Jones River
The Jones River is a 7.5-mile-long river in Kingston, Massachusetts, United States. It starts at Silver Lake and flows into Kingston Bay, draining about 30 square miles of land. The area around the river is mostly forested (about 52%), with around 22% developed for homes. A USGS gauge along the river measures flow, averaging roughly 0.7 cubic feet per second per square mile of drainage.
The river is named after Christopher Jones, captain of the Mayflower in 1620. The Forge Pond Dam on Lake Street can block water from Silver Lake into the river. Silver Lake is the river’s main source, contributing about 20% of its flow. When lake water is low, the river becomes slower and warmer, with less sediment flushing, which is harder on fish and other wildlife.
Elm Street Dam was removed in late 2019 (a fish ladder existed there before removal). The Wapping Road Dam was removed in 2011. A temporary fish ladder was installed on Forge Pond in spring 2019, opening up access for sea-run fish for the first time in centuries. These changes help species like alewife, herring, sea-run brook trout, and eels move up the river. The Massachusetts Division of Fisheries & Wildlife has stocked the river with trout.
Below Elm Street, the river is navigable only for small boats and is influenced by tides. It winds through marshes before emptying into Kingston Bay.
Tributaries include Jones River Brook, Furnace Brook, Pine Brook, Russell Brook, Smelt Brook, Halls/Stony Brook, and Fountainhead Brook.
This page was last edited on 2 February 2026, at 14:01 (CET).