CRANSTON, R.I. -- Dead trees and other debris from Tropical Storm Irene along the Pocasset River are being cleaned up as part of a joint project with the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Natural Resources Conservation Services and the R.I. Conservation Committee, Mayor Allan Fung's office announced Monday.
The cleanup is an important step in "mitigating some of the conditions that contribute to flooding," the mayor said in a news release.
Department of Public Works crews are doing much of the work of removing debris from sites where clutter, man-made blockages and debris choke the river and force water over its banks.
By the end of August, the last of the debris will have been taken for recycling.
An outside consultant is overseeing the project.