Slatersville - August 20, 2025

I had a nice night with the Blackstone Valley Paddle Club at the Slatersville Reservoir. I paddled tandem with Cheryl. We put in at the State Boat Ramp and paddled up the Branch River until it got too shallow.

Providence - August 5, 2025

Under the I-way Bridge

With most of the crew up in the Adirondacks, I agreed to lead the Blackstone Valley Paddle Club Trip on the Providence River.

The Providence River is formed at the convergence of the Woonasquatucket and Moshassuck Rivers in downtown Providence. It flows south through Providence for a mile to its convergence with the Seekonk River at Bold Point/India Point. It then opens up into Providence Harbor and continues south for 8-miles to the narrows between Conimicut Point in Warwick and Nayatt Point in Barrington where it becomes Narraganset Bay.

Skyline from Water Street

We had a group of 14 boats – all kayaks, although Danny joined us at Water Street in his canoe. It was high tide when we put in at Bold Point and headed out across Providence Harbor towards the Fox Point Hurricane Barrier. We passed the tugboats and paddled under the I-way Bridge and through the hurricane barrier into downtown Providence.

Providence was established in 1636 by Puritan theologian Roger Williams who was fleeing religious persecution in Boston. It became a trading center in the 18th century, a manufacturing center in the 19th century, and a financial center in the 20th century. This history can be seen today in the warehouses, mills and office buildings that line the river.

Skyline from the Cove

In the heart of Providence the river passes through Waterplace Park. Completed in 1994, Waterplace Park includes pedestrian bridges over the river that connect over a mile of cobblestone-paved walkways known as the Riverwalk. The park is home to the popular summertime Waterfire events

We continued up the Woonasquatucket River into the Cove at Waterplace Park. We paddled under Providence Place before turning around, and had a leisurely paddle back through the city.

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Upper Pawtuxet - May 13, 2025

Paddling with Cheryl in the Spirit II

I paddled tandem with Chery at the traditional Blackstone Valley Paddle Club season opener with the Southern New England Paddlers on the Upper Pawtuxet. With last weekend’s rain the river was flowing well. There is no gage on this section of the river, but the gage downstream at Fiskeville was at 1-foot, 250 cfs.

The North Branch of the Pawtuxet River, also know as the Upper Pawtuxet, originally arose at the confluence of the Ponaganset and Moswansicut Rivers in what is now the Scituate Reservoir. Today, the river emerges from the bottom of the massive Scituate Reservoir Dam and flows south for approximately 9-miles to West Warwick where it joins the South Branch of the Pawtuxet River to form the main stem of the Pawtuxet River.

Launching at Hope Landing

The main stem then flows east for approximately 12-miles to empty into Narragansett Bay at the Pawtuxet Cove. Collectively, all three branches played an important role in the development of the textile industry in Rhode Island, and numerous dams still block their course.

We put-in at Hope Landing above the Hope Furnace Dam (15 Hope Furnace Road in Scituate). We had 16 paddlers for the 2-mile paddle upstream to the base of the massive earthen dam that creates Scituate Reservoir. The first part of the paddle took us through the winding marshland created by backwater from the Hope Dam. Eventually the river narrowed and we followed its tree-lined course and tricky currents up to the Scituate Reservoir Dam.

Spillway at the base of the dam

The Scituate Reservoir was formed by the construction of this large earthen dam in 1925. The Scituate Reservoir is now the largest artificial body of water in the state and provides water to more than 60-percent of the state’s population.

With last weekend’s rain, there was water flowing down the spillway from the top of the dam. There were trees down in the channel, so we decided not to paddle the short section from the spillway to the dam. From there, it was a quick trip back down to the put-in.

The crew at the put-in

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Fiskeville Gage
Hope Landing from Rhode Island Blueways

Manville Dam – June 4, 2024

It was nice to get out on the Blackstone Valley Paddle Club trip on the Blackstone River above the Manville Dam. We made it up as far at the boat ramp at Rivers Edge Park.  Nice night, not a lot of pictures, but a nice video from Aaron.

Video clips from Aaron Rouby's 360-degree camera

North Branch of the Pawtuxet – May 14, 2024

Heading upstream

I joined the Blackstone Valley Paddle Club for its season opener with the Southern New England Paddlers on the North Branch of the Pawtuxet above the Hope Dam. After what seems like weeks of cold, rainy weather, it was nice to get out on a relatively warm evening. There is no gage on this section of the river, but the gage downstream at Fiskeville was at .75-feet, 150 cfs.

The North Branch of the Pawtuxet River originally arose at the confluence of the Ponaganset and Moswansicut Rivers in what is now the Scituate Reservoir. Today, the river emerges from the bottom of the massive Scituate Reservoir Dam and flows south for approximately 9-miles to West Warwick where it joins the South Branch of the Pawtuxet River to form the main stem of the Pawtuxet River.

Water coming down the spillway

The main stem then flows east for approximately 12-miles to empty into Narragansett Bay at the Pawtuxet Cove. Collectively, all three branches played an important role in the development of the textile industry in Rhode Island, and numerous dams still block their course.

We put-in at Hope Landing above the Hope Furnace Dam (15 Hope Furnace Road in Scituate). From there it is an easy 2-mile paddle upstream to the base of the massive earthen dam that creates Scituate Reservoir. The first part of the paddle took us through the winding marshland created by backwater from the Hope Dam. Eventually the river narrowed and we followed its tree-lined course up to the Scituate Reservoir Dam.

At the base of the dam

The Scituate Reservoir was formed by the construction of this large earthen dam in 1925. The Scituate Reservoir is now the largest artificial body of water in the state and provides water to more than 60-percent of the state’s population.

With all the rain, there was water flowing down the spillway from the top of the dam. While there were some trees down in the channel, we were able to paddle up to the base of the massive dam. From there, it was a quick trip back down to the put-in.

The crew at the put-in

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Fiskeville Gage
Hope Landing from Rhode Island Blueways

Rice City Pond with the Blackstone Valley Paddle Club - June 20, 2023

Up the old Blackstone Canal

It was my turn to lead the Blackstone Valley Paddle Club at River Bend Farm. I scouted the canal/river loop last weekend, but the water was a little low and there were too many strainers, so we decided to stay on Rice City Pond.

The Blackstone Valley Paddle Club was established in 2000 by the Blackstone River Valley National Heritage Corridor (now Park and Corridor). I became a paddle club leader in 2007. Over the years, the club has led Tuesday night trips throughout the summer, getting thousands of people out on the waterways of the Blackstone River Valley. We had a good turn-out for this trip with around 19 boats.

At the Goat Hill Lock

Rice City Pond is part of the Blackstone River Canal and Heritage Park – a 1,000-acre state park in Uxbridge, MA with hiking trails, paddling on the Blackstone River and Canal and historical sites like the Blackstone Canal’s Goat Hill Lock, King Philip’s Lookout and the Stanley Woolen Mill.

We put-in at the Tri-River Medical Center and paddled upstream under the Stone Arch Bridge at Hartford Avenue and up an old section of the Blackstone Canal to the Goat Hill Lock - one of only two remaining locks. The other is the Millville Lock above the Blackstone Gorge.

Up the Blackstone River

Following the demise of the Blackstone Canal, this section of the canal was purchased by the Taft family who converted it to a mill race for the Stanley Woolen Mill. They built the dam that created Rice City Pond, and constructed new headgates to control the flow of water down to the mill.

We paddled across the top of Rice City Pond and up a section of the Blackstone River before shallow water forced us to turn around and head back to the put-in – nice night.

Heading back to the put-in

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Scouting at River Bend Farm - June 17, 2023

I will be leading the Blackstone Valley Paddle Club trip this Tuesday at River Bend Farm. We will be offering two trips, so today I scouted them both. The level was 3.5 feet, but the rain will bump it up a little.

First I scouted the Rice City Pond.


Scouting Rice City Pond from Erik Eckilson on Vimeo.

Then I scouted the Blackstone Canal/River Loop.


Scouting the Blackstone Canal-River Loop from Erik Eckilson on Vimeo.

History of the Blackstone Valley Paddle Club by Ranger Dan Meharg

Back in 1999, I took my wife and my parents for a paddle down the Blackstone River in Rhode Island. The air was warm, the sky and water blue, and birds soared overhead, but as for humans, we were the only ones on the river. As we paddled our canoes, we talked about how it was a shame that more locals were not enjoying the many beautiful rivers that flowed past their backyards.

In fact, the word "backyard" was accurate. People in the Blackstone River Valley had turned their backs to the river, literally. Homes and businesses faced away from the river, and trees and bushes blocked the view. There was a good reason for this. For decades textile mills dumped toxic dyes and chemicals into the many rivers running through the Blackstone Valley. People kept away from the foul smelling foam that blew off the river into the streets, they did not want to see the strange orange and green colored water that swirled behind their homes.

Since the 1980's thanks to the efforts of local towns, wastewater treatment plants, and the National Park Service, Blackstone Valley rivers were much cleaner. Beaver, coyotes, and deer returned to the river banks, fish swam downstream once again. As we paddled along enjoying the beauty, we wondered what it would take to get people to return to the water in boats.

I did some research and discovered to my surprise that from about 1920 and through the 1940s, there had been several "Canoe Clubs" in both the Massachusetts and Rhode Island sections of the Blackstone River Valley. One evening along the Ten Mile River, I met with some elderly residents. Back in their twenties, they had once been members of a "Canoe Club." They told me that paddling on the less polluted rivers and ponds in the Blackstone Valley was very popular before World War Two. After the war, they told me once people had cars, they wanted to travel to faraway places to paddle and camp. And so the Canoe Clubs slowly died away.

My hunch was that locals would return to the river to paddle after work if the whole process of getting on and off the river was made easy, safe and fun. So in 1999, I pitched my idea to the one surviving paddle club in Rhode Island, RICKA, the Rhode Island Canoe and Kayak Association.

I told the RICKA members that if they could provide experienced people to provide on the water leadership, and take this new canoe club under their administrative wing as a junior member, I could get the National Park Service to handle all the other logistics. The RICKA folks kindly agreed.

At the time I was working as a park ranger for the Blackstone River Valley National Heritage Corridor, part of the National Park Service. My supervisor and my ranger co-workers agreed to partner with me on this project twice a week. My most valuable helper was Suzanne Buchanan, the park's volunteer coordinator. She wisely suggested we name the group the Blackstone Valley Paddle Club, since people these days were paddling canoes and kayaks. Suzanne found seven volunteers, experienced paddlers to act as team leaders, to paddle beside the boats of inexperienced people so that they would feel safe as they learned a new skill.

Best of all the Heritage Corridor Commission granted us money for free boats. I contracted with local canoe and kayak companies to bring six free boats to each paddle location. People without boats signed up in advance for the free boats each week. The plan was beginning to gel. The Heritage Corridor Commission understood my end goal for the paddle club. The more local people who rediscovered the beauty of their backyard rivers, the more they would want to protect them from harm.

Each week I served as the logistics guy, making sure that for locals the entire experience was an enjoyable after-work experience. As a group, at the beginning of the season, we would vote on locations to paddle. I sent out detailed instructions to everyone who signed up for the trip. In the days before GPS I sent out emails with instructions like "take a right down the dirt road next to the red house and park beside the huge sycamore tree." 

A vehicle shuttle plan made sure that there was transportation back to the starting point after each trip. When people arrived, RICKA trip leaders, our volunteer team leaders, and park rangers helped everyone unload boats and get safely on the river. Rangers gave a safety talk, team leaders briefly told people about the wildlife they could expect to see and the results of the most recent water quality tests on that stretch of river. Then we would all enjoy a leisurely evening paddle. Some evenings, sixty people would join us.

The Blackstone River could accommodate us all with ease. Twenty-three years later, the Blackstone Valley Paddle Club continues to paddle the rivers of the Blackstone Valley on summer evenings. Just like in the days of the Canoe Clubs, there are now community organizations with boat houses near the river. Paddling has returned to the Blackstone River Valley.

Suzanne Buchanan in the bow and Dan Meharg in the stern
Not sure where but my guess is Hopedale Pond around 2000

West River with the BVPC - May 23, 2023

The open boaters 

I saw on Facebook that Danny and Bill would be joining the Tuesday night trip with the Blackstone Valley Paddle Club on the West River in Uxbridge, so I decided to join as well. Open boaters make every trip better.

The West River in MA (not to be confused with the West River in VT) arises at Silver Lake and Cider Mill Pond in Grafton and flows south for approximately 13-miles to its convergence with the Blackstone River in Uxbridge. The river was a source of power for several textile mills during the early stages of the Industrial Revolution.

Heading out

As part of the flood control work completed after Hurricanes Connie and Diane in 1955, a large flood control dam was built on the West River by the Army Corps of Engineers. The flood control land now includes 600 acres of woodland and marshland along the river and upstream in the towns of Uxbridge, Northbridge and Upton.

On this trip we would be paddling from West River Road in Uxbridge up to the flood control dam. By late spring or early summer, the backwater from the dam just above Mendon Street (Route 16) is full of invasive weeds, so this trip needs to be done early in the season. We paddled upstream over two beaver dams. The river that twists and turns through pretty woodlands and marshland as we made our way up the West Hill Dam and back.

The crew at the put-in

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Lackey Dam with the BVPC - May 16, 2023

Heading out on the pond

With Mother’s Day and our recent trip to Florida, it’s been a couple of weeks since I was out in my canoe. I decided to join the Tuesday night trip with the Blackstone Valley Paddle Club.

The Blackstone Valley Paddle Club was established in 2000 by the Blackstone River Valley National Heritage Corridor (now Park and Corridor) as a way to get folks out on waterways of the Blackstone River Valley. Over the years, the club has continued its Tuesday night summer trips getting thousands of people out on the water.

Up the Mumford River

This paddle would be on the Mumford River above the Lackey Dam. The Mumford River arises at Manchaug Pond in Sutton and Douglas, and flows 18-miles east until it joins the Blackstone River in Uxbridge. The many dams along the river provided power to 19th century textile mills. We had a good turn-out for this trip with 15 boats, including 2 canoes.

The crew was heading out when I arrived, so I paddled sweep with Cheryl and Tom. Early in the season the pond is clear, but later in the summer it will get choked-up with water chestnuts. We could see the young water chestnut plants growing up in the shallow water. We paddled up the pond into the Mumford River and up beyond Route 146. Fallen trees make this a little challenging once you get into the river, but you can actually make it quite a ways up.

Heading back down the pond to the put-in

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Blackstone Gorge with the BVPC - August 10, 2002

I led a trip with Earl for the Blackstone Valley Paddle Club at the Blackstone Gorge. We paddled up past the Triad Bridge site to the old Millville Lock. We continued upstream, but the water was too shallow to get up to the Millville Rapids. Nice trip anyway.

Heading up the Blackstone River

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Rice City Pond with the BVPC – June 28, 2022

Hartford Avenue Bridge

For the past two weeks I was out for weeknight whitewater trips with the CTAMC at Tville. This week, I led a flatwater trip with the Blackstone Valley Paddle Club at River Bend Farm.

The Blackstone Valley Paddle Club was established in 2000 by the Blackstone River Valley National Heritage Corridor (now Park and Corridor) as a way to get folks out on waterways of the Blackstone River Valley. Over the years, the club has continued weekday trips (usually on Tuesday evenings) throughout the summer, getting thousands of people out on the water. We had a good turn-out for this trip with 25 boats including 5 canoes. 

Up the Blackstone Canal

River Bend Farm is part of the Blackstone River Canal and Heritage Park – a 1.000-acre state park in Uxbridge, MA with hiking trails, paddling on the Blackstone River and Canal and historical sites like the Blackstone Canal’s Goat Hill Lock, King Philip’s Lookout and the Stanley Woolen Mill.

Usually, we offer the opportunity for paddlers to do either the River/Canal Loop, or Rice City Pond. I scouted the River/Canal Loop over the weekend, and found it low and tricky in spots. The current often takes you into strainers that can be difficult to avoid. The bottom of the canal was also green with duckweed. We decided to skip the River/Canal Loop and just do the trip to Rice City Pond. Even with Monday’s rain the water level was still low – 2.5 feet on the Northbridge Gage. 

Bob poling up the shallows

We put-in at the Tri-River Medical Center and paddled upstream under the Stone Arch Bridge at Hartford Avenue. After paddling under the bridge there are great views of Rice City Pond with the rolling hills upstream. We paddled up an old section of the Blackstone Canal to the Goat Hill Lock - one of only two remaining locks. The other is the Millville Lock above the Blackstone Gorge. Unfortunately, it was too shallow to get such a big group up to see the lock itself.

The Blackstone Canal opened in 1828 and utilized a series of 49 locks to move the barges up and down the 450-foot difference in elevation from Providence to Worcester. The canal operated until 1847 when it was replaced by the Providence & Worcester Railroad. 

Heading up the Blackstone River

Following the demise of the Blackstone Canal, the section through what is now River Bend Farm was purchased by the Taft family who converted it to a mill race for their Central Woolen Mill. They built the dam that created Rice City Pond, and constructed new headgates to control the flow of water down to the mill. The Central Woolen Mill, later known as the Stanley Woolen Mill, would become one of the most successful woolen manufacturers in the country.

We paddled across the top of Rice City Pond and up a section of the Blackstone River before shallow water forced us to turn around and head back to the put-in – nice night.

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Northbridge Gage
Rice City Pond from RI Blueways

Scouting River Bend Farm – June 25, 2022

I’ll be leading the Blackstone Valley Paddle Club trip at River Bend Farm on Tuesday, so I went out today to check it out. We usually do two separate trips here – one group paddling the canal/river loop, the other paddling Rice City Pond. First I paddled around Rice City Pond - it was low in spots (2.6 feet on the Northbridge gage), but fine as long as I stayed in the main channel. Then I paddled the canal/river loop - it was low with several difficult strainers, and the bottom of the canal was green with duckweed. We decided to skip the canal/river loop and just paddle Rice City Pond.

Great Blue Herron in Rice City Pond

Blackstone Valley Paddle Club – 20th Anniversary – July 31, 2021

Ranger Dan with Suzanne and Lisa

We had a fun night at Sycamore Landing (home of the Blackstone River Watershed Council/Friends of the Blackstone) to celebrate the 20th Anniversary of the Blackstone Valley Paddle Club. It was nice to finally meet Ranger Dan who founded the club as a ranger at the Blackstone River National Heritage Corridor – I had heard a lot about him.

The Blackstone Valley Paddle Club was established in the spring of 2000 as a way to get folks out on the waterways of the Blackstone River Valley. The first trip was May 16, 2000 at River Bend Farm. Over the years, the club has continued weekday evening trips (usually Tuesday) throughout the summer getting thousands of folks out on the water. It is amazing how many of the original leaders are still involved today.

The crew

We met at Sycamore Landing and lugged our boats down to the put-in for the paddle down to Albion. I was paddling tandem with Bill. The river was at a nice level with plenty of water flowing over the scratchy sections.

After the paddle we enjoyed a picnic dinner with pie and ice cream provided by the Blackstone River National Heritage Corridor. Julie presented past and current leaders with the 20th anniversary history book.

20th Anniversary Book by Julie and Steve

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Quinsigamond - Riverview Landing - May 25, 2021

Frank - out fearless leader

I decided to join the Blackstone Valley Paddle Club for my first trip of the year. We would be paddling the lower Quinsigamond River from the Riverview Landing.

Although the Quinsigamond has many small tributaries and drains a large area, the river itself is short - just 5-miles. It flows south from Lake Quinsigamond in Worcester, through Snow Marsh and Lake Ripple in Grafton, and into the Fisherville Pond in Fisherville where it merges with the Blackstone.

Down Fisherville Pond

There are two sections of the Quninsigamond that get paddled regularly - upper and lower. To access the upper section you can put in at Ekblaw Landing off Route 122 and paddled upstream under the Mass Pike and into Snow Marsh – a 59-acre marsh protected by MassWildlife and Ducks Unlimited, or downstream into Lake Ripple.

We were paddling the lower section, putting in at the town access behind the Riverview Apartments off Providence Road in Grafton. The river was low - 1 foot, 13 cfs. We paddled downstream through Fisherville Pond and into the Blackstone River at the stepped dam at Fisherville. We then paddled back upstream, past the put-in until we reached a large beaver dam that blocked out path. If you are determined you can paddle up to the dam at Lake Ripple. Nice night as always.

Dave - back to the put-in before dark

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Quinsigamond Gage

Blackstone Gorge – July 9, 2019

I got out with Michelle for a tandem paddle at the Blackstone Gorge with the Blackstone Valley Paddle Club. Nice night on the water.

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Slatersville Reservoir - July 2, 2019

Had a nice night with the Blackstone Valley Paddle Club at the Slatersville Reservoir. We put in at the State Boat Ramp off Route 102, and paddled up the Branch River to the Route 7 Bridge. 

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Slatersville Reservoir from RI Blueways

Nipmuc – June 4, 2019

I joined last night’s Blackstone Valley Paddle Club trip on the Nipmuc River – one of my favorites.

The Nipmuc River arises in Burrillville at the confluence of Round Top Brook and the Chockalog River, and flows south about 3 miles to the village of Pascoag where it flows into the Clear River. The river was low but runable – 14 cfs. 3.3 feet.

We had 26 boats, but only one canoe. We paddled up a couple of miles over numerous beaver dams. Unfortunately, the top section is clogged with trees. From there it is a quick trip back downstream and into Harrisville pond. Nice night.

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Clear River Gage

Stump Pond - August 28, 2018

I was able to make the last Blackstone Valley Paddle Club trip of the year at Stump Pond - a swim, a paddle, and a stop at the Thirsty Beaver after to celebrate the end of the BVPC season. 

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Woonasquatucket Reservoir from Rhode Island Blueways

Manville Dam - August 1, 2018

I was debating going out to Tville, but the river dropped and it seemed like a long drive – in other words I wimped out.  Instead I did the Blackstone Valley Paddle Club trip at the Manville Dam – can’t get much closer to home than that.  Nice night, good group, pretty sunset...

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