River

Bringing Back the Blackstone


[ image by Jim McElholm-Single Source Inc. ] 		Along its 46-mile course from Worcester to Providence, the Blackstone River features dozens of places where people can get to the river -- for canoeing or kayaking, for picnicking, for walking, or to just enjoy the natural and historic scenery.

Some of these sites are part of local and state parks, but many are undeveloped and provide for informal use by the public.

The characteristics of the river - its incredible drop in elevation and its naturally meandering path – resulted in the construction of dams, water power structures, canals and locks over the course of its history. The river drops an astounding 438 feet in just 46 miles, which resulted in the development of water power in the early 19th century that left behind many riverside remnants of the American Industrial Revolution.

Structures related to waterpower and early transportation- dams, ponds, mills, canals, locks and the related mill villages, towns and cities are all integral parts of the Blackstone Valley riverscape.

Traveling down the Blackstone River is not just a recreational experience, it is also a unique opportunity to experience the valley’s diverse cultural and natural landscapes in a way not possible on foot or by car. River users discover the history of the valley reading the landscapes they pass by as they paddle down the river. The mills, associated mill villages, canals, locks and dams are prominent features of the river’s history that the can be explored more closely by traveling on the river. In three stretches of the river, canoeists can paddle in watered canal segments and at a handful of places they can walk to remaining canal lock structures.

The river also offers a different kind of challenge for seasoned canoeists - the rigor of Class II and III rapids, the physical task of numerous portages created by dams and a highly variable streamflow.  
[ image by Jim McElholm-Single Source Inc. ]

The history of the Blackstone River left behind a fascinating but challenging river to canoe. Impoundments of the river, both for power production and for flood control, have changed the free-flowing water of the Blackstone River into a series of impoundments connected by short stretches of free-flowing river. Seventeen of the original forty-five dams built on the river remain in tact in addition to three breached and one drained dam resulting in a greater number of portages than other rivers of a similar length.

You can enjoy the Blackstone River and/or get involved with its renaissance in many ways…

  • Take a tour of the river on the Blackstone Explorer, a tour boat for the general public
  • Become a member of the River Coalition and join the ZAP! The Blackstone River Campaign to improve the river
  • Join the Paddle Club and explore a different part of the river each week of the summer
  • Enter the Blackstone River Watershed Association’s Annual Canoe Race or the Friends of the Blackstone’s Annual Riverfest Canoe Race
  • Join the Blackstone River Watershed Council in Rhode Island or the Blackstone River Watershed Association in Massachusetts and help with cleanup and restoration efforts along the river
  • Enjoy one of the several river events like the Canalfest in Uxbridge, MA or Rivers Day in Central Falls, RI

Find out more about accessing the river by clicking on Get on the River or discover how partners in the Valley are working together to bring back the Blackstone at Improving the River.

You can Get Involved with bringing back the Blackstone and find out about the Blackstone River Coalition and current activities along the River that are part of our ZAP! the Blackstone river recovery efforts.