Penobscot River

Penobscot River
Pαnawάhpskewtəkʷ
Penobscot River; Pαnawάhpskewtəkʷ
	The Penobscot River watershed
Location
Country	United States
Physical characteristics
Source
• location	Maine
Mouth
• location	Penobscot Bay
• coordinates	44°26′N 68°50′W / 44.44°N 68.83°W
• elevation	sea level
Length	109 miles (175 km)
Basin size	8,610 sq mi (22,300 km2)
Discharge
• average	12,080 cu ft/s (342 m3/s)
Basin features
Tributaries
• left	East Branch Penobscot River,; Mattawamkeag River
• right	West Branch Penobscot River,; Piscataquis River

The Penobscot River (Abenaki: Pαnawάhpskewtəkʷ) is a 109-mile-long (175 km)^[2] river in the U.S. state of Maine. Including the river's West Branch and South Branch increases the Penobscot's length to 264 miles (425 km),^[2] making it the second-longest river system in Maine and the longest entirely in the state. Its drainage basin contains 8,610 square miles (22,300 km²).

It arises from four branches in several lakes in north-central Maine, which flow generally east. After the uniting of the West Branch with the East Branch at Medway (45°36′14″N 68°31′52″W / 45.604°N 68.531°W / 45.604; -68.531 (Penobscot River source)), the Penobscot flows 109 miles (175 km) south, past the city of Bangor, where it becomes navigable. Also at Bangor is the tributary Kenduskeag Stream. It empties into the Atlantic Ocean in Penobscot Bay. It is home to the Penobscot people that live on Indian Island, and considered to be The People's lifeblood.^[3]

^ Discharge for West Enfield
^ ^a ^b U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline data. The National Map Archived 2012-03-29 at the Wayback Machine, accessed June 22, 2011
^ Phillips, B. (2006). A River Runs Through Us. Presented at the History of the River Forum, Published by the Penobscot River Restoration Trust.

[1] Discharge for West Enfield

[NHD-2] U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline data. The National Map Archived 2012-03-29 at the Wayback Machine, accessed June 22, 2011

[3] Phillips, B. (2006). A River Runs Through Us. Presented at the History of the River Forum, Published by the Penobscot River Restoration Trust.

[1]

[2]

[3]