West Branch Mattawamkeag River

West Branch Mattawamkeag River
Location
CountryUnited States
Physical characteristics
Source 
 • locationMaine
 • elevation890 feet (270 m)
Mouth 
 • location
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)
 • elevation
365 feet (111 m)
Length53 miles (85 km)
Basin features
ProgressionMattawamkeag 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[edit]

Mattawamkeag Lake
Mattawamkeag Lake is located in Maine
Mattawamkeag Lake
Mattawamkeag Lake
LocationAroostook County, Maine
Coordinates45°59′N 68°10′W / 45.983°N 68.167°W / 45.983; -68.167[2]
Primary inflowsUpper Mattawamkeag Lake
Basin countriesUnited States
Max. length3.5 mi (5.6 km)[3]
Max. width2 mi (3.2 km)[3]
Surface area3,323 acres (1,345 ha)[4]
Max. depth47 feet (14 m)[5]
Water volume7,662 acre⋅ft (9,451,000 m3)[4]
Surface elevation430 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[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline data. The National Map, accessed June 22, 2011
  2. ^ a b U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Mattawamkeag Lake
  3. ^ a b c The Maine Atlas and Gazetteer (Thirteenth ed.). Freeport, Maine: DeLorme Mapping Company. 1988. pp. 52–53. ISBN 0-89933-035-5.
  4. ^ a b 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. ^ a b "Mattawamkeag Lake" (PDF). Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife. State of Maine. Retrieved 7 May 2016.