Piscataquis River

Piscataquis River
Country United States
Basin
Main source Maine
590 feet (180 m)
River mouth Penobscot River
130 feet (40 m)
45°14′20″N 68°39′22″W / 45.239°N 68.656°W / 45.239; -68.656 (Piscataquis River)Coordinates: 45°14′20″N 68°39′22″W / 45.239°N 68.656°W / 45.239; -68.656 (Piscataquis River)
Physical characteristics
Length about 62 miles (100 km)
Features
Tributaries

The Piscataquis River is a major tributary of the Penobscot River, found in Piscataquis County, Maine, United States. It starts from the confluence of its East Branch and West Branch (45°16′54″N 69°35′24″W / 45.2817°N 69.5901°W / 45.2817; -69.5901 (Piscataquis River source)) in Blanchard. The river flows in a mostly eastern direction until it meets the Penobscot at Howland. It is approximately 65 miles (105 km) in length.[1]

The United States government maintains three river flow gauges on the Piscataquis river. The first is at Blanchard (45°16′02″N 69°35′03″W / 45.26722°N 69.58417°W / 45.26722; -69.58417 (Blanchard river gauge)) where the rivershed is 118 square miles (306 km2). Flow here has ranged from 7,550 to 4.8 cubic feet per second (0.14 m3/s). The second is near Dover-Foxcroft, Maine (45°10′31″N 69°18′55″W / 45.17528°N 69.31528°W / 45.17528; -69.31528 (Dover-Foxcroft river gauge)) where the rivershed is 298 square miles (772 km2). Flow here has ranged from 37,300 to 5 cubic feet (0.14 m3) per second. The third is in Medford, Maine (45°15′40″N 68°52′07″W / 45.26111°N 68.86861°W / 45.26111; -68.86861 (Medford river gauge)) where the rivershed is 1,162 square miles (3,010 km2). Flow here has ranged from 60,100 to 66 cubic feet (1.9 m3) per second.[2]

The Appalachian Trail runs along the West Branch of the Piscataquis, crossing the East Branch just upstream from their joining. The river is impounded by the Howland Dam at its confluence with the Penobscot River.[3]

References

  1. "Piscataquis River".
  2. G.J. Stewart; J.P. Nielsen; J.M. Caldwell; A.R. Cloutier (2002). "Water Resources Data - Maine, Water Year 2001" (PDF). Water Resources Data - Maine, Water Year 2001. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2005-11-18. Retrieved 2006-05-07.
  3. "Howland Dam". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey. Retrieved December 18, 2012.


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