Dead River (Kennebec River tributary)
| Dead River | |
|---|---|
 Dead River showing East Kennebago Mountain | |
| Location | |
| Country | United States |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Source | |
| • location | Maine |
| • elevation | 1,145 feet (350 m) |
| Mouth | |
• location | Kennebec River |
• coordinates | 45°20′0″N 69°58′11″W / 45.33333°N 69.96972°W |
• elevation | 570 feet (170 m) |
| Length | 43 miles (69 km) |
| Basin features | |
| Tributaries | |
| • left | North Branch Dead River |
| • right | South Branch Dead River |
The Dead River, sometimes called the West Branch, is a 42.6-mile-long (68.6 km)[1] river in central Maine in the United States. Its source is Flagstaff Lake, where its two main tributaries, South Branch Dead River and North Branch Dead River, join (45°09′41″N 70°25′55″W / 45.1615°N 70.4320°W). It flows generally east to join the Kennebec River at The Forks, Maine.
The Dead River played a role in the
.The logging industry is prominent in the area. Flagstaff Lake was formed by Long Falls Dam in 1950,[2] to regulate the flow of the Dead River into the Kennebec River. At the time, the river drive was still a primary means of delivering timber to the pulp mills downstream. Although improved highways and the trucking industry have replaced the river drive, water releases continue to serve hydroelectric power-generating plants downstream.
Recreation
The majestic Bigelow Mountain Range looks down from Flagstaff Lake's southern shore, making the Dead River region a scenic favorite for outdoor enthusiasts.
It is a popular river with
The Northern Forest Canoe Trail (NFCT) is a 740-mile (1,190 km) marked canoeing route extending from Old Forge, New York, to Fort Kent, Maine. From a four-mile portage between Wrangler on Wrangler Lake and Dallas Plantation on the South Branch, the trail runs about 35 miles (60 km) down the Dead River, to the mouth of Spencer Stream below Grand Falls.
References
- ^ U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline data. The National Map Archived 2012-03-29 at the Wayback Machine, accessed June 30, 2011
- ISBN 978-0-471-30346-6.
- ^ "Dead — Spencer Falls to West Forks". American Whitewater. 2009-11-06. Retrieved 2010-11-18.
- ^ "Dead River Rafting - White Water Rafting in Maine". Northern Outdoors. Retrieved 2017-06-27.
External links
- "Dead River". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior. 30 September 1980. Retrieved 2010-11-18.