill. The flood unearthed a treasure of cut stones that had to be removed from the earthen dam.
Our Summer Festival was fast approaching and we were concerned the whole project would not be completed in time. After speaking with contractors who believed it was unlikely for us to complete our goal, even I began to wonder if it was possible.
Sand Bags, Fill, and More Sand Bags: Mid July 2010
I am very fortunate to have very dedicated neighbors, employees, family and friends. Thanks to my son, Kevin and his friends, Chris and Drew's youthful energy, over 300 sandbags were filled to elevate the level of the river. The sand was donated by Dick Kenyon/C.D. Kenyon Excavating.
John Bradley, owner of JGB III Landscape and his crew spent many late nights moving soil, excavating stones, and replacing over 500 yards of fill under tractor lights.
New Grass: Late July 2010
John Bradley, an expert in sod installation, began unrolling 40 rolls of local turf donated by Peter Gavitt of Turf Inc. With the help of John, Kevin, Drew, Chris, Zack, Mike, Josh, and Dad we finished installation just two days before the festival. John Rocchio Corporation worked overtime to make sure the road would be open for the event. Seventeen hours to spare. Job well done!
Summer Festival: July 24 & 25, 2010
A crowd of nearly 6,000 people visited our little village to attend our Summer Festival. Many had no idea how devastated the area had been just two months (and even days) before. We were proud of what we accomplished in such a short period of time. Although it was a very hot weekend, ending with torrential rain, we had to call this festival a success!
The event promoted and benefited over 50 local vendors including farms, restaurants, artisans, musicians, and authors. We offered free kayaking on the Queen's River with donations for the Wood Pawcatuck Watershed Association. We also raised 1,242 pounds of food and 800 pounds of clothing for the Jonnycake Center. Weary of the intensity of work, we continued on with the rest of our fair season.
Harvest Festival: October 23 & 24, 2010
Wrapping up a very long, hard season with a great, well attended Harvest Festival was a fitting reward. Over 50 vendors and over 8,000 visitors made the Harvest Festival a wonderful event. This time, we raised 1,917 pounds of food and 500 pounds of clothing for the Jonnycake Center.
After a moment of respite, we became concerned about what winter would do to this already damaged site.
One Year Later: March 29, 2011 - Permanent Repairs are Not Completed
We were relieved that our temporary repairs held up well over the winter, but there is still much work that needs to be done today. Federal and state agencies offered no assistance for any part of our dam’s repair and restoration after the flood. The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) has been trying to match us with numerous programs, but they are almost all exclusively geared towards non-profits and municipalities.
One program aimed towards farms is a possible revenue source. Our local turf farmers that pull irrigation from the river are eligible for grants to help maintain the irrigation pool. Pete Gavitt from Turf Inc. is pursuing one such grant to contribute. There is still one more turf farm that is eligible. Since the potential grants so far have a 25% match that needs to be funded, we are a long way off the total project cost.
We are looking for contributions of work, materials, expertise and funding. Please be in touch if you are looking for a very gratifying project to maintain and secure a piece of Rhode Island’s history and environment. If you would like to send us words of encouragement, or if you can offer any assistance, please contact us here.
