Piscataquis River
Location
CountryUnited States
Physical characteristics
Source 
 • locationMaine
 • elevation590 feet (180 m)
Mouth 
 • location
Penobscot River
 • coordinates
45°14′20″N 68°39′22″W / 45.239°N 68.656°W / 45.239; -68.656 (Piscataquis River)
 • elevation
130 feet (40 m)
Lengthabout 62 miles (100 km)
Basin features
Tributaries 
 • leftEast Branch Piscataquis River, Sebec River, Pleasant River
 • rightWest Branch Piscataquis River

The Piscataquis River (/pɪˈskætəkwɪs/) 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 (213.79 to 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 (1,056.22 to 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 (1,701.8 to 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]

  • "Piscataquis River". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior. 30 September 1980. Retrieved 2010-05-31.
  • Real-time flow data for the Blanchard, Dover-Foxcroft, or Medford flow gages.
  • River elevation tables
  • National Weather Service forecast of river levels and flow.

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). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2005-11-18. Retrieved 2006-05-07.
  3. ↑ "Howland Dam". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior. Retrieved December 18, 2012.



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