Five Mile River (Quaboag River)

Infobox River | river_name = Five Mile River

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caption = File Mile River head at Brooks Pond
origin = Brooks Pond
mouth = Lake Lashaway
basin_countries =
length = 3.5 mi (5.63 km)
elevation = 660 ft (201.17 m)
mouth_elevation = 615 ft (187 m)
discharge = 5.5 ft³/s (0.155 m³/s)
watershed = 13.8 mi² (37.74 km²)The Five Mile River heads at Brooks Pond in Massachusetts, 2.5 mi (4.02 km) northeast of North Brookfield, flows approximately south, then mouths at the north end of Lake Lashaway, also in North Brookfield.

Information

The Five Mile River is a short river that connects Brooks Pond and Lake Lashaway, both in the township of North Brookfield. This river is a tributary to the Quaboag River and is part of the Chicopee River Watershed. A portion of this river forms the boundary of North Brookfield and Oakham, Massachusetts. It's been harnessed as a source of power for saw and grist mills and colonial foundry according to historical documentation. The proximity to iron ore, power from Brooks pond (previously known as Johnson's Pond), to power an air blast bellows, and nearby abundance of wood (for charcoal), made five mile river a good location for blast furnace and iron works operated by Jonathan and Nicholas Jenkes in 1782. "Two Gilberts joined the enterprise and still later the venture was split in two--two furnaces, two forges etc.-each family operating one."

The five Mile River is also fed by the outflow from the Kittredge Dam Reservoir and the Horse Pond Brook Reservoir as well as drainage from the wetlands area extending from Brooks Pond to the north and Lake Lashaway to the south. This watershed is approximately fourteen square miles in addition to the Brooks Pond watershed.

Coordinates

coord|42|17|41|N|72|02|17|W Head
coord|42|14|47|N|72|03|34|W Mouth

References

http://pubs.usgs.gov/wri/wri994006/wrir99-4006.pdf