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Millers River

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Coordinates:42°35′50″N72°29′48″W / 42.59722°N 72.49667°W /42.59722; -72.49667

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

River in Massachusetts, United States

This article is about the river in Massachusetts. For the river in Rhode Island, seeMillers River (Rhode Island). For the former river in eastern Massachusetts, seeMillers River (Middlesex). For the river in Washington, seeMiller River.

Millers River
Millers River atMillers Falls, Massachusetts

Physical characteristics

Source
• location	Confluence of Bear Meadow Brook and Bluefield Brook,Ashburnham, Massachusetts
• elevation	1,124 feet (343 m)

Mouth
• location	Connecticut River atMillers Falls, Massachusetts
• elevation	175 feet (53 m)
Length	52 miles (84 km)
Basin size	390 square miles (1,000 km²)

Discharge
• average	1,000 cu ft/s (28 m³/s)

TheMillers River is a 52.1-mile-long (83.8 km)^[1] river in northernMassachusetts, originating inAshburnham^[2] and joining theConnecticut River just downstream fromMillers Falls, Massachusetts. Sections of the river are used forwhitewater kayaking, and a section upriver is popular withflatwater racers (canoe racing), and the river is known locally as a good place for pike fishing.

Native names

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The river was formerly known asPapacontuckquash, aNipmuc word meaning "split banks river", frompapahe ("split"),akun ("bank"),tekw ("river"), andesh, a plural marker.Papacontuckquash is cited as the name for the Miller's River, signed and witnessed by the Native leaders on the "Indian Land Deeds for Hampshire County, Later Including Franklin . . . ",^[3] where it is also noted that this name is given on "an ancient map" in the collections ofWilliams College. Additionally,Papcontuckquash is given by Sonskqua Mishalisk, 17th centuryPocumtuck leader, as the name for the Miller's River.^[4]

Some have assigned "Paquag", "Baqaug", or "Pacquoag" as the name of the river.^[5] However, "Paquoag" refers to the location of the town ofAthol.^[6] This identification was confirmed by Kchisogmo (Grand Chief) Henry Lorne Masta in 1932 asPakwaik, meaning "arrows place", for the arrowwood (Viburnum dentatum) that grew there, used for making arrow shafts.^[7] The termPachaug refers to "clear water" in Nipmuc for a creek and meadow in Squakheag, nowNorthfield, where the word displays the palatization of "k" that conforms to the northern and western dialect of Nipmuk, as indicated by Holly Gustafson inNipmuk Grammar,^[8] and confirmed in Dr. Ives Goddard's "The 'Loup' Languages of Western Massachusetts: The Dialectal Diversity of Southern New England Algonquian",^[9] whilePacoag retains the unpalatized feature associated withMassachusett andNatick dialect^[10] and is associated on land documents withRutland in Worcester County.^[11]

Topography

[edit]

The Millers River drains a total area of about 390 square miles (1,000 km²), about 313 square miles (810 km²) of which are in Massachusetts, with the remainder inNew Hampshire. About 78 percent of the basin is forested, 11 percent is open land, 8 percent is wetland, and 3 percent contains urban areas. The watershed is made up of all or part of 17 municipalities, with a population of approximately 87,000 people. Population centers within the watershed are concentrated aroundWinchendon,Gardner,Athol, andOrange.^[12]

Many wetlands in the basin indicate areas of former shallow lakes and ponds that have gradually been filled. There are a total of 107 lakes and ponds in the basin, 72 of which have an area of 10 acres (40,000 m²) or more. Only one lake, 592-acre (2.40 km²)Lake Monomonac inWinchendon, Massachusetts, andRindge, New Hampshire, is larger than 500 acres (2.0 km²).^[12]

Origin

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The Millers River formed at the end of the last glacial period when several glacial lakes joined and, eventually, drained into the Connecticut River. The river's headwaters are in Ashburnham, Massachusetts, and the headwaters of theNorth Branch are in Mountain Pond, at the western foot of theWapack Range inNew Ipswich, New Hampshire.^[12]

Course and connecting waterways

[edit]

The North Branch and the main stem of the river join in Winchendon, and the river flows westward to the Connecticut River. Major tributaries of the Millers River areTarbell Brook, which enters about two miles west of Winchendon Center, theOtter River, which enters in Winchendon inOtter River State Forest, and the Tully River, which enters in Athol. These tributaries flow mainly through wetlands. Overall, the Millers River has a moderate gradient, averaging about 18 feet/mile from the headwaters area to the USGS streamflow-gaging station atErving, a stream distance of about 43 miles (69 km).

However, a 5-mile (8.0 km) reach of the Millers River through a wooded area betweenSouth Royalston and Athol (the "Bear's Den") has an average gradient of about 43 feet/mile, which is about five times the average for rivers in Massachusetts, and some of the most rugged and steep terrain of the state's central upland. The gradient of the tributary Otter River averages about 18 feet/mile for a distance of about 11.5 miles (18.5 km), and that of the East Branch Tully River, the major tributary of the Tully River, averages about 52 feet/mile over a distance of about 13 miles (21 km).^[12]

Birch Hill Dam

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The Birch Hill Dam is aflood control dam located on the Millers River in SouthRoyalston, Massachusetts. It is a part of a network of flood control dams on tributaries of the Connecticut River. Completed in 1941 at a cost of US$4 million, Birch Hill Dam was one of the first dams theArmy Corps of Engineers built inNew England to prevent floods like those that devastated Athol andOrange in 1936 and 1938. It has a storage capacity of 16.3 billion US gallons (62,000,000 m³).^[13]

The Reservoir Regulation Team (RRT) is the "nerve center" for the New England flood control dams such as Birch Hill Dam. Using radio and satellite communications, RRT constantly monitors river levels and weather conditions that influence flood control decisions.^[13] Corps personnel, in conjunction with RRT, regulate the amount of water released downstream by raising or lowering the four 6 ft (1.8 m) by 12 ft (3.7 m) gates located in the gatehouse at the dam. In a time of high water, the gates are lowered in order to hold back the water, only to be released when downstream river conditions begin to recede. In April 1987, two storms dropped over 6 inches (150 mm) of rain, raising the water level to over 33 feet (10 m) at the dam, utilizing 80% of the storage capacity. It is estimated that Birch Hill Dam prevented over $9 million in damages to downstream property from this one storm.^[13]

References

[edit]

^U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline data.The National Map Archived March 29, 2012, at theWayback Machine, accessed April 1, 2011
^"TopoQuest map for main branch". RetrievedJune 29, 2008.
^Indian Land Deeds for Hampshire, etc. Liber A, pages 86-88/
^"Indian Land Deeds For Hampshire, Etc". RetrievedDecember 2, 2020.
^"NIAC Publications ~ Nipmuc Place Names - Maine & Massachusetts".www.nativetech.org. RetrievedAugust 13, 2018.
^"First Settlers of Pequoig". RetrievedJanuary 22, 2021.
^Abenaki Indian Legends, Grammar, and Place Names, Masta 1932
^"Nipmuk Grammar"(PDF). Archived from the original on April 13, 2017. RetrievedJanuary 22, 2021.
^Personal communication with author 2018-5-7.Papers of the Forty-Fourth Algonquian Conference/Actes du Congrès des Algonquinistes, 2016;ISBN 978-1-4384-5992-9
^Bragdon and Goddard,Writings in Massachusett, Volume I.ISBN 978-0871691859
^"Historical Collections Relating to the History and Antiquities of Every town in Massachusetts with Geographical Descriptions", John Warner Barber, Worcester, 1848
^^a ^b ^c ^d"Millers River Drainage Basin". Archived fromthe original on September 23, 2006. RetrievedJanuary 2, 2007.
^^a ^b ^c"USACE Birch Hill Dam". Archived fromthe original on January 26, 2007. RetrievedJanuary 2, 2007.

Some text drawn from Millers River Drainage Basin article by theUnited States Geological Survey (USGS), which is in the public domain as an original work of the United States Government.[1]
Indian Land Deeds for Hampden County, Later Including Franklin, Hampshire and Berkshire Counties

External links

[edit]

Millers River Environmental Center

42°35′50″N72°29′48″W / 42.59722°N 72.49667°W /42.59722; -72.49667

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Massachusetts portal

Rivers of Massachusetts bydrainage system

Atlantic Ocean

Buzzards Bay	Acushnet River Agawam River Back River Copicut River Crooked River Mattapoisett River Nasketucket River Paskamanset River Pocasset River Sippican River Slocums River Wankinco River Westport River Weweantic River
Nantucket Sound	Bass River Bumps River Childs River Coonamesset River Mashpee River Mitchell River Oyster Pond River Popponesset Creek Quashnet River Santuit River
Others	Tiasquam River

Gulf of Maine

Cape Cod Bay	Bluefish River Eel River Herring River Jones River Little Pamet River Pamet River Town Brook
Massachusetts Bay	Aberjona River Alewife Brook Canton River Charles River Chelsea Creek Cochato River Fore River Fresh River Indian Head River Malden River Millers River Monatiquot River Muddy River Mystic River Neponset River North River Saugus River Stony Brook (Boston) Stony Brook (Waltham) Stop River Weir River Weymouth Back River
Merrimack River Watershed	Artichoke River Assabet River Back River Beaver Brook Cochichewick River Concord River Little River Merrimack River Nashua River Nissitissit River North Nashua River Phillips Brook Powwow River Quinapoxet River Salmon Brook Shawsheen River Souhegan River South Branch Souhegan River South Nashua River Spicket River Squannacook River Stillwater River Sudbury River Trout Brook Vine Brook Whitman River
Others	Annisquam River Blackwater River Eagle Hill River Egypt River Ipswich River Jericho Creek Roger Island River Rowley River Skug River

Long Island Sound

Connecticut River Watershed	Burnshirt River Chapel Brook Chicopee River Connecticut River Cranberry River Deerfield River East Brookfield River Farmington River Fall River Five Mile River Green River Hubbard River Manhan River Mill River (Northampton) Mill River (Springfield) Millers River Mirey Brook North Branch Millers River North Branch Westfield River North River Otter River Quaboag River Scantic River Seven Mile River Tarbell Brook Ware River Westfield River
Housatonic River Watershed	Housatonic River Konkapot River Schenob Brook Umpachene River
Thames River Watershed	French River Quinebaug River

Narragansett Bay

Mount Hope Bay (Taunton River Watershed)	Assonet River Canoe River Cedar Swamp River Cocasset River Cotley River Forge River Hockomock River Matfield River Mill River Nemasket River Poor Meadow Brook Quequechan River Rumford River Salisbury Plain River Satucket River Segreganset River Shumatuscacant River Snake River Taunton River Three Mile River Town River Wading River Winnetuxet River
Providence River Watershed	Abbott Run Blackstone River Bungay River Chockalog River Mill River Mumford River Peters River Quinsigamond River Sevenmile River Tannery River Ten Mile River West River Wilde River
Others	Barrington River Cole River Coles Brook Kickemuit River Lees River Palmer River Runnins River

Upper New York Bay

Hudson River Watershed	Hoosic River Kinderhook Creek

Rivers of New Hampshire bydrainage system

Gulf of Maine

Atlantic coastal tributaries	Blackwater River Browns River Drakes River Hampton River Hampton Falls River Little River Old River Taylor River
Merrimack River watershed	Baboosic Brook Back River Baker River Bear Brook Beards Brook Beaver Brook Beebe River Big River Black Brook Blackwater River Cockermouth River Cohas Brook Contoocook River East Branch Baker River East Branch Pemigewasset River Fowler River Frazier Brook Gridley River Gunstock River Lane River Little River (Big River) Little River (Merrimack River) Little Massabesic Brook-Sucker Brook Little Suncook River Lost River Mad River Melvin River Merrimack River Merrymeeting River Middle Branch Piscataquog River Moosilauke Brook Nashua River Newfound River Nissitissit River North Branch Contoocook River North Fork East Branch Pemigewasset River Nubanusit Brook Pemigewasset River Pennichuck Brook Piscataquog River Powwow River Purgatory Brook Red Hill River Salmon Brook Shedd Brook Smith River Soucook River Souhegan River South Branch Baker River South Branch Piscataquog River South Branch Souhegan River Spicket River Squam River Stony Brook Suncook River Tioga River Turkey River Warner River West Branch Mad River West Branch Souhegan River West Branch Warner River Winnipesaukee River
Merrymeeting Bay (Androscoggin River watershed)	Androscoggin River Chickwolnepy Stream Clear Stream Dead River Dead Diamond River East Branch Dead Diamond River Little Dead Diamond River Little Magalloway River Magalloway River Middle Branch Dead Diamond River Middle Branch Little Magalloway River Mollidgewock Brook Moose Brook Moose River Peabody River Rattle River South Branch Little Dead Diamond River Swift Diamond River West Branch Dead Diamond River West Branch Little Dead Diamond River West Branch Little Magalloway River West Branch Magalloway River West Branch Peabody River Wild River
Piscataqua River watershed	Bean River Bellamy River Berrys River Branch River Bunker Creek Cochecho River Ela River Exeter River Fresh River Isinglass River Jones Brook Lamprey River Little River (Brentwood) Little River (Exeter) Little River (Lamprey River) Mad River North River North Branch River Oyster River Pawtuckaway River Piscassic River Piscataqua River Rattlesnake River Salmon Falls River Squamscott River Winnicut River
Saco Bay (Saco River watershed)	Bearcamp River Beech River Chocorua River Cold River (Bearcamp River) Cold River Cutler River Dan Hole River Deer River Dry River East Branch Saco River East Branch Whiteface River East Fork East Branch Saco River Ellis River Little Cold River Lovell River Mad River Middle Branch Mad River Mill Brook New River Ossipee River Pequawket Brook Pine River Rocky Branch Saco River Sawyer River Shepards River South River South Branch Mad River Swift River (Bearcamp River) Swift River (Saco River) West Branch Whiteface River Wildcat Brook Wonalancet River

Long Island Sound

Connecticut River watershed

Tributaries

Connecticut	Blackledge River Coginchaug River Connecticut River Duck River Eightmile River Falls River Farmington River Hockanum River Hubbard River Jeremy River Lieutenant River Mattabesset River Nepaug River Pameacha Creek Park River Pequabuck River Salmon River Scantic River
Massachusetts	Burnshirt River Chapel Brook Chicopee River Connecticut River Cranberry River Deerfield River East Brookfield River Farmington River Fall River Five Mile River Green River Hubbard River Manhan River Mill River (Northampton) Mill River (Springfield) Millers River Mirey Brook North Branch Millers River North Branch Westfield River North River Otter River Quaboag River Scantic River Seven Mile River Tarbell Brook Ware River Westfield River
New Hampshire	Ammonoosuc River Ashuelot River Blow-me-down Brook The Branch Cold River Connecticut River East Branch Mohawk River Gale River Great Brook Halls Stream Ham Branch Indian River Indian Stream Israel River Johns River Knox River Little River Little Sugar River Mascoma River Millers River Mink Brook Mirey Brook Mohawk River Nash Stream North Branch Gale River North Branch Millers River North Branch Sugar River North Branch Upper Ammonoosuc River Oliverian Brook Otter Brook Partridge Brook Perry Stream Phillips Brook Simms Stream South Branch Ashuelot River South Branch Gale River South Branch Israel River South Branch Sugar River Stocker Brook Sugar River Tarbell Brook Upper Ammonoosuc River West Branch Mohawk River West Branch Upper Ammonoosuc River Wild Ammonoosuc River Zealand River
Vermont	Black River Connecticut River Deerfield River Fall River Green River Halls Stream Leach Creek Moose River Nulhegan River Ompompanoosuc River Ottauquechee River Passumpsic River Rock River Saxtons River Utley Brook Waits River Wells River West River Whetstone Brook White River Williams River Winhall River

Lakes

Connecticut	Barkhamsted Reservoir Lake Beseck Lake Hayward Lake Pocotopaug
Massachusetts	Brooks Pond Browning Pond Lake Monomonac Quabbin Reservoir Lake Wyola
New Hampshire	Ashuelot Pond Back Lake Canaan Street Lake Cedar Pond Christine Lake Comerford Reservoir Connecticut Lakes Crystal Lake Dublin Pond Eastman Pond Echo Lake Lake Francis (Murphy Dam) Goose Pond Grafton Pond Granite Lake Lakes of the Clouds Little Sunapee Lake Mascoma Lake McIndoes Reservoir Lake Monomonac Moore Reservoir Pearly Lake Silver Lake Spofford Lake Lake Sunapee Surry Mountain Lake Lake Tarleton
Vermont	Ball Mountain Lake Comerford Reservoir Harriman Reservoir Harvey's Lake McIndoes Reservoir Moore Reservoir North Hartland Lake Lake Rescue Townshend Lake

Towns

Connecticut	Chester Cromwell Deep River East Haddam East Hampton East Hartford East Windsor Enfield Essex Glastonbury Haddam Hartford Higganum Lyme Middletown Moodus Old Lyme Old Saybrook Portland Rocky Hill South Windsor Suffield Thompsonville Wethersfield Windsor Windsor Locks
Massachusetts	Agawam Chicopee Deerfield Easthampton Gill Greenfield Hadley Hatfield Holyoke Longmeadow Millers Falls Montague Northampton Northfield South Hadley Springfield Sunderland Turners Falls West Springfield Whately
New Hampshire	Bath Charlestown Chesterfield Claremont Clarksville Colebrook Columbia Cornish Dalton Groveton Hanover Haverhill Hinsdale Lancaster Lebanon Littleton Lyme Monroe Northumberland Orford Piermont Pittsburg Plainfield Stewartstown Stratford Walpole West Lebanon Westmoreland Woodsville
Quebec	East Hereford
Vermont	Ascutney Barnet Beecher Falls Bellows Falls Bloomfield Bradford Brattleboro Brunswick Canaan Concord Dummerston Fairlee Gilman Guildhall Hartford Hartland Lemington Lunenburg Maidstone Newbury Norwich Putney Rockingham Ryegate Springfield Thetford Vernon Waterford Weathersfield Wells River Westminster White River Junction Wilder Windsor