The Concord River begins at the confluence of the Assabet and Sudbury rivers in Concord and flows northward to join the Merrimack River in Lowell. The Upper Concord segment runs northward to North Billerica from the confluence, ending upstream of the Talbot Mills dam. The upper 8 miles of this segment—from the confluence to just above the Rte. 3 bridge in Billerica—together with contiguous sections of the Assabet and Sudbury rivers, was federally designated in 1999 as a Wild & Scenic River, reflecting its natural beauty and free-flowing quality (absence of dams). It contains the world-famous Minute Man National Historical Park, managed by the National Park Service, the historic Old Manse owned by The Trustees, and the Concord Unit of Great Meadows National Wildlife Refuge, managed by the US Fish and Wildlife Service. Historical records show swimming was a popular pastime in the Upper Concord River.
