|
|
|
|
|
||||||||
|
||||||||||||
A study to explore restoration options on the Blackstone River is currently underway. The Blackstone River flows through Massachusetts in Worcester County, through Rhode Island to Narragansett Bay. The Army Corps of Engineers is conducting the study in conjunction with the State of Massachusetts and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. It is part of an Urban Rivers Restoration Initiative between the Army Corps and the EPA.
Key aspects of the study include completing an inventory of dams on the river, evaluating water quality and making an assessment of the threat posed by contaminated sediments. The Blackstone, along with other rivers in New England, was historically used as a source of power for mills. In recent years, both the Narragansett Chapter of TU and the Worcester Chapter of TU have been focusing their efforts to improve habitat on the river for coldwater fish. Chapter members who consistently fish the Blackstone in both states report an increase in hatches and good numbers of large trout being taken throughout the season.