As McKee touts new law regulating Johnson's Pond water levels, dam owner faces state fines

Antonia Noori Farzan, The Providence Journal
·2 min read
Water levels in Johnson's Pond in Coventry, which is officially known as the Flat River Reservoir, are controlled by a private company.
Water levels in Johnson's Pond in Coventry, which is officially known as the Flat River Reservoir, are controlled by a private company.

COVENTRY — Legislation aimed at resolving a bitter feud over water levels on Johnson's Pond was ceremonially signed into law on Friday by Gov. Dan McKee.

Homeowners along the pond, which is actually a manmade reservoir, say the private company that controls its dam has been periodically draining the water and leaving their boats and docks sitting on dry land.

The new legislation requires dam owners to get permission from the Department of Environmental Management before raising or lowering water levels.

"It cannot be overstated how important this legislation is for the people of Coventry," McKee said in prepared remarks shared by his office on Friday.

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"This is a vital asset to the people of this town – 600 homeowners live on or near Johnson’s Pond and they know how valuable this resource is and what a detriment it can be when the pond is reduced to little more than a puddle of mud."

The legislation was sponsored by Sen. Leonidas P. Raptakis and Rep. Thomas E. Noret, both Coventry Democrats.

It faced opposition from Soscia Holdings LLC, the company that purchased the rights to the dam in 2020.

In legislative committee hearings, the company's attorney argued that giving the DEM a say in water levels would infringe on Soscia Holdings' private property rights and could result in an expensive lawsuit.

Supporters — the majority of them homeowners along Johnson's Pond — blame low water levels for the toxic blue-green algae that appeared last summer. They say they've been noticing more dead fish and turtles since Soscia holdings took over.

Raptakis, in a June news release, said Soscia Holdings was "behaving like environmental terrorists, taking drastic actions to manipulate water levels as a means of punishing residents who dare to complain about the company’s actions."

McKee officially signed the bill into law on June 27. The DEM subsequently inspected the pond and issued a cease and desist notice to Soscia Holdings, saying water levels "are at historic lows for this time of year."

The company faces a fine of $1,000 a day for noncompliance, according to the letter, which was dated July 13.

Following the ceremonial bill signing in Coventry, McKee toured the pond with members of the Johnson's Pond Civic Association, which issued a statement thanking him for "preserving this important state asset and in so doing, a way of life for Coventry residents."

"It's great to be out here enjoying a little pontoon boat ride on Johnson's Pond," McKee said in a video uploaded to Facebook by the Civic Association. "I'm just waiting for Little Big Town to open their song." (For the uninitiated: The country group Little Big Town had a hit single called "Pontoon" in 2012.)

This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: Dan McKee signs bill requiring minimum water level at Johnson's Pond