Northwest Branch Saint John River facts for kids

The Northwest Branch Saint John River is a river that flows through both Canada and the United States. In French, it's called Décharge du Lac Frontière. It is about 20.7 kilometres (12.9 mi) (12.8 miles) long.

This river starts in Frontier Lake (Quebec-Maine) in Quebec, Canada. After crossing the Canada–United States border, the river flows south. It then meets another river called the Daaquam River, which also comes from Canada. Finally, the Northwest Branch Saint John River flows east and joins the Southwest Branch Saint John River to form the larger Saint John River.

The river flows through these areas:

• In Quebec, Canada: The municipality of Lac-Frontière, Quebec.
• In Maine, United States: Aroostook County, Maine and Somerset County, Maine.

River's Journey: Where Does the River Flow?

The Northwest Branch Saint John River begins its journey in Quebec, Canada, and then crosses into Maine, USA.

Starting Point: The Source of the River

The river's official starting point, or source, is at the Canada–United States border. However, the water that feeds it comes from Frontier Lake (Quebec-Maine) in Lac-Frontière, Quebec, Canada. The part of the river between a bridge on Road 283 and the US border is often seen as an extension of Frontier Lake itself.

This source is located about 6.5 kilometres (4.0 mi) (4 miles) southeast of Lac Etchemin.

River's Path Through Quebec

The first part of the river's journey is in Quebec. It flows for about 1.1 kilometres (0.68 mi) (0.7 miles) to the south, reaching the Canada–United States border.

River's Path Through Maine

Once the river crosses into Maine, it flows for about 19.6 kilometres (12.2 mi) (12.2 miles). This part of its journey can be divided into two main sections:

Middle Section of the River

This section is about 9.9 kilometres (6.2 mi) (6.1 miles) long.

• It flows southeast for about 3.9 kilometres (2.4 mi) (2.4 miles).
• Then, it turns south and southwest for about 5.5 kilometres (3.4 mi) (3.4 miles), where it meets the Otter River.
• Finally, it flows southeast for about 2.5 kilometres (1.6 mi) (1.5 miles) until it joins the Daaquam River.

Lower Section of the River

This final section is about 9.7 kilometres (6.0 mi) (6 miles) long.

• It flows eastward for about 0.6 kilometres (0.37 mi) (0.4 miles) to meet Bean Creek.
• Then, it flows southeast for about 6.3 kilometres (3.9 mi) (3.9 miles) to meet Oak Brook.
• It continues south, making a curve to the east for about 1.3 kilometres (0.81 mi) (0.8 miles), reaching the border of Somerset County, Maine.
• The river flows southeast for another 1.5 kilometres (0.93 mi) (0.9 miles) in Somerset County, Maine until it reaches its end point.

Where the River Ends

The Northwest Branch Saint John River flows into the Saint John River. This is the same place where the Southwest Branch Saint John River also joins the Saint John River.

From this point, the Saint John River continues its journey. It flows east and northeast through Maine, then east and southeast through New Brunswick, Canada. Eventually, it reaches the Bay of Fundy, which connects to the vast Atlantic Ocean.

Roads Near the River

Roads help people access different parts of the river.

• In Canada, Road 283 runs along the Canada-US border for about 6.4 kilometres (4.0 mi) (4 miles). It crosses the Northwest Branch Saint John River near the southeast side of Frontier Lake (Quebec-Maine).
• In the US, a road from Frontier Lake (Quebec-Maine) goes eastward through the mountains. Another road runs along the north bank of the river, downstream from where the Daaquam River joins. This road helps people get to the T11 R17 WELS area in the North Maine Woods.