Sebasticook River (Photo: Matt Bernier)
, rises in North Dexter and flows
south for roughly 50 miles, paralleling the Kennebec until the
two rivers converge at Winslow. Its 606,000-acre watershed includes
over 50 great ponds and a vast network of placid streams and wetlands--making
it one of the most important flyways for waterfowl in New England.
to
many rare, threatened, and endangered species
including the Tomah mayfly, the Yellow Lamp
Mussel, and the Black Tern. It's also the
site of the oldest fish weir in North America,
a submereged wooden structure that predates
the pyramids of ancient Egypt.
for its fine
fishing, which improved below Ft. Halifax
dam after Edwards dam was taken out of the
Kennebec. The Sebasticook is also popular
with paddlers who enjoy the scenic landscape
of gently rolling hills, forest, and farmland. |
 in Maine, the Sebasticook has seen
its share of abuse. Most notably, the East Branch was contaminated
with hazardous chemicals from the Eastland Woolen Mill in Corinna.
Although the mill closed in 1996, it's now an EPA
Superfund site, and is currently being cleaned up.
still
faces current threats--mainly now from nonpoint source pollution
rather than mills or factories--residents and river supporters
are working to alleviate these threats and to build on recent
successes like the Edwards Dam removal.
(Photo Sebasticook River Watershed Association)
P.O. Box 486
Unity, ME 04988-0486
www.sebasticookriver.org |
