The 1990 census documented that the first tier of suburban communities from the Providence Metropolitan area are losing population to the secondary tier of suburban communities located further away from Providence. New growth in Rhode Island is now occurring at a rapid pace in communities that do not have the infrastructure to support increased densities.
Suburban sprawl is the result.
The Pawcatuck Watershed has one of the highest growth rates in Rhode Island and is among the top 3 fastest growing areas of New England. This trend is expected to continue in the future. The Pawcatuck Watershed as seen in figure l is in the southwest corner of Rhode Island and southeast corner of Connecticut. The entire watershed has been designated by EPA as a sole source groundwater aquifer. The Pawcatuck Watershed includes deep unconfined aquifers, prime farmland, unfragmented forest, a federally designated scenic and recreational river, and unique natural habitat for numerous rare and endangered species.