RIVER SYSTEMS OF NEW HAMPSHIRE. 313 



PISCATAQUA RIVER SYSTEM. 



The Piscataqua river is formed by the union of the Cochecho and 

 Salmon Falls rivers at Dover. The second, in its whole length, with the 

 Piscataqua, constitutes a part of our eastern state boundary. The area 

 of this basin in New Hampshire, those towns on the coast which drain 

 directly into the ocean being also included in this measurement, is about 

 825 square miles, or nearly one eleventh of the state. 



From East pond, the source of Salmon Falls river, to the mouth of 

 the Piscataqua, is nearly thirty-eight miles in a straight line, the course 

 being S. 20 E. By the course of the river this distance is thirty-nine 

 miles, the length of Salmon Falls river being twenty-eight miles, and of 

 the Piscataqua, from the junction of this river with the Cochecho, eleven 

 miles. The course of Salmon Falls river in the first twelve miles is 

 nearly south. The next thirteen miles to Salmon Falls is nearly south- 

 east ; thence the course is south seven miles to the mouth of Great bay, 

 thence south-east about seven miles to the ocean, three miles below 

 Portsmouth. 



This river is affected by tide to Dover and South Berwick. Between 

 the township of Durham and those of Greenland and Newington is a 

 wide tidal basin, which receives the waters of several rivers. Upon 

 Exeter or Squamscot river, the largest of these, tide extends to the 

 village of Exeter. The area of this estuary, south-west from Dover 

 point, including Little and Great bays, is about nine square miles. From 

 Dover point to Portsmouth the Piscataqua is about half a mile wide. 

 Below this city it contains numerous islands, the largest of which consti- 

 tutes the township of Newcastle. 



The section of New Hampshire drained by this river system is, for 

 the most part, level. Probably about one third is covered with forest. 



TABLE OF HEIGHTS OF PISCATAQUA RIVER. 



Distance from Height above 



East pond. sea. 



East pond, Wakefield, 2.9 square miles (Wells) 499 feet. 



Horn pond, " 0.4 " " " i mile, .... 479 " 



Three ponds, Milton, 1.4 " " . . 9 miles, .... 400 " 



Great Falls, top of dam, .... 22 " .... 166 " 



Bow lake, Strafford, 1.7 " " 515 " 



VOL. I. 42 



