Souhegan River
Encyclopedia
The Souhegan River is a tributary of the Merrimack River
in the northeastern United States. 33.8 miles (54.4 km) long with a drainage area of 171 sq mi (442.9 km²), it flows north and east through southern New Hampshire
to the Merrimack River.
The river begins in New Ipswich, New Hampshire
, at the junction of the river's South Branch
and West Branch
. Flowing northeast, it passes through the center of Greenville
and descends through a narrow valley to Wilton
, where it turns east. The river valley broadens below Wilton, and the river passes through the center of Milford
, crosses the southern portion of Amherst
, and enters the town of Merrimack
. Shortly upstream of the town center, the river passes over Wildcat Falls, then crosses under the Everett Turnpike
and U.S. Route 3
to reach the Merrimack River. A USGS river gauge is located here.
The river is used for water supplies
, a small amount of hydropower
, and recreation. There are 28 threatened or endangered species
sharing the watershed
with 35,000 people. It is part of the New Hampshire Rivers Management Protection Program.
It was one of two rivers studied by the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services to reach data and recommendations about allowable "instream flow".
, meaning "waiting and watching place". Tribal fishermen set weirs
across the rapids, and then waited and watched for fish, including salmon
, alewives, sturgeon
, and eel
s.
The name of Skowhegan, Maine
comes from the same term.
Merrimack River
The Merrimack River is a river in the northeastern United States. It rises at the confluence of the Pemigewasset and Winnipesaukee rivers in Franklin, New Hampshire, flows southward into Massachusetts, and then flows northeast until it empties into the Atlantic Ocean at Newburyport...
in the northeastern United States. 33.8 miles (54.4 km) long with a drainage area of 171 sq mi (442.9 km²), it flows north and east through southern 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...
to the Merrimack River.
The river begins in New Ipswich, New Hampshire
New Ipswich, New Hampshire
New Ipswich is a town in Hillsborough County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 5,099 at the 2010 census. New Ipswich, situated on the Massachusetts border, includes the villages of Bank, Davis, Gibson Four Corners, Highbridge, New Ipswich Center, Smithville, and Wilder, though these...
, at the junction of the river's South Branch
South Branch Souhegan River
The South Branch of the Souhegan River is a river located in northern Massachusetts and southern New Hampshire in the United States. It is a tributary of the Souhegan River, which flows to the Merrimack River and ultimately to the Gulf of Maine....
and West Branch
West Branch Souhegan River
The West Branch of the Souhegan River is a river in southern New Hampshire in the United States. It is a tributary of the Souhegan River, which flows to the Merrimack River and ultimately to the Gulf of Maine....
. Flowing northeast, it passes through the center of Greenville
Greenville, New Hampshire
Greenville is a town in Hillsborough County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 2,105 at the 2010 census.The primary settlement in town, where 1,108 people resided at the 2010 census, is defined as the Greenville census-designated place and is located at the junction of New Hampshire...
and descends through a narrow valley to Wilton
Wilton, New Hampshire
- Demographics :As of the census of 2000, there were 3,743 people, 1,410 households, and 1,023 families living in the town. The population density was 145.3 people per square mile . There were 1,451 housing units at an average density of 56.3 per square mile...
, where it turns east. The river valley broadens below Wilton, and the river passes through the center of Milford
Milford, New Hampshire
Milford is a town in Hillsborough County, New Hampshire, United States, on the Souhegan River. The population was 15,115 at the 2010 census. It is the retail and manufacturing center of a six-town area known informally as the Souhegan Valley....
, crosses the southern portion of Amherst
Amherst, New Hampshire
Amherst is a town in Hillsborough County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 11,201 at the 2010 census. Amherst is home to Ponemah Bog Wildlife Sanctuary, Hodgman State Forest, the Joe English Reservation and Baboosic Lake....
, and enters the town of Merrimack
Merrimack, New Hampshire
Merrimack is a town in Hillsborough County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 25,494 at the 2010 census, making it the eighth-largest municipality in New Hampshire....
. Shortly upstream of the town center, the river passes over Wildcat Falls, then crosses under the Everett Turnpike
Everett Turnpike
The Frederick E. Everett Turnpike, also called the Central New Hampshire Turnpike, is a toll road in New Hampshire, USA, running from the Massachusetts border at Nashua north to Concord...
and U.S. Route 3
U.S. Route 3
U.S. Route 3 is a north–south United States highway that runs from its southern terminus in Cambridge, Massachusetts through New Hampshire to its terminus near Third Connecticut Lake at the Canadian border, where the road continues north as Quebec Route 257.In New Hampshire parts of US 3 are...
to reach the Merrimack River. A USGS river gauge is located here.
The river is used for water supplies
Water supply
Water supply is the provision of water by public utilities, commercial organisations, community endeavours or by individuals, usually via a system of pumps and pipes...
, a small amount of hydropower
Hydropower
Hydropower, hydraulic power, hydrokinetic power or water power is power that is derived from the force or energy of falling water, which may be harnessed for useful purposes. Since ancient times, hydropower has been used for irrigation and the operation of various mechanical devices, such as...
, and recreation. There are 28 threatened or endangered species
Endangered species
An endangered species is a population of organisms which is at risk of becoming extinct because it is either few in numbers, or threatened by changing environmental or predation parameters...
sharing the watershed
Drainage basin
A drainage basin is an extent or an area of land where surface water from rain and melting snow or ice converges to a single point, usually the exit of the basin, where the waters join another waterbody, such as a river, lake, reservoir, estuary, wetland, sea, or ocean...
with 35,000 people. It is part of the New Hampshire Rivers Management Protection Program.
It was one of two rivers studied by the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services to reach data and recommendations about allowable "instream flow".
Etymology
The name "Souhegan" comes from the language of the Native American AlgonquinsAlgonquin language
Algonquin is either a distinct Algonquian language closely related to the Ojibwe language or a particularly divergent Ojibwe dialect. It is spoken, alongside French and to some extent English, by the Algonquin First Nations of Quebec and Ontario...
, meaning "waiting and watching place". Tribal fishermen set weirs
Fishing weir
A fishing weir, or fish weir, is an obstruction placed in tidal waters or wholly or partially across a river, which is designed to hinder the passage of fish. Traditionally they were built from wood or stones. They can be used to trap fish...
across the rapids, and then waited and watched for fish, including salmon
Salmon
Salmon is the common name for several species of fish in the family Salmonidae. Several other fish in the same family are called trout; the difference is often said to be that salmon migrate and trout are resident, but this distinction does not strictly hold true...
, alewives, sturgeon
Sturgeon
Sturgeon is the common name used for some 26 species of fish in the family Acipenseridae, including the genera Acipenser, Huso, Scaphirhynchus and Pseudoscaphirhynchus. The term includes over 20 species commonly referred to as sturgeon and several closely related species that have distinct common...
, and eel
Eel
Eels are an order of fish, which consists of four suborders, 20 families, 111 genera and approximately 800 species. Most eels are predators...
s.
The name of Skowhegan, Maine
Skowhegan, Maine
Skowhegan is the county seat of Somerset County, Maine, United States. As of the 2000 census, the town population was 8,824. Every August, Skowhegan hosts the annual Skowhegan State Fair, the oldest continuous state fair in the United States...
comes from the same term.