| Mascoma River | |
|---|---|
Mascoma River in 2012 at Riverside Park,Lebanon, NH | |
| Location | |
| Country | United States |
| State | New Hampshire |
| County | Grafton |
| Towns | Dorchester,Canaan,Enfield,Lebanon |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Source | Cummins Pond |
| • location | Dorchester |
| • coordinates | 43°46′40″N72°0′54″W / 43.77778°N 72.01500°W /43.77778; -72.01500 |
| • elevation | 1,525 ft (465 m) |
| Mouth | Connecticut River |
• location | Lebanon |
• coordinates | 43°38′9″N72°19′34″W / 43.63583°N 72.32611°W /43.63583; -72.32611 |
• elevation | 330 ft (100 m) |
| Length | 31.6 mi (50.9 km) |
| Basin features | |
| Tributaries | |
| • left | Indian River, Crystal Lake Brook,Knox River, Stony Brook, Great Brook |
| • right | Clark Pond Brook, Goose Pond Brook, Lovejoy Brook |
TheMascoma River is a 31.6-mile-long (50.9 km)[1] river in westernNew Hampshire in the United States. It is atributary of theConnecticut River, which flows toLong Island Sound. The Mascoma comprises two sections which are split byMascoma Lake in the communities ofEnfield andLebanon. Counting the lake would add 2.7 miles (4.3 km) to the river's length.
The Mascoma River begins at Cummins Pond in a heavily forested part of the town ofDorchester and flows south into the town ofCanaan, collecting water flowing from Reservoir Pond, Clark Pond, andCanaan Street Lake before reaching theIndian River. Here it turns west, collecting tributaries arriving fromGoose Pond andCrystal Lake, before it passes through themill town of Enfield and arrives at Mascoma Lake.
At the western end of Mascoma Lake, the Mascoma River, now in Lebanon, drops quickly overrapids, passing numerous smallhydroelectric dams in the center of Lebanon and on its way toWest Lebanon, where it reaches the Connecticut River. The section of the river immediately downstream of the Mascoma Lake dam is reserved forfly fishing only, while other portions of the river are open for all types of fishermen. The river is stocked by theNew Hampshire Fish and Game Department.
For most of its path from the Indian River to the Connecticut, the Mascoma River and its valley have influenced the location of numerous transportation routes, includingU.S. Route 4 and an inactive, state-ownedrail line known as theNorthern Railroad, most of which has now been converted to theNorthern Rail Trail.
