The Sudbury River flows northeast from Cedar Swamp in Westborough to its confluence with the Assabet River in Concord. The Lower Sudbury segment starts at the outlet of Stearns Reservoir (Reservoir #1) in Framingham and runs to the confluence with the Assabet River in Concord. The lower 16.6 miles of this segment—from just below the Saxonville dam in Framingham to the confluence—together with the contiguous sections of the Assabet and Concord rivers, was federally designated in 1999 as a Wild & Scenic River, reflecting its natural beauty and free-flowing condition. Much of the Sudbury, Wayland, and Concord segment is in the Great Meadows National Wildlife Refuge managed by the US Fish and Wildlife Service. It is a very popular destination for warm-water fishing, wildlife viewing, and boating.
