The Quaboag River is a U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline data
The National Map
, accessed April 1, 2011 river in

Massachusetts Massachusetts (Massachusett language, Massachusett: ''Muhsachuweesut assachusett writing systems, məhswatʃəwiːsət'' English: , ), officially the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, is the most populous U.S. state, state in the New England ...

that heads at

Quaboag Pond Quaboag Pond is a pond located near the East Brookfield and Brookfield, Massachusetts. The pond lies about two miles (3 km) south of state Route 9 as it passes through East Brookfield. Quaboag Pond was once named Podunk Pond. Description ...

in Brookfield at an elevation of above sea level. It flows west to the village of Three Rivers, Massachusetts, at an elevation of .

History

The river receives its name from

, an Indian name meaning "red-water" (place or pond). At one time, this pond was called Podunk Pond. Early industry started along the Quaboag River downstream from West Brookfield, where the river started a change in elevation, providing significant waterpower. Major

heavy industry Heavy industry is an industry that involves one or more characteristics such as large and heavy products; large and heavy equipment and facilities (such as heavy equipment, large machine tools, huge buildings and large-scale infrastructure); o ...

was located in

Warren, Massachusetts Warren is a town in Worcester County, Massachusetts, Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 4,975 at the 2020 United States Census, 2020 census. The town contains the villages of Warren (CDP), Massachusetts, Warren and ...

, because of the available waterpower from the river. Many of the dams on the river, used to provide

waterpower Hydropower (from el, ὕδωρ, "water"), also known as water power, is the use of falling or fast-running water to produce electricity or to power machines. This is achieved by converting the gravitational potential or kinetic energy of a w ...

, were destroyed during floods and not repaired or replaced. Parts of them remain, providing a hint of the river’s industrial past.

Description

The Quaboag River heads at

, flows through the towns of Brookfield, West Brookfield (where Lake Wickaboag drains into it), and

Warren A warren is a network of wild rodent or lagomorph, typically rabbit burrows. Domestic warrens are artificial, enclosed establishment of animal husbandry dedicated to the raising of rabbits for meat and fur. The term evolved from the medieval A ...

before joining the

Ware River The Ware River is a U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map accessed April 1, 2011 river in central Massachusetts. It has two forks, its West Branch, which begins in Hubbardston, Massa ...

and Swift River in Three Rivers, to form the

Chicopee River The Chicopee River is an U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map, accessed April 1, 2011 tributary of the Connecticut River in the Pioneer Valley, Massachusetts, known for fast-moving wate ...

. This river is therefore part of the

Chicopee River Watershed The Chicopee River is an U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map, accessed April 1, 2011 tributary of the Connecticut River in the Pioneer Valley, Massachusetts, known for fast-moving wate ...

Watershed

Numerous local brooks and streams from the towns of East Brookfield, Brookfield, West Brookfield, and Warren drain the watershed into the Quaboag River.

Lake Lashaway Lake Lashaway is a pond located near the East Brookfield and North Brookfield, Massachusetts town line. The Lake Lashaway Community Association’s website iwww.LakeLashaway.org The town line cuts the lake approximately in half. The lake lies ...

in East Brookfield drains into

, and several other significant water sources drain into it. There are also several wetlands associated with this watershed, the two major ones being the Great Swamp south of Brookfield, and the Allen Swamp south of East Brookfield.

Recreational use

Whitewater kayakers and canoeists paddle the Quaboag from a put-in at Lucy Stone Park in Warren, downstream to a take-out along Route 67. The river is

Class Class or The Class may refer to: Common uses not otherwise categorized * Class (biology), a taxonomic rank * Class (knowledge representation), a collection of individuals or objects * Class (philosophy), an analytical concept used differentl ...

III and features several named rapids, Mousehole and Trestle Rapid above the dam, and, downstream, Angel's Field and Devil's Gorge, which contains an abrupt four-foot waterfall called Quaboag Drop. The river has a large watershed, holds its water well (is well formed), and is runnable at levels above four feet on the Brimfieldbr>USGS gauge
It contains one mandatory

portage Portage or portaging (Canada: ; ) is the practice of carrying water craft or cargo over land, either around an obstacle in a river, or between two bodies of water. A path where items are regularly carried between bodies of water is also called a ...

around an unrunnable dam next to a factory. This dam is shown in the title block.

Coordinates

* Mouth in Three Rivers * Passage through

* Head south of East Brookfield

References