Pawtuxet River facts for kids

The Pawtuxet River is a river in the U.S. state of Rhode Island. It flows about 12 miles (20 km) and drains a large area of land, covering about 231 square miles (600 km²). Along its path, there are four dams.

River History

Pawtuxet River, 1886 engraving.

Long ago, the area around the Pawtuxet River was home to the Patuxet tribe. They were part of the bigger Narragansett tribe. In their language, "pawtuxet" means "little falls."

In 1638, Roger Williams bought the land north of the river. This is how the city of Providence started. A few years later, in 1642, Samuel Gorton bought the land south of the river. This led to the founding of Warwick.

During the 1800s, the Pawtuxet River Valley was very important for making textiles (like cloth and fabric) in New England.

River's Journey

Pawtuxet River at Pontiac Village

The Pawtuxet River begins where two smaller rivers meet: the North Branch and the South Branch. This meeting point is in a place called River Point village in West Warwick.

From there, the river flows mostly east. It goes through West Warwick, Warwick, and Cranston. Finally, it empties into the Providence River at Pawtuxet Village. The last three miles (5 km) of the river form the border between Cranston and Warwick.

River Crossings

Many roads and highways cross over the Pawtuxet River. Here are some of them, starting from where the river begins and going downstream:

Town	What Crosses the River
West Warwick	Providence St. Water St.
Warwick	East Ave.
	Route 2
	I-295
	Route 5
	Route 37
	I-95
	US 1
	US 1A/ Route 117
	Post Rd.

Smaller Rivers Joining In

The Pawtuxet River has two main smaller rivers that flow into it: Three Ponds Brook and the Pocasset River. Many other small streams also feed into the Pawtuxet, but they don't have special names.

River Water Quality

The water in the Pawtuxet River has some issues. It contains small amounts of things like cadmium and mercury, and also has bacteria and low oxygen. These things can affect the plants and animals living in the river.

However, people are working to make the river cleaner. The Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management has given new rules to the wastewater treatment plants in West Warwick, Rhode Island, Warwick, Rhode Island, and Cranston, Rhode Island. These rules help reduce pollution going into the river.

Helping River Habitats

The Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management is working to help fish and other wildlife in the Pawtuxet River. They are looking for ways to help fish swim past the dams.

For example, they are studying how to help fish get past the Pawtuxet Falls Dam. If fish can pass this dam, it would open up about 7.5 miles (12 km) of new areas for them to lay their eggs.

How We Use the River's Water

The Scituate Reservoir, which is on the North Branch of the Pawtuxet River, provides more than 60% of the drinking water for the entire state of Rhode Island. This water goes to many different areas, not just those near the Pawtuxet River.

A lot of the water taken from the Pawtuxet basin is used for drinking. Some of this water returns to the river as treated wastewater after people use it.

River Flooding

The Pawtuxet River sometimes experiences floods. This happens when there is too much rain and the river overflows its banks.

In October 2005, a big storm brought a lot of rain to Rhode Island. The Pawtuxet River at Cranston and Warwick had its second-worst flood ever. The water level reached about 13.68 feet (4.17 m).

In March 2010, the river flooded again, reaching a new record high of 15.2 feet (4.63 m). This happened after several inches of rain fell.

Later in March 2010, even more rain fell, making the Pawtuxet River flood even worse. The river crested at 20.8 feet (6.34 m). This was the worst flooding in over 200 years for the area. It caused the Warwick Mall to be underwater and forced many people to leave their homes. Many schools also had to close because roads were flooded or washed out.

River Helper Groups

There are two main groups that focus on taking care of the Pawtuxet River:

• The Pawtuxet River Authority and Watershed Council
• Friends of the Pawtuxet