Rising Sun Mills Dam

The Rising Sun Mills Dam is located at 166 Valley Street in the Olneyville section of the City of Providence, Rhode Island. The Rising Sun Mills Dam is the lowest on the Woonasquatucket River, located approximately 2.25 miles upstream from the river’s mouth. The Rising Sun Mills Dam is adjacent to Donigian Park, a City of Providence Park where community and service organizations sponsor environmental education programs.

Olneyville is one of the oldest neighborhoods in Providence and is a designated Federal Enterprise Community neighborhood. Restoration of the river and its habitat is an important element for the Greenway Project. This project is consistent with the locally-driven Woonasquatucket River Watershed Action Plan, wherein stakeholders identified, as a priority, the development of strategies to “protect and restore natural habitats including riparian buffers, wetlands, and anadromous fish runs throughout the watershed.”

The Rising Sun Mills and dam complex were known as the Worsted Mills during the 19th Century and early 20th Century, and were used for manufacturing. The historic mill was recently renovated as part of the City of Providence Promenade District redevelopment. The newly redeveloped mill houses several private companies and residential units, totaling 315,000 sf of redevelopment. The project proponent, 166 Valley Street, LLC (Struever Brothers), with fish ladder funding support from NRCS, has designed the site redevelopment to incorporate river access and enhancement.

Project Updates

Construction of a Denil style fish ladder is currently underway at the dam. Click on the pictures below for progress updates

Rising Sun Mills Dam pre-construction (25 September 2007)

Rising Sun Mills Dam pre-construction (25 September 2007)

Concrete footing and rebar in place (2 October 2007)

Concrete footing and rebar in place (2 October 2007)

Fish ladder walls are formed (18 October 2007)

Fish ladder walls are formed (18 October 2007)

Cofferdams in place and preparing for concrete (1 October 2007)

Fish ladder walls are formed (23 October 2007)