Piscataqua River
Encyclopedia
The Piscataqua River, in the northeastern United States
, is a 12 miles (19.3 km) long tidal
estuary
formed by the confluence of the Salmon Falls
and Cocheco rivers. The drainage basin of the river is approximately 1495 square miles (3,872 km²), encompassing the additional watersheds of the Great Works River
and five rivers flowing into Great Bay
: the Bellamy
, Oyster
, Lamprey
, Squamscott
, and Winnicut
.
The river runs southeastward, determining part of the boundary between the states of New Hampshire
and Maine
, and empties into the Atlantic Ocean
east of Portsmouth, New Hampshire
. The last six miles before the sea form Portsmouth Harbor, one of the finest harbor
s in the northeastern United States, despite a tidal current rated as one of the fastest in North America.
The first known Europe
an to explore the river was Martin Pring
in 1603. Captain John Smith
placed a spelling similar to "Piscataqua" for the region on his map of 1614. The river was site of the first sawmill
in the colonies in 1623, the same year the contemporary spelling "Piscataqua" was first recorded.
The Portsmouth Naval Shipyard
is located on Seavey's Island in Kittery, Maine
near the Piscataqua's mouth. The dispute between New Hampshire and Maine
over ownership of Seavey’s Island was settled by the U.S. Supreme Court
in 2001, locating the state border at the center of the river's navigable channel.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, is a 12 miles (19.3 km) long tidal
Tidal river
A tidal river is a river, or more typically a stretch of a river, whose flow and level is influenced by tides. An example of a tidal river is the portion of the Connecticut River flowing from Windsor Locks, Connecticut, to the Atlantic Ocean. The Brisbane River, which flows into the Pacific Ocean...
estuary
Estuary
An estuary is a partly enclosed coastal body of water with one or more rivers or streams flowing into it, and with a free connection to the open sea....
formed by the confluence of the Salmon Falls
Salmon Falls River
The Salmon Falls River is a tributary of the Piscataqua River in the U.S. states of Maine and New Hampshire. It rises at Great East Lake and flows south-southeast for approximately , forming the border between Maine and New Hampshire....
and Cocheco rivers. The drainage basin of the river is approximately 1495 square miles (3,872 km²), encompassing the additional watersheds of the Great Works River
Great Works River
The Great Works River is a river in southwestern Maine in the United States. It rises in central York County and flows generally south past North Berwick to meet the tidal part of the Salmon Falls River at South Berwick....
and five rivers flowing into Great Bay
Great Bay (New Hampshire)
Great Bay is a tidal estuary located in Strafford and Rockingham counties in eastern New Hampshire, United States. The bay occupies over , not including its several tidal river tributaries. Its outlet is at Hilton Point in Dover, New Hampshire, where waters from the bay flow into the Piscataqua...
: the Bellamy
Bellamy River
The Bellamy River, in Strafford County, southeastern New Hampshire, is a tributary of the Piscataqua River about long. It rises in Swains Lake in Barrington, west of Dover...
, Oyster
Oyster River
Oyster River can refer to:* Oyster River , USA* Oyster River , USA* Oyster River , Canada* The community of Oyster River, British Columbia, Canada...
, Lamprey
Lamprey River
The Lamprey River is a 50.2 mile long river in southeastern New Hampshire, the United States. It rises in Meadow Lake in Northwood, and flows south, then generally east past Raymond, Epping, Lee and finally Newmarket...
, Squamscott
Squamscott River
The Squamscott River is a tidal river in Rockingham County, southeastern New Hampshire, in the United States. It rises at Exeter, fed by the Exeter River...
, and Winnicut
Winnicut River
The Winnicut River is a 9.1 mile long river in the Seacoast region of New Hampshire in the United States. It is the major southeastern tributary of Great Bay, an estuary connected by way of the tidal Piscataqua River to the Atlantic Ocean....
.
The river runs southeastward, determining part of the boundary between the states of New Hampshire
New Hampshire
New Hampshire is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state was named after the southern English county of Hampshire. It is bordered by Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Atlantic Ocean to the east, and the Canadian...
and Maine
Maine
Maine is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States, bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the east and south, New Hampshire to the west, and the Canadian provinces of Quebec to the northwest and New Brunswick to the northeast. Maine is both the northernmost and easternmost...
, and empties into the Atlantic Ocean
Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceanic divisions. With a total area of about , it covers approximately 20% of the Earth's surface and about 26% of its water surface area...
east of Portsmouth, New Hampshire
Portsmouth, New Hampshire
Portsmouth is a city in Rockingham County, New Hampshire in the United States. It is the largest city but only the fourth-largest community in the county, with a population of 21,233 at the 2010 census...
. The last six miles before the sea form Portsmouth Harbor, one of the finest harbor
Harbor
A harbor or harbour , or haven, is a place where ships, boats, and barges can seek shelter from stormy weather, or else are stored for future use. Harbors can be natural or artificial...
s in the northeastern United States, despite a tidal current rated as one of the fastest in North America.
History
Named by the area's original Abenaki inhabitants, "Piscataqua" is believed to be a combination of "peske" (branch) with "tegwe" (a river with a strong current, possibly tidal).The first known Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
an to explore the river was Martin Pring
Martin Pring
Martin Pring was an English explorer from Bristol, England. In 1603, under patronage of the mayor, alderman and merchants of Bristol, Pring sailed to discover the northern parts of the territory known as Virginia in America...
in 1603. Captain John Smith
John Smith of Jamestown
Captain John Smith Admiral of New England was an English soldier, explorer, and author. He was knighted for his services to Sigismund Bathory, Prince of Transylvania and friend Mózes Székely...
placed a spelling similar to "Piscataqua" for the region on his map of 1614. The river was site of the first sawmill
Sawmill
A sawmill is a facility where logs are cut into boards.-Sawmill process:A sawmill's basic operation is much like those of hundreds of years ago; a log enters on one end and dimensional lumber exits on the other end....
in the colonies in 1623, the same year the contemporary spelling "Piscataqua" was first recorded.
The Portsmouth Naval Shipyard
Portsmouth Naval Shipyard
The Portsmouth Naval Shipyard , often called the Portsmouth Navy Yard, is a United States Navy shipyard located in Kittery on the southern boundary of Maine near the city of Portsmouth, New Hampshire. It is used for remodeling and repairing the Navy's ships...
is located on Seavey's Island in Kittery, Maine
Kittery, Maine
Kittery is a town in York County, Maine, United States. The population was 9,543 at the 2000 census. Home to the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard on Seavey's Island, Kittery includes Badger's Island, the seaside district of Kittery Point, and part of the Isles of Shoals...
near the Piscataqua's mouth. The dispute between New Hampshire and Maine
Piscataqua River border dispute
The Piscataqua River border dispute was a dispute between the US states of Maine and New Hampshire over ownership of Seavey’s Island in the Piscataqua River, which forms the border between Maine and New Hampshire...
over ownership of Seavey’s Island was settled by the U.S. Supreme Court
Supreme Court of the United States
The Supreme Court of the United States is the highest court in the United States. It has ultimate appellate jurisdiction over all state and federal courts, and original jurisdiction over a small range of cases...
in 2001, locating the state border at the center of the river's navigable channel.
See also
- Badger's IslandBadger's IslandBadger's Island is located in the Piscataqua River at Kittery, Maine, directly opposite Portsmouth, New Hampshire. It carries U.S. Route 1 between the states, connecting to the Kittery mainland by the Badger's Island Bridge, and to New Hampshire by the Memorial Bridge...
- Great Bay (New Hampshire)Great Bay (New Hampshire)Great Bay is a tidal estuary located in Strafford and Rockingham counties in eastern New Hampshire, United States. The bay occupies over , not including its several tidal river tributaries. Its outlet is at Hilton Point in Dover, New Hampshire, where waters from the bay flow into the Piscataqua...
- List of Maine rivers
- List of New Hampshire rivers
- Memorial Bridge (Portsmouth, New Hampshire)Memorial Bridge (Portsmouth, New Hampshire)The Memorial Bridge is a through truss lift bridge that carried U.S. 1 across the Piscataqua River between Portsmouth, New Hampshire and Badger's Island in Kittery, Maine USA. The bridge was closed permanently to vehicle traffic on July 27, 2011, with a replacement to be built by 2014.The lift span...
- Piscataqua River BridgePiscataqua River BridgeThe Piscataqua River Bridge is a cantilevered through arch bridge that crosses the Piscataqua River, connecting Portsmouth, New Hampshire with Kittery, Maine. Carrying six lanes of Interstate 95, the bridge is the third modern span and first fixed crossing of the Piscataqua between Portsmouth and...
- Sarah Mildred Long BridgeSarah Mildred Long BridgeThe Sarah Mildred Long Bridge is a lift bridge that carries the US 1 Bypass over the Piscataqua River between Portsmouth, New Hampshire and Kittery, Maine. The bridge is a double deck truss bridge, with the US 1 Bypass road deck above and a railroad bed below....
External links
- MaineRivers.org Piscataqua River
- History as Border of New Hampshire
- Seacoast Forts of Portsmouth Harbor from American Forts Network