There has been a lot of rumor, speculation, and confusion regarding the lake level; the pond level at West Greenville Road & Route 44; the condition of the dam; leaks in the dam and at the gatehouse; upstream and downstream beaver dams; and the amount of rainfall. The Executive Committee and the Dam Committee of Citizens for the Preservation of Waterman Lake have developed this FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) to help address some of these ongoing inquiries.
We hope this answers some of the many questions that are out there. Thank you for your continued support and patience as we work to maintain our beautiful lake.
Please feel free to contact us with any other questions (cpwl@cpwl.org). We will update this Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) as new questions come to us.
As of July 19, 2026, the lake level is 22.5 inches below full. Normally in July, the lake might be 4–6 inches below full.
Due to the RI Department of Environmental Management (RIDEM) mandated repairs, we needed to delay bringing the water level up. Normally, we would start when the ice has melted (mid-March). This year we began raising the water level on April 4, 2026. Typically, the lake would have been full by Memorial Day at the latest. Due to this years lack of rain, this did not happen.
There is no historical rainfall data for the immediate Waterman Lake area. The closest historical data is from T. F. Green Airport in Warwick, RI. The monthly rainfall data over the last four years is as follows:
| 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | 2026 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| April | 3.93 | 3.37 | 3.69 | 2.90 | 1.75 |
| May | 1.50 | 5.34 | 7.58 | 8.00 | 1.74 |
| June | 4.99 | 3.54 | 4.51 | 1.20 | 0.44 |
| TOTAL Apr-Jun | 10.42 | 12.25 | 15.78 | 12.10 | 3.93 |
For April–June 2026, we received less than one-third of the average rainfall. July is shaping up to be a more normal month, but the lack of rain in the previous three months is the single biggest reason the lake is so low.
This low-water situation is not unique to Waterman Lake. According to the RIDEM, as of July 14, 2026, 100% of RI experiencing “Moderate Drought” conditions, and nearly 50% of the state is experiencing “Severe Drought” conditions. This information is updated weekly at:
https://dem.ri.gov/environmental-protection-bureau/air-resources/climatology/drought.
CPWL continues to monitor upstream water supplies up to and including their headwaters. At this time, all three major sources, including “Nine Foot Brook” are either completely dry or isolated puddles, and their headwaters are significantly lower than normal.
In common language, the short answer is yes. All earthen dams leak. The dam leaked in the 1830s when it was built. Assuming the landscape is the same, it will leak in 2130—and of course it leaks in 2026. The real questions are:
1. Does the dam leak more than in other years?
2. Does any leak make the dam unsafe?
Regarding the first question: The dam does not leak more than in other years. Earthen dams are designed to have some seepage. Civil engineers refer to this as “seepage” (not a “leak”) and consider it a normal part of the process due to hydrostatic pressure on the dam.
The seepage collects in a toe drain at the base of the dam on the downstream (non-lake) side. At Waterman Lake, this seepage mostly runs into the pond at West Greenville Road & Route 44.
Regarding the second question: “Yes, but it has been addressed.” In 2014, a routine inspection identified “piping” (water possibly eroding channels inside the dam). Over time, this can weaken the structure. As a result, RIDEM classified the dam as unsafe and issued a Notice of Violation.
This issue (after 12 years) has finally been fully addressed. In the first 10 years, we lacked funding for major repairs. Thanks to our neighbor Patty Nugent and the Gregson Foundation at the Rhode Island Foundation, CPWL received $160,000 in grants. In the summer of 2025, we contracted with GZA Geoenvironmental Engineering to prepare plans. These were completed in late November 2025. After securing approvals from RIDEM, the Army Corps of Engineers, and the RI Historical Society (yes, really), Providence Grass Company (a local, federally certified dam contractor) completed the work. Construction finished on April 4, 2026, after which we immediately began raising the water level.
The gatehouse is the small concrete structure on the Main Dam near The Lakes Condominiums. A culvert (about 5 ft high and 3 ft wide) runs through the base of the dam from the gatehouse. Until about 20 years ago, a wooden gate was used to control water. It is still there but no longer operated. Today, steel plates (each 1 ft high and 4.5 ft wide) on a rail system control the lake level.
There is sometimes a small amount of water leaking between plates, but it is minimal. As the water rose in 2026, some leaks appeared between the rails and the concrete wing walls. This was first noticed on May 18, 2026, and estimated at 10–30 gallons per minute which equates to less than a ¼ inch drop in lake level per month. A scuba diver inspected and patched most of the leaks on July 17, 2026. The current leakage is less than 5 gallons per minute—equating to less than a 1/16-inch drop in lake level per month. The plates themselves are sealed better this year than in many past years.
The Dam Committee is soliciting bids to replace the plate system this winter with a stainless steel frame, gantry, and plates.
The West Greenville Road Pond sits about 12 ft lower in elevation than Waterman Lake. Water from the toe drains and the gatehouse flows into this pond. Beavers—nature’s engineers—build strong dams to create deep water for their habitats. They have repeatedly dammed the culvert under West Greenville Road. As of this writing, the culvert is almost fully blocked except for a 2-3 inch opening at the top. Multiple tickets have been filed with RIDOT (responsible for clearing road culverts). Because this is the fifth or sixth occurrence in two years, it is our understanding that RIDEM is conducting a survey to determine next steps for trapping or relocating the beavers.
On July 11, 2026, we learned of a possible beaver dam upstream along Tarklin Road that had raised water levels on a small pond to the north. The dam (which may have just been a collection of plant debris, and not built by beavers) was removed a few days later, dropping the water there by about 12 inches. While helpful, the upstream pond is only about 18 acres compared to Waterman Lake’s 270 acres, so the net effect on our lake was roughly a ¾-inch rise.