Guide to the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management Division of Coastal Resources records , 1883-1976

Rhode Island State Archives
Rhode Island State Archives
337 Westminster Street
Providence, RI 02903
Tel: 401-222-2353
Fax: 401-222-3199
email: statearchives@sos.ri.gov

Published in 2009

Collection Overview

Title:	Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management Division of Coastal Resources records
Date range:	1883-1976
Creator:	Rhode Island. Dept. of Environmental Management.
Extent:	6.3 cubic feet other
Abstract:	This collection includes a wealth of information related to the activities of the Harbor Commission, the Commission of Dams and Reservoirs, The Division of Harbors and Rivers and the Division of Coastal Resources. The records comprising this collection include reports, meeting minutes, correspondence, maps and aerial photographs.
Language of materials:	English
Repository:	Rhode Island State Archives
Collection number:	1995-464

Scope & content

The records consist of reports, meeting minutes, and records of commissions. Within the correspondence series are many maps and ephemera. Other record series relate to specific activities of the division (e.g. files of dams, survey station data, tidal bench marks and beach erosion reports), and specific types of records (e.g. permission slips, licenses, general highway maps and calculation books). The extensive map series has been processed and the maps are described at item level in the State Archives’ Maps and Plans FileMaker Pro database.

Access Points

Subject Organizations

• Rhode Island. Dept. of Public Works
• Rhode Island. Dept. of Public Works. Division of Harbors and Rivers.
• Rhode Island. Dept. of Environmental Management.
• U.S. Coast and Geodetic Survey

Subject Topics

• Rhode Island. Coastal Resources Management Council
• Beach erosion.
• Shore protection--Rhode Island

Subject Topics

• Maritime
• Government, Politics and Law

• Coast and Geodetic Survey: Tidal Datum Planes

• Coast and Geodetic Survey: Leveling in MA, RI and CT

• Coast and Geodetic Survey: Control Leveling

• Coast and Geodetic Survey: Use of Coast and Geodetic Survey Data in the Surveys of Farms and Other Properties

• Coast and Geodetic Survey: Plane Coordinate Systems

• U.S. Geodetic Survey Bench Mark Data 1958

Document Types

• reports
• minutes
• administrative records
• correspondence
• maps
• aerial photographs
• serials (publications)

Arrangement

Collection is arranged chronologically within the following series:

• Series 1. Annual Reports, Meeting Minutes and Records of Commissions
• Series 2. Files of Dams
• Series 3. General Highway Maps
• Series 4. Survey Station Data and Tidal Bench Marks
• Series 5. Publications
• Series 6. Correspondence
• Series 7. Beach Erosion Reports
• Series 8. Tiffany Brook, Barrington R.I., 1973
• Series 9. Port Utilities Commission of Charleston, S.C.
• Series 10. Permission slips and licenses (assents)
• Series 11. Conclusion Book Jetty - Plans and Correspondence Long Island
• Series 12. Preliminary Study Water Pollution Abatement Program
• Series 13. Oil Transfer
• Series 14. Aerial Photographs

Historical note

The Harbor Commission and the Commission of Dams and Reservoirs existed as independent agencies until 1935 when all related commissions came under the Department of Public Works and one division became known as Harbors and Rivers. By 1965, this division was under the Department of Natural Resources and by 1971 Harbors and Rivers became the division of Coastal Resources. By October 1, 1977, all related divisions, including Coastal Resources, were administered under the Department of Environmental Management.

Access & Use

Access to the collection:	No special restrictions unless otherwise specified.
Use of the materials:	Copyright is in the public domain unless otherwise specified. We reserve the right to restrict reproduction of materials due to preservation concerns.
Preferred citation:	Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management Division of Coastal Resources records, 1995-464, Rhode Island State Archives.
Contact information:	Rhode Island State Archives Rhode Island State Archives 337 Westminster Street Providence, RI 02903 Tel: 401-222-2353 Fax: 401-222-3199 email: statearchives@sos.ri.gov

Administrative Information

ABOUT THE COLLECTION
Acquisition:	Many of these materials originated within two separate agencies (the Harbor Commission and the Commission of Dams and Reservoirs). By 1935 items predominately relate to the Division of Harbors and Rivers under the Department of Public Works. A small amount of materials reflect the transition to the Department of Natural Resources (1965) where the division became known as Coastal Resources. By 1977 custody of all records came under the Department of Environmental Management. The records were transferred in 1995 from the Department of Environmental Management to the State Archives.
ABOUT THE FINDING AID
Author:	Finding aid prepared by Kate Telford.
Encoding:	Finding aid encoded by Kate Telford 2009 February 09
Descriptive rules:	Finding aid based on Describing Archives: A Content Standard (DACS)

Additional Information

Related material:

R.I. Harbor Commission - Bills and Invoices 1878-1882Annual Reports, 1878-1910, 1912-33Charlestown Pond Breachway Report, 1929Report on an Investigation of MaritimeFacilities in Narragansett Bay, 1932R.I. Commission of Dams and Reservoirs Annual Reports - 1884, 1886-9, 1891-4, 1896-1904, 1906-13.

Inventory

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