Sebasticook River facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Sebasticook River |
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| Country | United States |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Main source | Maine 750 feet (230 m) |
| River mouth | Kennebec River 32 feet (10 m) 44°32′19″N 69°37′54″W / 44.5386°N 69.6317°W |
| Length | 76 miles (122 km) |
| Basin features | |
| Tributaries | |
The Sebasticook River is a 76-mile (122-kilometer) long river. It flows through the central part of Maine, in the United States. The river begins near Dexter. From there, it flows west and south for about 30 miles (48 km) to Great Moose Lake.
After leaving Great Moose Lake in Hartland, the Sebasticook River continues south. It flows for another 41 miles (66 km). Finally, it joins the Kennebec River in Winslow.
Contents
About the Sebasticook River
The Sebasticook River is the largest river that flows into the Kennebec River. It covers a huge area of 985 square miles (2,550 square kilometers). This makes it very important for helping fish populations. It helps both fish that live in the river all the time and those that travel from the ocean.
Why the River is Important
The river plays a big role in the health of the Kennebec River area. It also helps the larger Gulf of Maine ecosystem. Because it is close to the lower Kennebec River and has a large area, it was once a major home for many fish.
Historically, many fish came here to lay their eggs and for their young to grow. These fish include alewife, blueback herring, American shad, rainbow smelt, and striped bass. These fish are part of the Kennebec River and Gulf of Maine ecosystems. The river also provided a home for Atlantic salmon, though in smaller numbers.
Great Moose Lake
| Great Moose Lake | |
|---|---|
 Great Moose Lake
Location in Maine
|
|
| Location | Somerset County, Maine |
| Coordinates | 44°55′N 69°31′W / 44.917°N 69.517°W |
| Basin countries | United States |
| Max. length | 5 mi (8.0 km) |
| Max. width | 1.5 mi (2.4 km) |
| Surface area | 3,856 acres (1,560 ha) |
| Max. depth | 50 feet (15 m) |
| Water volume | 52,697 acre⋅ft (65,001,000 m3) |
| Surface elevation | 243 ft (74 m) |
Great Moose Lake was once called Moose Pond. It is the second-largest lake in the Sebasticook River area. It is also the biggest lake directly on the main part of the river.
Fish in Great Moose Lake
This lake is a good home for several types of fish. You can find smallmouth bass, white perch, chain pickerel, and rainbow smelt here. Smaller streams that flow into the lake also help smelt lay their eggs. These streams include Black Stream, Wichee Brook, Brown Brook, Higgins Brook, Goodwin Brook, and Little Ferguson Brook.
Even though the surface water can get warm in summer, and there's less oxygen deeper down, people have tried to add salmon to the lake. This is done by the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife.
