| Pemigewasset River | |
|---|---|
The Pemigewasset River descends into the Basin inFranconia Notch. | |
| Location | |
| Country | United States |
| State | New Hampshire |
| Counties | Grafton,Belknap,Merrimack |
| Towns and city | Franconia,Lincoln,Woodstock,Thornton,Campton,Plymouth,Holderness,Ashland,Bridgewater,New Hampton,Bristol,Hill,Sanbornton,Franklin |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Source | Franconia Notch |
| • location | Franconia |
| • coordinates | 44°10′18″N71°41′14″W / 44.17167°N 71.68722°W /44.17167; -71.68722 |
| • elevation | 1,980 ft (600 m) |
| Mouth | Merrimack River |
• location | Franklin |
• coordinates | 43°26′11″N71°38′54″W / 43.43639°N 71.64833°W /43.43639; -71.64833 |
• elevation | 262 ft (80 m) |
| Length | 65.0 mi (104.6 km) |
| Basin features | |
| Tributaries | |
| • left | Flume Brook,East Branch Pemigewasset River,Mad River,Beebe River,Squam River, Salmon Brook,Winnipesaukee River |
| • right | Moosilauke Brook, Hubbard Brook, West Branch Brook,Baker River,Newfound River,Smith River, Chance Pond Brook |
ThePemigewasset River/ˌpɛmɪdʒəˈwɑːsɪt/, known locally as "The Pemi", is a river in the state ofNew Hampshire, theUnited States. It is 65.0 miles (104.6 km) in length and (with its tributaries) drains approximately 1,021 square miles (2,644 km2).[1] The name "Pemigewasset" comes from theAbenaki wordbemijijoasek [bəmidzidzoasək], meaning "where side (entering) current is".[2]
The Pemigewasset originates atProfile Lake inFranconia Notch State Park, in the town ofFranconia. It flows south through theWhite Mountains and merges with theWinnipesaukee River to form theMerrimack River atFranklin. The Merrimack then flows through southern New Hampshire, northeasternMassachusetts and into theAtlantic Ocean.

TheInterstate 93 highway runs parallel with the river betweenFranconia Notch andNew Hampton. The river passes through the communities ofLincoln,North Woodstock,Woodstock,Thornton,Campton,Plymouth,Holderness,Ashland,Bridgewater,Bristol, New Hampton,Hill,Sanbornton, and Franklin.
The river descends over waterfalls in Franconia Notch, including "The Basin", passes cascades in North Woodstock, and drops over Livermore Falls north of Plymouth. The remainder of the northern Pemi, from Lincoln to Ashland, passes over copious gravel bars and attracts numerous boaters and fishermen. Below Ashland, the river is impounded by theAyers Island Dam, ahydroelectric facility, for over five miles. A short stretch of heavy whitewater is found below the dam, before the river reaches the impoundment zone for theFranklin Falls flood controlreservoir. The river crosses one additional hydroelectric dam below Franklin Falls before joining theWinnipesaukee River in the center of Franklin, becoming the Merrimack River.
The Pemigewasset watershed consists of over 1,100 miles (1,800 km) of rivers and 17,000 acres (69 km2) of lake, pond, and reservoir area. The watershed comprises about 20 percent of the Merrimack's total watershed area.

Major tributaries include (from north to south):
