Rhode Island General Laws Title 45. Towns and Cities § 45-62-1. Legislative findings

(1) Many man-made dams in Rhode Island provide important values to local communities, including the protection of public safety and private property; the protection of drinking water supplies, recreational opportunities, and electrical supplies; the preservation and enhancement of scenic beauty; and the conservation of fish and wildlife resources.

(2) In order to protect the values that dams provide, or mitigate the risk posed by dams that no longer serve any useful purpose, dams must be properly operated, maintained, repaired and/or removed.

(3) The costs of properly operating, maintaining, repairing and/or removing dams are often significant and recurring in nature. In order to meet these costs, local communities should be able to form dam management districts as one of several financial tools available to them.