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| Kennebecasis River | |
|---|---|
 Kennebecasis River | |
 | |
| Location | |
| Country | Canada |
| Province | New Brunswick |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Source | |
| • location | Saint John,Rothesay,Quispamsis |
| Mouth | |
• location | Grand Bay (Saint John River) |
• coordinates | 45°19′0″N66°8′0″W / 45.31667°N 66.13333°W /45.31667; -66.13333 |
• elevation | 50 m (160 ft) |
| Length | 95 km (59 mi) |
| Basin size | 1,346 km2 (520 sq mi) |
TheKennebecasis River (/kɛnəbəˈkeɪsɪs/ken-ə-bə-KAY-sis) is a tributary of theSaint John River in southernNew Brunswick, Canada. The name Kennebecasis is thought to be derived from the Mi'kmaq "Kenepekachiachk", meaning "little long bay place."[citation needed] It runs for approximately 95 kilometres, draining an area in theCaledonia Highlands, an extension of theAppalachian Mountains, inland from theBay of Fundy.[1]
The river's source is in the foothills ofAlbert County, near the rural community ofGoshen. It runs southwest through the community ofPenobsquis; several tributaries join the river in the town ofSussex several kilometres further west.
BetweenSussex and the river's junction with theSaint John River atMillidgeville (part ofSaint John), the Kennebecasis River runs through a well-defined river valley which has become one of the primary land transportation routes in the southern part of the province, hosting theRoute 1expressway and theCanadian National Railway line to thePort of Saint John.
The upper two thirds of the Kennebecasis River passes through pastoral rural countryside consisting of Acadian mixed forest and various agricultural areas, notablydairy farms around Sussex. Southwest of Sussex, the river becomes increasingly larger as it passes the communities ofValley Waters andHampton, before it empties into adelta-like area informally called the Hampton Marsh. West of Hampton, the Kennebecasis flows in a broadfjord-like glacial valley which defines the southern side of the Kingston Peninsula. At its junction with the Saint John River, the Kennebecasis River helps to formGrand Bay.
Several large islands can be found in the river, such asKennebecasis Island just off-shore fromSummerville on the Kingston Peninsula, and uninhabited (with the exception of a few summer cottages and an off-the-grid community on the southern part of the island)Long Island, located nearRothesay.
The communities ofNauwigewauk,Quispamsis andRothesay become increasingly urban as the river approaches its junction with the Saint John River. The lower Kennebecasis River valley is a largely suburban/exurban region ofSaint John including communities within and outside of the city limits. The area is outside the summer 'fog belt' for theBay of Fundy and enjoys more sunshine year-round than Saint John. It is also substantially colder in winter than the Bay of Fundy microclimates found in coastal areas of Saint John.
"The Valley" or "KV", as the lower Kennebecasis River valley is called by locals, has experienced dramatic population growth over the past several decades, largely owing to the development of Route 1 through the area in the 1960s. Once a minor dormitory suburb of the Saint John area, the towns of Rothesay and Quispamsis constitute a moderately-sized population centre with some commercial development. Saint John, by contrast, has suffered from an erosion of its tax and commercial bases as population and businesses have migrated away from the urban core.
The Kennebecasis effectively isolates theKingston Peninsula from suburban sprawl. It is crossed by two ferry services, theGondola Point Ferry that connectsGondola Point to Reeds Point, and theSummerville to Millidgeville Ferry that connectsMillidgeville to Summerville. A third ferry service, theKennebecasis Island Ferry connects Summerville toKennebecasis Island. Several controversial proposals have been made in recent decades to build a highway bridge over the Kennebecasis River to the Kingston Peninsula however this has been rejected by numerous provincial governments citing financial pressures as well as the likelihood of suburban sprawl occurring in this farming area as a result.
The Kennebecasis River valley communities have rich histories; many were settled by Loyalists in the 1780s and 1790s who traveled upriver from Saint John to land grants offered by the British government. They became more prominent during the late 1800s following construction of theEuropean and North American Railway through the area, which allowed for easier travel between Saint John and Moncton. Over the ensuing decades, the lower Kennebecasis River valley became a summer vacation destination for wealthy Maritimers, Americans and central Canadians. It is also a popularcruising destination for recreational boating as a result of its connection with the navigable portions of the Saint John River.
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