Bear River (Long Lake) facts for kids

The Bear River is a small but important river in Maine, a state in the United States. It's about 2.7-mile-long (4.3 km), which is roughly the length of 48 football fields! This river is a "tributary," which means it's a smaller stream or river that flows into a larger one. The Bear River flows into Long Lake.

Discover the Bear River

The Bear River starts its journey in a place called Bear Pond. This pond is located in the town of Waterford, which is part of Oxford County. Imagine a small stream trickling out of the pond – that's the very beginning of the Bear River!

Its Path Through Maine

From Bear Pond, the Bear River flows towards the southeast. It travels through two different counties and three towns:

• First, it stays in Oxford County and the town of Waterford.
• Then, it crosses into Cumberland County and flows through the town of Bridgton.
• Finally, it reaches the town of Harrison. This is where the Bear River meets Long Lake.

Connecting to the Ocean

Even though the Bear River is short, it's part of a much bigger water system called a "watershed." A watershed is like a giant bowl where all the rain and snowmelt drain into a common river or lake. The Bear River is part of the Presumpscot River watershed.

Here's how its water eventually reaches the ocean:

• The Bear River flows into Long Lake.
• From Long Lake, the water travels into the Songo River.
• The Songo River then empties into Sebago Lake.
• Finally, water from Sebago Lake flows into the Presumpscot River.
• The Presumpscot River then carries all this water all the way to Casco Bay, which is part of the huge Atlantic Ocean!

So, even a small river like the Bear River plays a part in connecting the inland lakes of Maine to the vast ocean.