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Narragansett Bay
Citation:
LATIMER, J. S. Narragansett Bay. Chapter n/a, Howarth, R.W., and Mohan, J. (ed.), Biomes and Ecosystems: An Encyclopedia. Salem Press, Ipswich, MA, 1: Overviews:873-875, (2013).
Impact/Purpose:
To inform the educated public of the characteristics of important ecosystems of the world.
Description:
Narragansett Bay, situated on the eastern side of Rhode Island, comprises about 15% of the State’s total area. Ninety-five percent of the Bay’s surface area is in Rhode Island with the remainder in southeastern Massachusetts; 60% of the Bay’s watershed is in Massachusetts. At the head of Narragansett Bay lies the city of Providence. This area of Narragansett Bay, called the Providence River, derives its major freshwater from four main rivers: the Blackstone, Moshassuck, Woonasquatucket, and Pawtuxet. The Bay then widens out into a larger more typical estuary and traverses through the suburbs, then more rural areas, and on past Patience, Prudence, and finally Conanicut and Aquidneck Islands. The mouth of Narragansett Bay opens into Rhode Island Sound which, in turn, brushes up against Block Island, RI’s largest off-shore island. Narragansett Bay has numerous smaller side embayments, the largest of which is Mount Hope Bay to the east, which receives freshwater from the Taunton River, and Greenwich Bay to the west. Narragansett Bay and its watershed are a treasured resource; its combination of indigenous, colonial, nautical, and industrial heritage create a rich canvas that is manifest in its myriad villages, ponds, beaches, forests and rivers. Its landscape runs the gamut from rural bucolic town squares to bustling cities.