West Branch Mattawamkeag River

West Branch Mattawamkeag River
Country United States
Physical characteristics
Main source Maine
890 feet (270 m)
River mouth Mattawamkeag River
365 feet (111 m)
45°50′01″N 67°59′28″W / 45.8335°N 67.991°W / 45.8335; -67.991 (West Branch Mattawamkeag River)Coordinates: 45°50′01″N 67°59′28″W / 45.8335°N 67.991°W / 45.8335; -67.991 (West Branch Mattawamkeag River)
Length 53 miles (85 km)
Basin features
Progression Mattawamkeag River – Penobscot River

The West Branch Mattawamkeag River is a 52.6-mile-long (84.7 km)[1] tributary of the Mattawamkeag River in Maine. From its source (46°08′07″N 68°30′09″W / 46.1354°N 68.5025°W / 46.1354; -68.5025 (West Branch Mattawamkeag River source)) in Maine Township 6, Range 6, WELS, the river runs 10 miles (16 km)[1] northeast by Pleasant Lake and through Mud Lake and Rockabema Lake, then 42 miles (68 km)[1] south and southeast through Upper Mattawamkeag Lake and Mattawamkeag Lake to its confluence with the East Branch Mattawamkeag River in Haynesville, about 10 miles (16 km) west of the Canada–United States border.

Mattawamkeag Lake

Mattawamkeag Lake
Location Aroostook County, Maine
Coordinates 45°59′N 68°10′W / 45.983°N 68.167°W / 45.983; -68.167[2]
Primary inflows Upper Mattawamkeag Lake
Basin countries United States
Max. length 3.5 mi (5.6 km)[3]
Max. width 2 mi (3.2 km)[3]
Surface area 3,323 acres (1,345 ha)[4]
Max. depth 47 feet (14 m)[5]
Water volume 7,662 acre⋅ft (9,451,000 m3)[4]
Surface elevation 430 ft (130 m)[2]

Mattawamkeag Lake is 4 miles (6.4 km) east (downstream) of Island Falls. There is a good boat launching area on Upper Mattawamkeag Lake on the east side of U.S. Route 2 about 2 kilometres (1.2 mi) north of Island Falls.[3] Upper Mattawamkeag Lake is at the same level as Mattawamkeag Lake, and boats can easily navigate the short thoroughfare from the south end of Upper Mattawamkeag Lake to the north end of Mattawamkeag Lake. For decades there was a dam at the south end of Mattawamkeag Lake controlling overflow to the West Branch Mattawamkeag River. Water level dropped several feet when the dam was abandoned; and the lake shoreline is rocky where wave action eroded shallow soil. The two lakes provide good habitat for chain pickerel, smallmouth bass and white perch.[5]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline data. The National Map, accessed June 22, 2011
  2. 1 2 U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Mattawamkeag Lake
  3. 1 2 3 The Maine Atlas and Gazetteer (Thirteenth ed.). Freeport, Maine: DeLorme Mapping Company. 1988. pp. 52–53. ISBN 0-89933-035-5.
  4. 1 2 Maine Depts. of Environmental Protection and Inland Fisheries & Wildlife (2005-08-04). "Maine Lakes: Morphometry and Geographic Information". Senator George J. Mitchell Center for Environmental and Watershed Research, The University of Maine. Retrieved 2008-07-31.
  5. 1 2 "Mattawamkeag Lake" (PDF). Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife. State of Maine. Retrieved 7 May 2016.
  • "West Branch Mattawamkeag River". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey. 30 September 1980. Retrieved 2010-05-30.
  • Maine Streamflow Data from the USGS
  • Maine Watershed Data From Environmental Protection Agency


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