CONFLUENCE - Moshassuck River - Woonasquatucket River - Providence River - Providence, Rhode Island - River Origins, Destinations and Confluences on Waymarking.com

The Woonasquatucket (Algonquian for "where the salt water ends") flows about 16 miles from the west. Its origin is the swamps west of Primrose Pond in North Smithfield, Rhode Island. The lower part of the river, below Rising Sun Dam in Olneyville is tidal.

The Moshassuck comes from Lincoln, Rhode Island, nine miles to the north. Its name, from the Narragansett Indians, means "river where moose watered". There are five ponds, a reservoir, and 11 dams between the two cities. These are the river's industrial heritage. This section is also tidal.

From their junction at the center of the state capitol, the Providence River flows south to Providence Harbor then Narragansett Bay and finally, after 28.5 miles, out to the Atlantic Ocean.

Where these rivers meet has been the site of historic flooding. You can find high level plaques on nearby buildings, especially west of Memorial Boulevard along Westminster Street. Another place of note is the retaining wall on the west side of the river between the Steeple Street and Washington Street Bridges. High water marks of polished brass note, from lowest to most extreme:

• ST for "spring tide" - the average water level
• 100 YR - for the expected "once-in-a-hundred-year" flood level
• 1815 - The Great September Gale pre-dated named storms; the surge sent water 12 feet above normal
• 1954 - Hurricane Carol arrived the morning of August 31, 1954, just after high tide and flooded Downtown Providence with a surge 15 feet above normal
• 1938 - the Great New England Hurricane hit on September 21, 1938, and submerged Downtown Providence under a tide 17 feet above normal