| Saco River | |
 The Saco River in Conway, New Hampshire |
|
| Origin | Saco Lake, White Mountains |
|---|---|
| Mouth | Gulf of Maine, North Atlantic Ocean |
| Basin countries | United States |
| Basin area | 1,293 mi² (15,200 km²) |
Coordinates: 43°27′40″N 70°22′37″W / 43.46111°N 70.37694°W
The Saco River is a river in northeastern New Hampshire and southwestern Maine in the United States. It drains a rural area of 1,703 square miles (4,410 km2) of forests and farmlands west and southwest of Portland, emptying into the Atlantic Ocean at Saco Bay, 134 miles (216 km) from its source. It supplies drinking water to roughly 250,000 people in thirty-five towns.
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River's course
The river rises at Saco Lake in Crawford Notch in the White Mountains and flows generally south-southeast through Bartlett and Conway in Carroll County, New Hampshire before crossing into Oxford County, Maine.
Shortly after entering Fryeburg, Maine, the river branches into the "Old Course" Saco River and the more commonly used "Canal River". Constructed in the 1800s to be more convenient for farmers, the 6-mile (10 km) long canal is 15 miles (24 km) shorter than the old course[1] and is now considered to be the official course for the river, as the upstream end of the old course is largely silted over. The two channels merge again near Lovell, Maine.
After running through six hydropower stations and entering York County, the river crosses under Interstate 95 and passes between Saco and Biddeford, where it is bridged by U.S. Route 1. It enters Saco Bay on the Atlantic with Camp Ellis in Saco on the north shore and Hills Beach in Biddeford on the south shore.
The United States government maintains two river flow gages on the Saco river. The first is at Conway, New Hampshire (43°59′27″N 71°05′29″W / 43.99083°N 71.09139°W) where the rivershed is 385 square miles (997 km2). Flow here has ranged from 47,200 to 40 cubic feet per second. The second is at Cornish, Maine (43°48′29″N 70°46′53″W / 43.80806°N 70.78139°W) where the rivershed is 1,293 square miles (3,350 km2). Flow here has ranged from 46,600 to 244 cubic feet per second.[2]
Attractions
The Saco is a popular recreational river, drawing an estimated 3,000 to 7,000 people per summer weekend, mostly on the stretch from Swan's Falls (a campground formerly maintained by the Appalachian Mountain Club and now maintained by the Saco River Recreation Council), to Brownfield, Maine. There are many sand beaches along the Saco when not at flood stage and camping is allowed along some of these beaches for free. Misuse, including large quantities of garbage left behind by users and illegal fires, as well as discourtesy toward landowners, has led many beaches to be posted and monitored. A permit is required from the State of Maine for campfires along any unposted river beaches.[3]
The Saco is a major attraction for canoeists. Several canoeing rentals are available throughout the river's distance.
The Saco river is also famous for sport fishing, even though the number of fish in it has decreased tremendously throughout time.[citation needed]
Problems
Multiple violent and reportedly alcohol-related incidents in 2001 led to increased police patrols and efforts by livery companies, landowners, and government agencies to improve conditions.[4]
Local legends hve held that the river is subject to the Saco Curse of Squandro.
Major tributaries
Listed from source to mouth:
- Dry River
- Sawyer River
- Rocky Branch
- Ellis River
- East Branch Saco River
- Swift River
- Cold River/Charles River
- Outlet, Kezar Lake
- Kezar River
- Shepards River
- Tenmile River
- Ossipee River
- Little Ossipee River
References
- ^ U.S. Geological Survey. 1:24,000-scale Digital Line Graph data.
- ^ 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. http://me.water.usgs.gov/Maine01adr.pdf. Retrieved 2006-05-07.
- ^ "Swans Falls Campground". Saco River Recreational Council. http://sacorivercouncil.org/index.php?PageName=8. Retrieved 2008-12-05.
- ^ Zimet, Abby (July 2006). "This River is Rated R". Down East: The Magazine of Maine (Down East Enterprise, Inc.) 52 (12): 76–79, 108–113. http://www.downeast.com/Down-East-Magazine/July-2006/This-River-is-Rated-R/.
External links
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- EPA Saco River Watershed Profile
- Saco River Profile at MaineRivers.org
- Real-time flow data for the Conway, NH and Cornish, ME gages
- Saco River Cleanup, an annual event sponsored by the Saco River Recreation Council
- Saco River Canoe
- River Run Canoe
- "Popular river struggles with balancing act", Portland Press Herald, Aug. 11, 2002
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