Saco River

Infobox River
river_name = Saco River

---

image_size = 200px
caption = The Saco River in Conway, New Hampshire
origin = Saco Lake, White Mountains
mouth = Gulf of Maine, North Atlantic Ocean
basin_countries = United States
length =
elevation =
discharge =
watershed = 1,293 mi² (15,200 km²)

The Saco River is a river in northeastern New Hampshire and southwestern Maine in the United States. It drains a rural area of convert|1703|sqmi|km2 of forests and farmlands west and southwest of Portland, emptying into the Atlantic Ocean at Saco Bay, convert|134|mi|km from its source. It supplies drinking water to roughly 250,000 people in thirty-five towns.

River's course

The river rises at Saco Lake in Crawford Notch in the White Mountains and flows generally south-southeast through Bartlett and Conway in Carroll County, New Hampshire before crossing into Oxford County, Maine.

Shortly after entering Fryeburg, Maine, the river branches into the "Old Course" Saco River and the more commonly used "Canal River". Constructed in the 1800s to be more convenient for farmers, the convert|6|mi|km|adj=on|0 long canal is convert|15|mi|km shorter than the old course [U.S. Geological Survey. 1:24,000-scale Digital Line Graph data.] and is now considered to be the official course for the river, as the upstream end of the old course is largely silted over. The two channels merge again near Lovell, Maine.

After running through six hydropower stations and entering York County, the river crosses under Interstate 95 and passes between Saco and Biddeford, where it is bridged by U.S. Route 1. It enters Saco Bay on the Atlantic with Camp Ellis in Saco on the north shore and Hills Beach in Biddeford on the south shore.

The United States government maintains two river flow gages on the Saco river. The first is at Conway, New Hampshire (coord|43|59|27|N|71|05|29|W|) where the rivershed is convert|385|sqmi|km2|0. Flow here has ranged from 47,200 to 40 cubic feet per second. The second is at Cornish, Maine (coord|43|48|29|N|70|46|53|W|) where the rivershed is convert|1293|sqmi|km2. Flow here has ranged from 46,600 to 244 cubic feet per second. [cite web | author=G.J. Stewart, J.P. Nielsen, J.M. Caldwell, A.R. Cloutier | year=2002| title=Water Resources Data - Maine, Water Year 2001 | format=PDF | work=Water Resources Data - Maine, Water Year 2001 | url=http://me.water.usgs.gov/Maine01adr.pdf | accessdate=2006-05-07]

Attractions

The Saco is a popular recreational river, drawing an estimated 3,000 to 7,000 people per summer weekend, mostly on the stretch from Swan's Falls (a campground formerly maintained by the Appalachian Mountain Club and now maintained by the Saco River Recreation Council,) to Brownfield, Maine. There are many sand beaches along the Saco when not at flood stage and camping is allowed along some of these beaches for free. Misuse, including large quantities of garbage left behind by users and illegal fires, as well as discourtesy toward landowners, has led many beaches to be posted and monitored. Obtain permit from State of Maine for fires along unposted beaches.Fact|date=June 2008

The Saco is a major attraction for canoeists. Several canoeing rentals are available throughout the river's distance.

Problems

Multiple violent and reportedly alcohol-related incidents in 2001 led to increased police patrols and efforts by livery companies, landowners, and government agencies to improve conditions. [ cite journal | last = Zimet | first = Abby | title = This River is Rated R | journal = Down East: The Magazine of Maine | volume = 52 | issue = 12 | pages = 76–79, 108–113 | publisher = Down East Enterprise, Inc. |month=July | year=2006 |url=http://www.downeast.com/Down-East-Magazine/July-2006/This-River-is-Rated-R/ ]

Major tributaries

Listed from source to mouth:
*Dry River
*Sawyer River
*Rocky Branch
*Ellis River
*East Branch Saco River
*Swift River
*Cold River/Charles River
*Outlet, Kezar Lake
*Kezar River
*Shepards River
*Tenmile River
*Ossipee River
*Little Ossipee River

References

External links

* [http://mainerivers.org/saco.htm MaineRivers.org] Saco River Profile
* [http://cfpub.epa.gov/surf/huc.cfm?huc_code=01060002 EPA Saco River Watershed Profile]
* Real-time flow data for the [http://waterdata.usgs.gov/usa/nwis/uv?site_no=01064500 Conway, NH] and [http://waterdata.usgs.gov/usa/nwis/uv?site_no=01066000 Cornish, ME] gages.
* The Saco River Recreation Council sponsors an annual [http://srcc-maine.org/Pages/cleanup.html clean-up day] to pick up trash along the river.
* [http://www.sacorivercanoe.com/ Saco River Canoe Official Site]
* [http://www.riverruncanoe.com/ River Run Canoe Official Site]
* [http://outdoors.mainetoday.com/canoeing/020811sacoriver.shtml Maine Today Review]