Providence River

Providence River
The Providence River and Downtown Providence in April 2016
Location
Country	United States
State	Rhode Island
County	Providence
Physical characteristics
Source
• location	confluence of Woonasquatucket and Moshassuck rivers
• coordinates	41°49′36″N 71°24′36″W / 41.8267°N 71.4100°W / 41.8267; -71.4100
Mouth
• location	Narragansett Bay
• coordinates	41°43′16″N 71°20′53″W / 41.721°N 71.348°W / 41.721; -71.348
Length	8 mi (13 km)

The Providence River is a tidal river in the U.S. state of Rhode Island. It flows approximately 8 miles (13 km). There are no dams along the river's length, although the Fox Point Hurricane Barrier is located south of downtown to protect the city of Providence from damaging tidal floods.

The southern part of the river has been dredged at a cost of $65 million in federal and state funds to benefit nearby marinas and commercial shipping interests.^[1]

The Dutch called the Providence River the Nassau River. It was the northeastern limit of Dutch claims in the colonial era, owing to Adriaen Block's exploration of Narragansett Bay, from 1614 until the Hartford Treaty of 1650. It can, therefore, be regarded as the original boundary between the English New England colonies and the Dutch colony of New Netherland.