The Ponaganset River is a river

River

A river is a natural watercourse, usually freshwater, flowing towards an ocean, a lake, a sea, or another river. In a few cases, a river simply flows into the ground or dries up completely before reaching another body of water. Small rivers may also be called by several other names, including...

 in the U.S.

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

 state of Rhode Island

Rhode Island

The state of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, more commonly referred to as Rhode Island , is a state in the New England region of the United States. It is the smallest U.S. state by area...

. It flows approximately 12.5 miles (20.1 km). There are three dams along the river's length.

Course

The river's source is Ponaganset Reservoir in Glocester

Glocester, Rhode Island

Glocester is a town in Providence County, Rhode Island, United States. The population was 9,746 as of the 2010 census. The villages of Chepachet and Harmony are in Glocester. Putnam Pike Glocester is a town in Providence County, Rhode Island, United States. The population was 9,746 as of the 2010...

, where water still flows naturally out of the lake, unimpeded by a dam. It then flows roughly southeast through Glocester and Foster

Foster, Rhode Island

Foster is a town in Providence County, Rhode Island, in the United States. The population was 4,606 at the 2010 census.- History :Foster was originally settled in the 17th century by British colonists as a farming community...

, then into Scituate

Scituate, Rhode Island

Scituate is a town in Providence County, Rhode Island, United States. The population was 10,329 at the 2010 census.-History:Scituate was first settled in 1710 by emigrants from Scituate, Massachusetts...

 to the Scituate Reservoir

Scituate Reservoir

The Scituate Reservoir is the largest inland body of water in the state of Rhode Island. It has an aggregate capacity of and a surface area of 5.3 square miles...

. The river used to converge with the Moswansicut River

Moswansicut River

The Moswansicut River is a river in the U.S. state of Rhode Island. It flows approximately , including its portion within the Scituate Reservoir. There are two dams along the river's length.-Course:...

 to form the North Branch Pawtuxet River

North Branch Pawtuxet River

The North Branch Pawtuxet River is a river in the U.S. state of Rhode Island. It flows approximately . There are 9 dams along the river's length.-Course:...

 in the area that is now flooded by the reservoir.

Crossings

Below is a list of all crossings over the Ponaganset River. The list starts at the headwaters and goes downstream.

• Glocester
  • George Allen Road
• Foster
  • Hartford Avenue (RI 101
    Route 101 (Rhode Island)
    Route 101 is a numbered State Highway running in Rhode Island. It begins at the Connecticut state line in the town of Foster and ends at U.S. Route 6 in the town of Scituate.-Route description:...
    
    )
  • Winsor Road
  • Pine Tree Road
  • Old Danielson Pike
  • Danielson Pike (U.S. 6)
  • Ram Tail Road
  • Central Pike
• Scituate
  • Ponaganset Road
  • Plainfield Pike (RI 14
    Route 14 (Rhode Island)
    Route 14 is a numbered State Highway running in the U.S. State of Rhode Island.-Route:Route 14 takes the following route through the State:*Coventry: ; Connecticut State line at CT 14/CT 14A to Foster town line**Plainfield Pike...
    
    )

Tributaries

In addition to many unnamed tributaries, the following brooks feed the Ponaganset:

• Shippee Brook
• Winsor Brook
• Dolly Cole Brook

See also

• List of rivers in Rhode Island
• Moswansicut River
  Moswansicut River
  The Moswansicut River is a river in the U.S. state of Rhode Island. It flows approximately , including its portion within the Scituate Reservoir. There are two dams along the river's length.-Course:...
  
  
• North Branch Pawtuxet River
  North Branch Pawtuxet River
  The North Branch Pawtuxet River is a river in the U.S. state of Rhode Island. It flows approximately . There are 9 dams along the river's length.-Course:...
  
  
• Scituate Reservoir
  Scituate Reservoir
  The Scituate Reservoir is the largest inland body of water in the state of Rhode Island. It has an aggregate capacity of and a surface area of 5.3 square miles...