Optimal Salinity

Driven by its two freshwater tributaries and a distant ocean connection, Green Hill Pond has the lowest salinity of any Rhode Island Salt Pond that has ocean access. The optimal salinity for oyster egg and spat development is 10-23 parts per thousand (ppt), making the salinity level of Green Hill Pond especially attractive as an oyster nursery.

Source: CRMC, 1999, Salt Ponds Special Area Management Plan; Hand and Stickle, 1977. Effects of Tidal Fluctuations of Salinity on Pericardial Fluid Composition of the American Oyster, Marine Biology 42: 259