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| Blackstone River | |
|---|---|
 The Blackstone River in Massachusetts | |
 | |
| Location | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Massachusetts,Rhode Island |
| Region | New England |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Source | |
| • location | Worcester, MA |
| Mouth | |
• location | Seekonk River, atPawtucket Falls inPawtucket, Rhode Island |
• coordinates | 41°52′38″N71°22′56″W / 41.8771°N 71.3822°W /41.8771; -71.3822 |
| Length | 48 mi (77 km) |
| Basin size | 540 sq mi (1,400 km2) |
TheBlackstone River in theUnited States is a river that flows throughMassachusetts andRhode Island. It is 48 mi (77 km) long with adrainage area of 475 mi2 (1229 km2).[1] It drains into theSeekonk River atPawtucket,Rhode Island. Its long history of industrial use in the watershed has caused significantpollution, with a 1990 report from theUnited States Environmental Protection Agency describing it as “the most polluted river in the country because of high concentrations of toxic sediments.”[2]
The originalNative American name for the river was the "Kittacuck" which meant "the greattidal river." The "Kittacuck" used to be plentiful withsalmon andlamprey in pre-colonial and colonial times.[3]
In English, the river is named after William Blackstone (original spellingWilliam Blaxton), who arrived inWeymouth, Massachusetts in 1623 and became the first European settler of present-day Boston in 1625. He relocated toRhode Island in 1635 and built his home on the river, in what would becomeCumberland.[4]
The river is formed in South-centralWorcester, Massachusetts, by the confluence of the Middle River and Mill Brook. From there, it follows a rough southeast course past Worcester City and Northbridge. It then flows throughMillbury,Sutton,Grafton,Northbridge,Uxbridge,Millville, andBlackstone. It continues into Rhode Island, flowing pastWoonsocket,Cumberland,Lincoln,Central Falls, andPawtucket, where it then reachesPawtucket Falls. Following this, the river becomes tidal and flows into theSeekonk River just north ofProvidence. Othertributaries join the Blackstone along the way, such as theWest River andMumford River inUxbridge, Massachusetts; and theBranch River, inNorth Smithfield, Rhode Island.[5]
| In addition to many unnamed tributaries, the following brooks and rivers feed the Blackstone: |
|
| Below is a list of crossings over the Blackstone River. The list starts at the headwaters and goes downstream. |
|
Along with theProvidence River, the Blackstone river served as the north-eastern border of Dutch claims forNew Netherland fromAdriaen Block's charting ofNarragansett Bay in 1614 through theHartford Treaty of 1650.
In 1790,Samuel Slater opened the first successful water-poweredcotton mill in America:Slater Mill, atPawtucket Falls. This mill was powered by the waters of the Blackstone River. Many other mills appeared along the Blackstone River over time, making it a significant American industrial location and contributing to the river becoming the main cause of theNarragansett Bay pollution by the end of the 20th century.[6]
In August 1955, severe flooding on the Blackstone caused extensive damage toWoonsocket, Rhode Island. Whereas the river is usually 70 ft (21 m) wide, it swelled to over 1 mi (1.6 km) in width.[7] The flooding of the Blackstone was the result of a succession of dam breaks, which were caused by rainfall fromHurricane Connie andHurricane Diane a week later. In some parts of Rhode Island and Massachusetts, these hurricanes resulted in a combined amount of more than 20 in (510 mm) of rain within a week.[8] This led to the highestwater mark on record for the Blackstone river in Woonsocket at 21.8 ft (6.6 m), a full 12.8 feet (3.9 m) above flood stage.[9]
The river, together with theWoonasquatucket River to the south, was designated anAmerican Heritage River in 1998.
Canal System: To further facilitate industrial growth and transportation in the region, the Blackstone Canal was constructed in the early 19th century. The canal ran parallel to the river, providing a vital transportation route for goods between Worcester, Massachusetts, and Providence, Rhode Island. The Blackstone Canal played a significant role in the economic development of the region, allowing for the efficient movement of raw materials and finished products.
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The Blackstone River has been significantly impacted by industrial activities and resulting pollution since the 18th century. Early industries discharged a variety of pollutants into the river, includingdyes fromtextile mills,heavy metals and solvents frommetal and woodworking industries.[10] Metals are still being measured insediments near and adjacent to the river.[11][12]
The inaugural celebration ofEarth Day, in 1970, increased public support for remediation projects. While environmental activists in the Blackstone River Valley were already organizing clean-up efforts locally, in 1971, a formalized plea for action was made to the then Governor of Rhode Island,Frank Licht. In December 1971, political support was pledged at the state level. The Blackstone River Watershed Association, which at the time was two years old, was designated to lead the effort. By April 1972, support among the public for cleaning the river increased. Additionally, the 1972 federalClean Water Act (CWA) was passed byCongress, offering a framework for more protection of the water quality of The Blackstone River. While the CWA did not specifically mention The Blackstone River by name, it stated that the act "establishes the basic structure for regulating discharges of pollutants into the waters of the United States and regulating quality standards for surface waters."[13]
In 1983, EPA identified concerns with impairment of water quality in The Blackstone River and established the Peterson/Puritan Superfund Site[14]
Despite clean up efforts, the effects of industrial wastewater discharge into the river were long-lasting: in 1990, theUnited States Environmental Protection Agency called the Blackstone "the most polluted river in the country with respect to toxic sediments."[2] A 1990Massachusetts Department of Public Health report said of the river: "...that the condition of the Blackstone River is offensive throughout its course, from Worcester to the state line at Blackstone. The condition of the stream is likely to grow worse until effective measures are completed for removing from the river much of the pollution which it now receives."[10]
Recent pollution can be partially traced to the Upper Blackstone Water Pollution Abatement District (UBWPAD),[15] the wastewater treatment plant forWorcester, Massachusetts and surrounding communities, which discharges into the Blackstone. A 2005 report written by theRhode Island Department of Environmental Management said, "... [the] UBWPAD, North Attleboro, and Attleboro WWTFs play a significant role in the ability to improve water quality in the Providence and Seekonk River system [into which the Blackstone discharges], and efforts to reduce their nitrogen inputs should be initiated as soon as possible."[16] In September 2010, theConservation Law Foundation, citing this report, filed a lawsuit claiming that the discharge permit issued to the UBWPAD by the Environmental Protection Agency was not "sufficient to meet state water quality standards".[17]
River clean-up is ongoing and as of 2010, the Blackstone River was rated as the worst category ("impaired") for all assessed uses ("aquatic life", "fish consumption", "primary contact" (e.g. swimming), "secondary contact" (e.g. boating) and "aesthetics") up to its beginning at Middle River.[18]
Processing problems at theWoonsocket sewage treatment plant and the consequent flow of solid waste into the river prompted no-contact advisories for the Rhode Island portion of the river in 2022.[19]
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