Almy Pond Request for Proposal Feb 2025.pdf

Request for Proposal

Designing Stormwater Management Solu ons to Restore Almy Pond’s Water

Quality

Key Dates

Event Date

RFP Issued March 7, 2025

Proposal Due April 4, 2025

Project Kickoff April/May 2025

An cipated Project Comple on Spring 2026

Background

Almy Pond, located in Newport, Rhode Island, is a vital shallow coastal ecosystem suffering from significant water quality degrada on due to stormwater runoff from a 354‐acre densely developed watershed and aging infrastructure. The Rhode Island Department of Environmental

Management (RIDEM) conducted a Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) in 2007 of nine eutrophic ponds. Almy Pond was iden fied as having the most severe nutrient impairment due to its high concentra ons of phosphorus, requiring an 80‐85% load reduc on. Toxic cyanobacteria blooms, driven by elevated nutrient levels, render the pond unsafe for recrea onal use. The stormwater runoff also contributes to high bacterial counts, resul ng in beach closures at Bailey’s Beach and

Reject’s Beach, along Newport’s Ocean Drive.

The City of Newport and project partners, to be described below, have conducted stormwater retrofits in recent years, but water quality is s ll impaired. Significant bacteria and nutrient levels persist from iden fied stormwater ou alls, as highlighted by ongoing water quality monitoring conducted by Salve Regina University in coordina on with the Almy Pond

Watershed Protectors.

The Aquidneck Island Land Trust is an ac ve member of the Almy Pond Watershed Protectors, a coali on of nine local organiza ons which includes Salve Regina University, Newport Tree

Conservancy, Newport Preserva on Society, Save The Bay, Spou ng Rock Beach Associa on

Founda on, the Girl Scouts of Southeastern New England, RI Department of Health (RIDOH), and RI Department of Environmental Management (RIDEM). The Protectors are dedicated to improving water quality in Almy Pond and its environs. The City of Newport is also an ac ve and involved partner.

RFP: Designing Stormwater Management Solu ons to Restore Almy Pond’s Water Quality

Loca on

The project seeks to design a solu on, ideally a stormwater best management prac ce such as a constructed gravel wetland, to treat stormwater from the 116‐acre drainage area in the northeast corner of the pond, the largest sub‐catchment area in the Almy Pond watershed.

As iden fied in the TMDL, one of the major sources of phosphorus to Almy pond is stormwater via ou alls that discharge to Almy Pond. Out of the 13 ou alls iden fied discharging to Almy

Pond in the TMDL, Ou all ID: AP‐L was iden fied as the highest priority ou all; it conducts the majority of stormwater runoff from neighborhoods to the north of Almy Pond. This ou all proposed for retrofit has the largest drainage area of the watershed and has been documented by Salve Regina’s 2021‐2024 water quality monitoring as an ongoing source of nutrient and bacteria pollu on.

Scope of Work

The Aquidneck Island Land Trust seeks qualified firms to design a stormwater management system aimed at trea ng and infiltra ng stormwater from the 116‐acre drainage area located at the northeastern sec on of the Almy Pond watershed. Stormwater management best prac ces should be explored for their effec veness in reducing pollutants to the maximum extent feasible. The City owns a parcel where the proposed retrofit would be located that is adjacent to the ou all and has an easement for access and maintenance.

The project team has poten ally iden fied a stormwater retrofit approach: a constructed gravel wetland consis ng of a depression that contains gravel media and soils planted with wetland vegeta on that provides microbial treatment via the roots and microbes present in the saturated zone. Created gravel wetlands are appropriate for sites with a high water table and areas where infiltra on is not an op on.

Work throughout this project will be in collabora on with the project partners included in the

Almy Pond Watershed Protectors, led by the Aquidneck Island Land Trust’s Resilience Team, in addi on to the City of Newport’s Planning and U li es departments.

Project Goals

This project seeks to design a stormwater management solu on that will help to restore Almy

Pond’s water quality, which is part of a larger effort to grow community engagement and understanding of the root causes of water quality concerns.

Design a stormwater management best prac ce, poten ally a constructed gravel wetland, that effec vely removes nutrients and bacteria from stormwater from the northeastern sub‐catchment area before it enters Almy Pond.

o Priori ze most effec ve pollutant treatment and reduc on strategies.

o Include opportuni es to plant na ve species that are resistant to geese (another major source of phosphorus), are low maintenance, and stabilize soil near freshwater sources.

o Consider designs that would allow for future improvement of public access, such as a boardwalk or nature trails.

Required Ac vi es

1. Par cipate in site visit with project partners

2. Conduct data collec on & review; field reconnaissance

Review project site data and records

Conduct a thorough site assessment, which could include:

o Soil test pits and soil samples o Wetland delinea on (in coordina on with in‐kind staff contribu ons from

Save The Bay)

3. Develop 2‐3 conceptual design op ons, with renderings for review by community partners and the public

Include opinion of cost

4. Par cipate in and provide materials for community engagement efforts including one community workshop, led by the Land Trust and Watershed Protectors

5. Coordinate a pre‐permi ng mee ng with regulatory agencies to inform the final design

6. Prepare permit level designs

7. Develop permit applica on for CRMC

Implementa on Plan

The an cipated meline, key milestones, and deliverables for the project term are as follows:

Timeline Milestone Key Deliverable

Spring 2025 Conduct interviews and select engineering firm

Contract with selected engineering firm

Summer 2025 Complete site assessment and conceptual designs

Site Assessment and Conceptual Design

Fall 2025 Develop renderings and a end one public workshop

Presenta on at public workshop

Fall/Winter 2025 Conduct pre‐permi ng mee ng Clearly defined permi ng processes and next steps

Winter 2025‐2026 Develop permit ready designs 60% designs

Spring of 2026 Develop and submit permit applica on

Permit package

Proposal Submission Requirements

Proposals should be succinct and include:

1–2‐page cover le er, including firm qualifica ons and experience in stormwater management solu on projects for environmental restora on

2 – 4 previous project examples that are similar in scope and complexity, including plans to maintain system performance

Proposed methodology and technical approach

Key personnel and their roles in the project

Timeline

Budget

2 – 3 references

Selec on Criteria

Criteria Points

Technical approach 25

Project experience/qualifica ons and references 25

Proposed meline and budget 20

Overall quality and responsiveness 20

Compliance with RFP requirements 10

TOTAL 100

Submission Instruc ons & Contact Informa on

Proposals must be submi ed by email to paige@aquidneckresilience.org by 5 pm on April 4, 2025 with subject line “RFP Submission: Designing Stormwater Management Solu ons to

Restore Almy Pond’s Water Quality”. For ques ons, please contact:

Paige Mya

Director of Climate Resilience

Aquidneck Island Land Trust paige@aquidneckresilience.org

C: 401‐236‐4894