Saint John River 529173 220264869 2008-06-19T01:06:46Z DumZiBoT 6085301 robot Adding: [[it:Saint John (fiume)]] {{for|the river in Florida|St. Johns River}} {{Infobox River | river_name = Saint John River | image_name = St_John_River_Map.png | caption = The course of the St. John River | origin = Northwestern [[Maine]] | mouth = [[Bay of Fundy]] at [[Saint John, New Brunswick|Saint John, NB]] | basin_countries = [[Canada]], [[United States]] | length = 673 km (418 mi) | elevation = 360 m (1,181 ft) | discharge = 990 m³/s (35,000 ft³/s) | watershed = 54,986 km² (21,230 mi²) }} [[Image:FrederictonNB SaintJohnRiver.jpg|thumb|right|Saint John River in Fredericton, NB]] The '''Saint John River''' (French ''Fleuve Saint-Jean'') is a river, approximately 418 mi (673 km) long, located in the [[Canadian province]] of [[New Brunswick]] and the [[U.S. state]] of [[Maine]]. It forms part of the [[Canada-US border]] in two places along its length. The river drains an area of approximately 55,000 km², of which slightly more than half is located in New Brunswick. The Saint John is also the second longest river on North America's Atlantic coastline (between the [[St. Lawrence River]] and the [[Mississippi River]]). Only the [[Susquehanna River|Susquehanna]] is longer. The lower section of the river from Fredericton to Saint John is nicknamed the "Rhine of North America" in reference to its popularity for recreational boating[http://www.google.ca/search?hl=en&client=firefox-a&rls=org.mozilla%3Aen-US%3Aofficial&hs=f9V&q=%22Rhine+of+North+America%22+Saint+John+River&btnG=Search&meta=]. ==Description== The Saint John rises in [[Somerset County, Maine|Somerset County]] in northwestern Maine and flows northeast through western [[Aroostook County, Maine|Aroostook County]] for a distance. Near [[Allagash, Maine|Allagash]], it is joined by the [[Allagash River]]. The portion of the Saint John River that lies entirely in [[Maine]] is essentially a wilderness waterway. Below [[St. Francis, Maine|St. Francis]], the Saint John begins to form part of the [[International Boundary]] between Maine and New Brunswick. Continuing its northeast course, the river passes [[Fort Kent, Maine]], and then flows between [[Edmundston, New Brunswick]], and [[Madawaska, Maine]], where it turns southeast, then passes between [[Van Buren, Maine]], and [[St. Leonard, New Brunswick]]. Near [[Grand Falls, New Brunswick]], the river enters entirely into New Brunswick, and changes direction to flow due south through the fertile [[Upper St. John River Valley]], framed by the rising hills of the [[Appalachian Mountains|Appalachian]] range in [[Victoria County, New Brunswick|Victoria]] and [[Carleton County, New Brunswick|Carleton]] counties. At [[Perth-Andover, New Brunswick|Perth-Andover]], the river is joined by the [[Aroostook River|Aroostook]] and the [[Tobique River|Tobique]] rivers. At [[Hartland, New Brunswick|Hartland]], it is crossed by the longest covered bridge in the world. Further south at [[Woodstock, New Brunswick|Woodstock]], the river leaves the Upper Valley and turns southeast away from the border region. It is joined by the Nackawic stream at [[Nackawic, New Brunswick|Nackawic]]. Eventually, it passes through New Brunswick's capital city [[Fredericton, New Brunswick|Fredericton]] (where it becomes navigable), and the military town of [[Oromocto, New Brunswick|Oromocto]]. Turning south from Oromocto, the river is joined by the short [[Jemseg River]] which empties New Brunswick's largest lake, [[Grand Lake, New Brunswick|Grand Lake]]. South of Fredericton the river becomes broad and shallow and it meanders through many low islands used for pastureland during dry periods in summer and fall. South of the Jemseg, the Saint John River is surrounded by the low hills of the St. Croix Highlands - another component of the Appalachian range and it is joined by several lateral bays, including [[Belleisle Bay]] and the [[Kennebecasis River]]. The river discharges into the [[Bay of Fundy]] at the industrial city of [[Saint John, New Brunswick|Saint John]]. At the river's mouth, there is a unique phenomenon caused by the high tides of the Bay. These tides are the highest in the world and cause the river to reverse its flow twice a day in a narrow gorge in the city's centre, creating the [[Reversing Falls Rapids]]. ==History== Members of the [[Maliseet]] Nation, whose lands and culture have been and are still centered on the Saint John River have historically called the river "Wolastoq", translating to "good and beautiful river". In 1604, parts of the lower river were explored by [[Samuel de Champlain]] and [[Sieur de Monts]]. Champlain named the river after [[John the Baptist]] because he reached the river's mouth on the saint's feast day, [[June 24]]. The river valley formed an important part of the [[French colonial empire|French colony]] of [[Acadia]]. [[Acadian]] settlements developed along the lower river during the 17th and 18th centuries; including Fort la Tour ([[Saint John, New Brunswick|Saint John]]) and Fort Sainte-Anne ([[Fredericton]]). The area fell under English control during the [[Seven Years' War]], after the English capture of Fort Sainte-Anne in 1759. In 1784, many [[United Empire Loyalists|loyalist]] refugees from the [[American Revolutionary War]] settled in [[Saint John, New Brunswick|Saint John]], Fredericton, and along the river at settlements such as [[Queensbury, New Brunswick|Queensbury]] and [[Woodstock, New Brunswick|Woodstock]]. The new [[British North America|English colony]] of [[New Brunswick]] was created shortly afterwards and Fredericton was named the capital. In 1785, Acadians created the first colony in the Upper Saint-John River valley, near what is now [[Edmundston, New Brunswick|Edmundston]]. English settlement of the fertile Upper River Valley would not occur until the early to mid 19th century. A [[Denmark|Danish]] community ([[New Denmark, New Brunswick|New Denmark]]) was established in the late 1800s. Meanwhile, francophone [[Quebec]]ers settled the [[Madawaska]] region, also during the 19th century, travelling southwards along traditional [[portage]] routes. They joined the Acadians who were already settled in the area. The Madawaska section of the river valley remains heavily francophone to this day. The river was an important trade route for the [[France|French]], [[England|English]] and [[First Nations]] traders throughout the 17th and 18th centuries. The tremendous flow rate of the river and its tributaries during the spring [[freshet]] aided the development of the timber industry in western New Brunswick as the river became a conduit for [[log driving|log drives]] to saw and pulp mills in the south. It is this same spring [[freshet]] which can proved disastrous to property owners along portions of the river, particularly when [[ice jams]] can cause extensive flooding during the spring break-up. The Saint John River has been of tremendous importance to the development of western New Brunswick because it served as a transportation artery, particularly prior to the era of [[rail transport]] when [[Paddle steamer|paddle wheelers]] plied its waterways. During the 1950s and 1960s, the river became a major source of [[hydroelectric power]] with the opening of the [[Beechwood Dam]] in 1955 and the [[Mactaquac Dam]] in 1968 where large [[reservoir (water)|reservoirs]] have been created by damming its flow. These massive projects followed the construction of a smaller dam at [[Grand Falls, New Brunswick|Grand Falls]] in 1925, where the river descends in a steep cataract. A consequence of the latter two dams has been a severe decline in migrating [[Atlantic Salmon]], and the flooding of farmland to create the headponds. In recent years, the river has seen a rise in recreational boating and [[ecotourism]]. The rich soil of the Upper St. John River Valley in [[Carleton County, New Brunswick|Carleton]] and [[Victoria County, New Brunswick|Victoria]] counties as well as [[Aroostook County, Maine]], is also an important area for the cultivation of [[potatoes]]. ==Water Flow== The [[United States Geological Survey]] maintains three gauges on the river to measure water flow on the portion running through its territory. The furthest upstream gauge is located in an unnamed township at ({{coor dms|46|42|00|N|69|42|59|W|}}) where the rivershed is {{convert|1341|sqmi|km2}}. A second gauge is located at [[Dickey, Maine]] ({{coor dms|47|06|44|N|69|05|25|W|}}) where the rivershed is {{convert|2680|sqmi|km2}}. The third gauge is maintained in cooperation with the [[Water Survey of Canada]] on the Canadian bank in [[Clair, New Brunswick]] at ({{coor dms|47|15|35|N|68|35|45|W|}}) where the rivershed is 5,665 square miles. WSC also maintains its own gauges on the river in New Brunswick at [[Edmundston, New Brunswick|Edmundston]], [[Grand Falls, New Brunswick|Grand Falls]], [[Fredericton, New Brunswick|Fredericton]], [[Maugerville, New Brunswick|Maugerville]], [[Upper Gagetown, New Brunswick|Upper Gagetown]], [[Gagetown, New Brunswick|Gagetown]], [[Oak Point, New Brunswick|Oak Point]], and [[Saint John, New Brunswick|Saint John]]. At the most upstream gauge the riverflow has ranged from 44,400 [[cubic feet]] per second to 59 cubic feet per second. At the Dickey gauge flow has ranged from 91,700 cubic feet per second to 129 cubic feet per second. At the Clair gauge flow has ranged from 151,000 cubic feet per second to 510 cubic feet per second. Water flow is highest during the spring [[freshet]] and lowest in the fall. In early spring, upper sections of the river can experience ice jams causing flooding, <ref>{{cite web | author=G.J. Stewart, J.P. Nielsen, J.M. Caldwell, A.R. Cloutier | year=2002| title=Water Resources Data - Maine, Water Year 2001 | format=PDF | work=Water Resources Data - Maine, Water Year 2001 | url=http://me.water.usgs.gov/Maine01adr.pdf | accessdate=2006-05-07}}</ref> while in the lower sections in the broader floodplain, flooding may occur during late spring from the sheer volume of water which must make its way through the narrow gorge at the [[Reversing Falls]]. ==See also== *[[List of crossings of the Saint John River]] *[[List of Maine rivers]] *[[List of New Brunswick rivers]] *[[2008 Saint John River Flood|2008 Saint John River flood]] == External links == *'''Voici the Valley''' Audio Story and Guide [http://www.voicithevalley.org information] and [http://mainehumanities.org/podcasts/index.html#valley excerpts] *[http://www.mainerivers.org/st_john.htm St. John River watershed map and information] *[http://www.ccge.org/ccge/english/Resources/rivers/tr_rivers_stJohnRiver.asp Canadian Council for Geographic Education page with a series of articles on the history of the St. John River] *[http://www.stjohnrivervalley.com A book covering the St. John River with full color photos] *[http://www.omg.unb.ca/GGE/Sill_Survey.html Oceanographic study of the salt and fresh water exchange in the lower St. John River] *Real-time river flow at [http://waterdata.usgs.gov/usa/nwis/uv?site_no=01010000 the upstream most gage], [http://waterdata.usgs.gov/usa/nwis/uv?site_no=01010500 Dickey, Maine], or [http://waterdata.usgs.gov/usa/nwis/uv?site_no=01014000 St. Clair, New Brunswick]. *[http://www.upperstjohn.com/ The Upper St. John River Valley] history and genealogy. *National Weather Service forecast of [http://newweb.erh.noaa.gov/ahps2/index.php?wfo=car river levels and flow] *Live [http://newweb.erh.noaa.gov/images/ahps2/car/dicm1/netcam.jpg WebCam] coutesy of the Maine Department of Transportation. ==References== {{reflist}} [[Category:Rivers of Maine]] [[Category:Rivers of New Brunswick]] [[Category:Saint John River| ]] [[de:Saint John River]] [[fr:Fleuve Saint-Jean]] [[it:Saint John (fiume)]] [[la:Flumen Sancti Iohannis]] [[nl:Saint John River]] [[pl:Saint John (rzeka)]] [[pt:Rio Saint John]] [[fi:Saint John (joki)]]