Aroostook River

River in New Brunswick, Canada and Maine, USA

Aroostook River

Aroostook River at Washburn, Maine

Aroostook River watershed

Location
Country| United States, Canada
State| Maine
Province| New Brunswick
Cities| Ashland, Maine, Washburn, Maine, Presque Isle, Maine, Caribou, Maine, Fort Farfield, Maine
Physical characteristics
Source confluence| Millinocket Stream and Munsungan Stream
• location| Maine Township 8, Range 8, WELS, Penobscot County, Maine
• coordinates| 46°20′40″N 68°48′04″W﻿ / ﻿46.3445°N 68.8011°W﻿ / 46.3445; -68.8011
Mouth| Saint John River (New Brunswick)

• location

| Aroostook, NB

• coordinates

| 46°48′36″N 67°42′58″W﻿ / ﻿46.810123°N 67.71620°W﻿ / 46.810123; -67.71620

• elevation

| 330 ft (100 m)
Length| 112 mi (180 km)
Basin size| 2,442.7 sq mi (6,327 km2)
Discharge|
• location| Masardis, Maine
• average| 1,506 cu ft/s (42.6 m3/s)
• minimum| 41 cu ft/s (1.2 m3/s)
• maximum| 29,500 cu ft/s (840 m3/s)
Discharge|
• location| Washburn, Maine
• average| 2,696 cu ft/s (76.3 m3/s)
• minimum| 75 cu ft/s (2.1 m3/s)
• maximum| 49,500 cu ft/s (1,400 m3/s)
Watershed data.[1]

The Aroostook River is a 112-mile-long (180 km)[2] tributary of the Saint John River in the U.S. state of Maine and the Canadian province of New Brunswick. Its basin is the largest sub-drainage of the Saint John River.[3]

The name is derived from the Malecite name Wool-ahs-took, translated by Ganong as "good river for everything". It appears as Arassatuk (DeRozier, 1699).[4]

## History

[edit]

In the late 1830s, the territory comprising the river's drainage area was the scene of the Aroostook War, a boundary dispute between the United States and the United Kingdom.[citation needed]

## Geography

[edit]

The river rises in northeastern Maine from the confluence of Millinocket Stream and Munsungan Stream in Maine Township 8, Range 8, WELS, in northern Penobscot County. The river winds east and northeast through Aroostook County. It runs through Ashland, and passes north of Presque Isle and east of Caribou. It joins the Saint John River in Aroostook, New Brunswick, 2 miles (3 km) after crossing the Canada–United States border.[citation needed]

The United States government maintains two river flow gages on the Aroostook. The first is located near Masardis, Maine (46°31′21″N 68°22′23″W﻿ / ﻿46.52250°N 68.37306°W﻿ / 46.52250; -68.37306﻿ (Masardis, Maine)) where the rivershed is 892 square miles (2,310 km2). The second is at Washburn, Maine (46°46′36″N 68°09′29″W﻿ / ﻿46.77667°N 68.15806°W﻿ / 46.77667; -68.15806﻿ (Washburn, Maine)) where the rivershed is 1,654 square miles (4,280 km2). By Fort Fairfield, Maine the rivershed is 2,301 square miles (5,960 km2). At Masardis, the maximum recorded flow is 29,500 cubic feet per second (840 m3/s) and the minimum 41 cubic feet (1.2 m3) per second.[5] At Washburn, the maximum recorded flow is 49,500 cubic feet (1,400 m3) per second and the minimum 75 cubic feet (2.1 m3) per second.[6] Annual maximum flows occur during the spring snow melt and minimums in the fall. The highest flood levels at both gages occurred during ice-dam induced floods, which occur relatively often on this river. Such flooding occurred in March and April 1999, April and May 2003, and April 2004.[7]

The International Appalachian Trail runs along the river for several miles. Hikers cross the river, pass through customs, and cross the international boundary at Fort Fairfield, Maine.[8]

Aroostook River in Presque Isle, Maine, USA in summer.

## Nature

[edit]

The river has a small run of Atlantic salmon. From 1998 to 2001, the number of adults returning to the river ranged from seventeen to thirty.[9]

## See also

[edit]

* List of rivers of Maine
* List of bodies of water of New Brunswick

## References

[edit]

1. ^ University of Maine. "Watershed Overview and Data Access: Aroostook." Watershed Code 01010004. Accessed 2010-02-17.
2. ^ U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline data. The National Map Archived 2012-03-29 at the Wayback Machine, accessed June 22, 2011
3. ^ Gibbs, K. Elizabeth; Bradeen, Billie; Boland, Dan (September 2004). "Spatial and Temporal Segregation Among Six Species of Coexisting Ophiogomphus (Odonata: Gomphidae) in the Aroostook River, Maine". Northeastern Naturalist. 11 (3): 295–312. doi:10.1656/1092-6194(2004)011[0295:SATSAS]2.0.CO;2. ISSN 1938-5307. JSTOR 3858420.
4. ^ Hamilton, William (1978). The Macmillan Book of Canadian Place Names. Toronto: Macmillan. p. 70\. ISBN 0-7715-9754-1.
5. ^ U.S. Geological Survey (2008). "01015800 Aroostook River Near Masardis, ME" (PDF). Water-Data Report 2008. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2017-04-28. Retrieved 2010-02-17.
6. ^ U.S. Geological Survey (2008). "01017000 Aroostook River at Washburn, ME" (PDF). Water-Data Report 2008. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2017-04-28. Retrieved 2010-02-17.
7. ^ Hom, V.T.; Capone, E.J.; Econopouly, T.W. (2004). Forecasting Ice-Affected Rivers at the Northeast River Forecast Center (PDF). 61st Eastern Snow Conference. pp. 191–194. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2007-09-27. Retrieved 2006-05-07.
8. ^ "The International Appalachian Trail in Maine". The International Appalachian Trail in Maine. Archived from the original (DOC) on 2006-04-08. Retrieved 2006-05-07.
9. ^ Kircheis, Frederick W. (2002). Report of the Maine Atlantic Salmon Commission to the Maine Legislature Fisheries and Wildlife Joint Standing Committee for the period January through December 2001 (PDF) (Report). Maine Atlantic Salmon Commission. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2006-05-21. Retrieved 2006-05-07.

## External links

[edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Aroostook River.

* USGS real-time river flow data at Washburn, Maine or Masardis, Maine. (Masardis also has air temperature.)
* See a panorama of the Aroostook River at Washburn
* National Weather Service forecast of river levels and flow.
* Real Time Aroostook River WebCam.
* "Aroostook River". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior. 30 September 1980. Retrieved 2009-10-22.

* v
* t
* e

Saint John River Watershed

Tributaries|

| Maine|

* Allagash River
* Aroostook River
* Baker Branch Saint John River
* Blackwater River
* Big Black River
* Birch River
* Brown River
* Campbell Branch Little Black River
* Chimenticook River
* Daaquam River
* Depot River
* East Branch Pocwock Stream
* Fish River
* Gobeil River
* Little Black River
* Little Machias River
* Little Madawaska River
* Little River
* Little Saint Roch River
* Little Southwest Branch Saint John River
* Machias River
* Meduxnekeag River
* Musquacook Stream
* North Branch Birch River
* North Branch Blackwater River
* North Branch Meduxnekeag River
* Northwest Branch Saint John River
* Otter River
* Pocwock River
* Red River
* River De Chute
* Saint Francis River
* Saint John River
* Shields Branch
* South Branch Birch River
* South Branch Blackwater River
* South Branch Machias River
* South Branch Meduxnekeag River
* Southwest Branch Saint John River
* St. Croix Stream
* West Branch Little Black River
* West Branch Pocwock Stream

|

New Brunswick|

* Aroostook River
* Becaguimec Stream
* Canaan River
* Hammond River
* Iroquois River
* Jemseg River
* Kennebecasis River
* Keswick River
* Little Iroquois River
* Madawaska River
* Meduxnekeag River
* Nashwaak River
* Nerepis River
* North Branch Meduxnekeag River
* Oromocto River
* River De Chute
* Saint Francis River
* Saint John River
* Tobique River

Lakes|

* Baker Lake
* Beau Lake
* Chemquasabamticook Lake
* Churchill Lake
* Clear Lake
* Cross Lake
* Eagle Lake (Allagash R.)
* Eagle Lake (Fish R.)
* Fish River Lake
* Glazier Lake
* Grand Lake
* Long Lake
* Mactaquac Lake
* Millinocket Lake
* Mud Lake
* Munsungan Lake
* Musquacook Lakes
* Lake Pohenegamook
* Portage Lake
* Saint Froid Lake
* Saint John Ponds
* Scopan Lake
* Square Lake
* Umsaskis Lake

Towns|

* Allagash
* Ashland
* Blaine
* Bridgewater
* Caribou
* Eagle Lake
* Easton
* Edmundston
* Florenceville-Bristol
* Fort Fairfield
* Fort Kent
* Fredericton
* Frenchville
* Grand Bay–Westfield
* Grand Falls
* Grand Isle
* Hampton
* Hartland
* Hodgdon
* Houlton
* Lac-Frontière
* Limestone
* Littleton
* Madawaska
* Mapleton
* Mars Hill
* Masardis
* Monticello
* Nackawic-Millville
* New Limerick
* Oromocto
* Perham
* Perth-Andover
* Pohénégamook
* Portage Lake
* Presque Isle
* Quispamsis
* Rivière-Bleue
* Rothesay
* Sainte Agatha
* Saint-Camille-de-Lellis
* Saint-Cyprien
* Saint Francis
* Saint John
* Saint-Just-de-Bretenières
* Saint-Léonard
* Saint-Marcel
* Saint-Pamphile
* Saint-Zacharie
* Stockholm
* Sussex
* Van Buren
* Washburn
* Wade
* Westfield
* Woodstock

Landmarks|

* Allagash Wilderness Waterway
* Bangor and Aroostook Railroad
* Clair–Fort Kent Bridge
* Edmundston–Madawaska Bridge
* Florenceville Bridge
* Fort Kent
* Hartland Bridge
* North Maine Woods
* Reversing Falls
* Saint John Harbour Bridge
* Saint John River High Level Crossing
* Saint Leonard–Van Buren Bridge
* Tinker Dam
* Watson Settlement Bridge

* v
* t
* e

Rivers of Maine by drainage system

Bay of Fundy|

| Passamaquoddy Bay|

* Little River (Big Lake)
* Little River (Passamaquoddy Bay)
* Pennamaquan River
* St. Croix River

|

Saint John River Watershed|

* Allagash River
* Aroostook River
* Baker Branch Saint John River
* Blackwater River
* Big Black River
* Birch River
* Brown River
* Campbell Branch Little Black River
* Chimenticook River
* Daaquam River
* Depot River
* East Branch Pocwock Stream
* Fish River
* Gobeil River
* Little Black River
* Little Machias River
* Little Madawaska River
* Little River
* Little Saint Roch River
* Little Southwest Branch Saint John River
* Machias River
* Meduxnekeag River
* Musquacook Stream
* North Branch Birch River
* North Branch Blackwater River
* North Branch Meduxnekeag River
* Northwest Branch Saint John River
* Otter River
* Pocwock River
* Red River
* River De Chute
* Saint Francis River
* Saint John River
* Shields Branch
* South Branch Birch River
* South Branch Blackwater River
* South Branch Machias River
* South Branch Meduxnekeag River
* Southwest Branch Saint John River
* St. Croix Stream
* West Branch Little Black River
* West Branch Pocwock Stream
* Wolastoq

Casco Bay|

| Fore River Watershed|

* Fore River
* Long Creek
* Stroudwater River
* South Branch Stroudwater River

|

Presumpscot River Watershed|

* Bear River
* Chute River
* Crooked River
* East Branch Piscataqua River
* Little River
* Muddy River
* North Branch Little River
* Northwest River
* Piscataqua River
* Pleasant River
* Presumpscot River
* Songo River
* Sticky River
* Tenny River

Others|

* Cousins River
* Harraseeket River
* Little River
* New Meadows River
* Royal River

Gulf of Maine|

| Blue Hill Bay
(Union River Watershed)|

* Bog River
* East Branch Union River
* Little Bog River
* Middle Branch Union River
* Union River
* West Branch Union River

|

Chandler Bay|

* Sandy River

Dennys Bay|

* Dennys River
* Hardscrabble River
* Orange River

Englishman Bay|

* Chandler River
* East Branch Chandler River
* Englishman River

Frenchman Bay|

* Jordan Stream
* Skillings River

Harrington Bay|

* Harrington River
* Mill River

Little River Watershed|

* Little River (Drakes Island)
* Merriland River

Machias Bay
(Machias River Watershed)|

* Crooked River
* East Machias River
* Machias River
* Maine River
* Middle River
* West Branch Machias River

Mousam River Watershed|

* Littlefield River
* Middle Branch Mousam River
* Mousam River

Narraguagus Bay
(Narraguagus River Watershed)|

* Little Narraguagus River
* Narraguagus River
* Spring River
* West Branch Narraguagus River (Cherryfield)
* West Branch Narraguagus River (Hancock County)

Pleasant Bay
(Pleasant River Watershed)|

* Little River
* Pleasant River
* West Branch Pleasant River
* Western Little River

Piscataqua River Watershed|

* Great Works River
* Little River
* Neoutaquet River
* Piscataqua River
* Salmon Falls River

Sheepscot River Watershed|

* Back River
* Cross River
* Dyer River
* Marsh River
* Sasanoa River
* Sheepscot River
* West Branch Sheepscot River

Wohoa Bay|

* Indian River
* Southwest Branch Indian River
* West River

Others|

* Batson River
* Benjamin River
* Cape Neddick River
* Damariscotta River
* Johns River
* Jordan River
* Josias River
* Kennebunk River
* Little River (Boothbay)
* Little River (Georgetown)
* Little River (Goosefare Bay)
* Little River (York)
* Morse River
* Ogunquit River
* Pemaquid River
* Sprague River
* Webhannet River
* York River

Merrymeeting Bay|

| Androscoggin River Watershed|

* Alder River
* Androscoggin River
* Bear River
* Cathance River
* Concord River
* Cupsuptic River
* Dead Cambridge River
* Dead River (Androscoggin)
* Dead River (Sabattus)
* East Branch Cupsuptic River
* East Branch Nezinscot River
* East Branch Pleasant River
* East Branch Swift River
* Ellis River
* First East Branch Magalloway River
* Kennebago River
* Little Androscoggin River
* Little East Branch Cupsuptic River
* Little Magalloway River
* Little River
* Magalloway River
* Middle Branch Little Magalloway River
* Muddy River
* Nezinscot River
* Pleasant River
* Rangeley River
* Rapid River
* Sabattus River
* Sanborn River
* Second East Branch Magalloway River
* South Branch Sunday River
* Sunday River
* Swift Cambridge River
* Swift River
* Third East Branch Magalloway River
* Webb River
* West Branch Ellis River
* West Branch Little Magalloway River
* West Branch Magalloway River
* West Branch Nezinscot River
* West Branch Pleasant River
* West Branch Swift River
* Wild River

|

Kennebec River Watershed|

* Abagadasset River
* Back River
* Carrabassett River
* Dead River
* East Branch Eastern River
* East Branch Moose River
* East Branch Sebasticook River
* Eastern River
* Kennebec River
* Lemon Stream
* Little River
* Moose River
* Moxie Falls
* North Branch Dead River
* Roach River
* Sandy River
* Sebasticook River
* South Branch Dead River
* South Branch Moose River
* South Branch Sandy River
* Temple Stream
* West Branch Carrabassett River
* West Branch Eastern River
* West Branch Moose River

Muscongus Bay|

| Saint George River Watershed|

* Back River
* Dead River
* East Branch Oyster River
* Mill River
* Oyster River
* Saint George River
* West Branch Oyster River

|

Others|

* Back River (Medomak)
* Back River (Meduncook)
* Goose River
* Medomak River
* Meduncook River

Penobscot Bay|

| Penobscot River Watershed|

* Dead River
* East Branch Mattawamkeag River
* East Branch Penobscot River
* East Branch Piscataquis River
* East Branch Pleasant River
* Kenduskeag Stream
* Little Seboeis River
* Mattawamkeag River
* Middle Branch Pleasant River
* Molunkus Stream
* North Branch Marsh River
* North Branch Penobscot River
* Narramissic River
* Orland River
* Passadumkeag River
* Penobscot River
* Pleasant River
* Piscataquis River
* Sebec River
* Seboeis River
* South Branch Marsh River
* South Branch Penobscot River
* Stillwater River
* West Branch Mattawamkeag River
* West Branch Penobscot River
* West Branch Piscataquis River
* West Branch Pleasant River

|

Others|

* Bagaduce River
* Ducktrap River
* Goose River (Belfast Bay)
* Goose River (Rockport Harbor)
* Little River
* Megunticook River
* Passagassawakeag River
* Weskeag River

Saco Bay|

| Saco River Watershed|

* Charles River
* Cold River
* Hancock Brook
* Kezar River
* Little Cold River
* Little Ossipee River
* Little River
* Little Saco River
* Mad River
* Middle Branch Mad River
* Old Course Saco River
* Ossipee River
* Saco River
* Shepards River
* South Branch Mad River
* South River
* Tenmile River
* West Branch Tenmile River

|

Others|

* Dunstan River
* Libby River
* Nonesuch River
* Scarborough River
* Spurwink River

* v
* t
* e

Rivers of New Brunswick by drainage system

Bay of Fundy|

| Cumberland Basin|

* Missaguash River

|

Chignecto Bay|

* Upper Salmon River

Passamaquoddy Bay|

* Magaguadavic River
* St. Croix River

Watershed of
Saint John River|

* Aroostook River
* Becaguimec Stream
* Canaan River
* Hammond River
* Iroquois River
* Jemseg River
* Kennebecasis River
* Keswick River
* Little Iroquois River
* Madawaska River
* Meduxnekeag River
* Nashwaak River
* Nerepis River
* North Branch Meduxnekeag River
* Oromocto River
* River De Chute
* Saint Francis River
* Saint John River
* Tobique River
* Wolastoq

Shepody Bay (watershed of
Petitcodiac River)|

* Jonathan Creek
* Memramcook River
* Petitcodiac River
* Turtle Creek

Others|

* Big Salmon River
* Quiddy River

Gulf of
Saint Lawrence|

| Chaleur Bay (watershed of
Restigouche River)|

* Belle Kedgwick River
* Gounamitz River
* Kedgwick River
* Little Main Restigouche River
* Little Southeast Upsalquitch River
* North Branch Gounamitz River
* Northwest Upsalquitch River
* Patapédia River
* Popelogan River
* Restigouche River
* South Branch Kedgwick River
* Southeast Upsalquitch River
* Upsalquitch River
* West Branch Gounamitz River

|

Miramichi Bay (watershed
of Miramichi River)|

* Barnaby River
* Bartholomew River
* Bartibog River
* Cains River
* Dungarvon River
* Little Southwest Miramichi River
* Miramichi River
* Napan River
* North Pole Stream
* Northwest Miramichi River
* Oyster River
* Renous River
* Sevogle River
* Southwest Miramichi River
* Tuadook River

Northumberland Strait|

* Buctouche River
* Kouchibouguac River
* Kouchibouguacis River
* Molus River
* Richibucto River

Watershed of Saint Lawrence River|

* Rimouski River

Others|

* Black River
* Caraquet River
* Nepisiguit River
* Pokemouche River
* Rivière du Nord

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