Will my household well be affected?

The town and its consultant seek more specific information to address this concern. A certified engineer would be able to conduct an evaluation of your land, and nearby subsurface soils and hydrologic features to better determine whether or not your well may l be impacted. An engineer will be able to guide you on how to best proceed if you begin to experience issues with your well. Properties that have deep wells and those that are not close to the river will not be affected.

Groundwater supply at a property is influenced in a number of ways including its proximity to rivers or other surface waterbodies, soil permeability (how easily or with difficulty water moves through soil), elevation difference between a waterbody and the property’s well, and rate of water withdrawal for each home residence. Properties that are close to, and near the same elevation as the river, may more likely experience changes in groundwater supply following dam removal. This is especially true where permeable soils are present, unless an upland waterbody that supports underlying groundwater is nearby.

If you have a concern about your well, please contact the Town of Westerly for our project team’s consulting engineer to arrange a site visit and to collect needed information.

Show All Answers

1. Why is the dam being removed?
2. Could the dam be repaired or partially removed?
3. Could a design similar to that of the Bradford fish passage project be used for the Potter Hill project?
4. What alternative designs have been considered and why was the proposed design selected?
5. What safety hazards are associated with the mill and dam structures?
6. How will removing the dam affect water levels in the river?
7. Will my household well be affected?
8. Many properties along the Pawcatuck River have private drinking water wells, especially on the Hopkinton side of the river. How many homeowners’ wells could be affected by the predicted drop
9. Will Westerly’s municipal water wells adjacent to the Pawcatuck River be affected?
10. How will removing the dam reduce flood risk to upstream and downstream properties? Will larger flood events (i.e., the 500-year recurrence flood) be worse upstream or downstream following dam removal?
11. Will removal of the dam cause increased flooding to downstream areas, including downtown Westerly?
12. How will removing the defunct dam and mill affect public access to and uses of the river?
13. How will removing the dam affect fish and wildlife?
14. How will removing the dam affect wetland systems upstream of the dam?
15. Is the proposed design accounting for climate change projections and worst-case future hydrologic scenarios?
16. Who is the project team?
17. What are the next steps?
18. Where can I get more information on the project?