Main Street Dam

The Main Street Dam , located at the Main Street bridge adjacent to the Pawtucket Hydroelectric Plant in Pawtucket, RI, was constructed in 1896. The Pawtucket Hydropower Plant abuts the western side of the dam and utilizes the river for hydroelectric power.

The Main Street Dam is the first dam located on the Blackstone River traveling north from Narragansett Bay. The limit of tidal influence in the Blackstone River is immediately downstream of the dam. The 170 foot wide Main Street Dam impounds 26 acres of water. The dam stands approximately seven feet high but sits on natural bedrock ledge, creating a total drop of over 16 feet from the top of spillway to the river bottom downstream of the dam.

The project proponent, Pawtucket Hydropower, LLC, with funding support from NRCS, is proposing to install a structure assisted fish passage to facilitate fish passage over the Main Street Dam. This structure would occur on the eastern side of the dam so as not to interfere with the operation of the Pawtucket Hydroelectric Plant.

Project Pictures

Upstream view of Main Street Dam with Main Street Bridge in foreground. Slater Mill Dam can be seen in the background

Upstream view of eastern side of Main Street Dam. Note that water levels were lowered for dam inspection

Easterly view of Main Street Dam at the Main Street Bridge

Downstream view of Main Street Bridge

View of Main Street Dam from Main Street Bridge

Southeasterly view of Main Street Dam and Main Street Bridge