River of Rough Places

Maine's small but mighty Presumpscot

Only 25.8 miles long, the Presumpscot River in southern Maine has been  one of most heavily industrialized and controlled rivers in the country. Join journalist Emma Deans as she paddles down the River of Rough Places, exploring its history and her own personal connection to the region through this multimedia storytelling experience. 

…Mainers believe they can make a difference. They get involved and affect change. It is one of the things about living in Maine that I appreciate the most, and I am grateful to all who stand up and say what is in their heart and on their mind. Belief is a powerful force. There is always a way. -Will Plumley

Looking back at where the Presumpscot flows into Casco Bay. Photo taken from the causeway that leads to Mackworth Island. 

Did You Know?

 

  • Before glaciation 13,000 years ago Sebago Lake drained to the southeast through the North Branch of the Little River. After glaciation its drainage shifted about seven miles to its current outlet.

 

  • Because of the 1972 Clean Water Act, Sappi must submit a Water Quality Certification to both the state and federal government that ensures their hydroelectric dam use does not violate any laws. Charles M. Frechette, owner of the Sebago Lake Marina, and Douglas H. Watts, a member of Friends of Sebago Lake, filed appeals against Sappi’s Water Quality Certification for the Eel Weir Dam, which the Board of Environmental Protection ultimately dismissed, ruling that both appellants were in fact “aggrieved” persons, but that there was not sufficient evidence for reversing the Certification.

 

  • Sappi recently established an online blog that informs the public of water level changes to Sebago Lake and the ensuing changes in flow on the Presumpscot.

 

  • As industry opportunities waned in the early twentieth century, the focus of Maine’s job market shifted to tourism. By 1930, tourism was the second largest contributor to the state’s economy (dairying remained first).

 

  • Westbrook has started a seasonal kayak rental service next to Riverbank Park.  

Westbrook's Department of Parks and Recreation has established a kayak rental program. Martin McInnis (left) and David Breunig worked the inaugural season in 2013.

  • Originally built in 1740, vandals destroyed Babb’s Bridge in 1973 and a replica was built in 1976.

Resources

Books about the Presumpscot River

Allen, Ned. The Sebago Lakes Region: A Brief History. Charleston: The History Press, 2013.

MacDonald, Amy, Brian Butler, and Chris Ricardi. Guide to the Presumpscot River: Its History, Ecology, and Recreational Uses. Portland: Presumpscot River Watch, 1994.

Whitten, Maurice M. The Gunpowder Mills of Gorham-Windham, Maine. Windham: Windham Historical Society, 2012.

Wiseman, Frederick Matthew. People of the Dawnland: An Autohistory of the Abenaki Nation. Hanover: University Press of New England, 2001.

Newspaper & magazine articles about the Presumpscot River

Balentine, John. “Water District Backs New Sebago Lake Level Plan.” American Journal 7 March 2012. Web. 27 November 2013.

http://www.keepmecurrent.com/american_journal/news/water-district-backs-new-sebago-lake-level-plan/article_a57b8490-68a6-11e1-92f0-001871e3ce6c.html.

Bell, Tom. “Come Along on a Two-Day Adventure, a Gentle Journey Along a Resilient Maine River…A Paddle on the Presumpscot.” Portland Press Herald 26 August 2001: 1A. Print.

Brooks, Cassandra M. and Lisa T. “The Reciprocity Principle and Traditional Ecological Knowledge: Understanding the Significance of Indigenous Protest on the Presumpscot River.” International Journal of Critical Indigenous Studies 3.2 (2010): 11-28. Web. 27 November 2013.

http://www.isrn.qut.edu.au/publications/internationaljournal/documents/Final_LCBrooks_IJCIS.pdf.

DeRoche, Stuart E. “The Presumpscot River: A Biological Survey Report.” Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Game, 1967.

Fobes, Charles Scott. “The Story of the Presumpscot.” Collections and Proceedings of the Maine Historical Society 2.5 (1894): 361-386. ebook. 27 November 2013.

http://books.google.com/books?id=ElJIAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA361&lpg=PA361&dq=the+story+of+the+presumpscot+fobes&source=bl&ots=vnMEYGQqD_&sig=XtwQ05uNrMUPMRPbgE0GqZWQQU4&hl=en&sa=X&ei=lgaWUqW4G6azsQTi2oCIAw&ved=0CCoQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=the%20story%20of%20the%20presumpscot%20fobes&f=false.

Goold, Nathan. “Stephen Manchester : the Slayer of the Indian Chief Polin at New Marblehead, Now Windham, Maine, in 1756; and a Soldier of the Revolution; With his Ancestry.” (1896): 1-18. eBook. 27 September 2013. https://archive.org/stream/stephenmancheste00gool#page/n5/mode/2up.

“Historic Records Related to the Anadromous Fisheries of Presumpscot River and Sebago Lake, Maine.” Friends of Sebago Lake, Friends of the Presumpscot River, and American Rivers, September 2002. Web. 27 November 2013.

http://home.gwi.net/~fks/presumpoverview.html.

Hodgson, Suzanne. “The Promise of the Presumpscot River.” American Journal 16 May 2013. Web. 27 November 2013.

http://www.keepmecurrent.com/american_journal/news/the-promise-of-the-presumpscot-river/article_e9caef70-97b0-11e2-bff6-001a4bcf887a.html.

“Maine Historic Civil Engineering Landmarks.” Maine Section, American Society of Civil Engineers, n.d. Web (PDF). 27 November 2013.

http://www.maineasce.org/downloads/History_Heritage/MeHistCivLandmarks6-05.pdf.

McMahon, Joseph. "Letter to the Editor: Sebago Lake Users Left High and Dry." Portland Press Herald 14 January 2012. Web. 27 November 2013.

http://www.pressherald.com/opinion/saturday-opinion_2012-01-14.html?pagenum=full.

Perkins, Don. “Forever Protected.” Windham Independent 12 July 2007. Print (searchable online but direct link is broken).

Plumley, Will. “On Balance.” Windham Independent January 2007. Print (searchable online but direct link is broken).

Richardson, John. “Presumpscot: A Gem Waiting For Discovery, A New Book Invites People to Get to Know and Respect a River That Has Been Overlooked.” Portland Press Herald 20 June 1994: 1B. Print.

“Summary of the Clean Water Act.” United States Environmental Protection Agency, 26 July 2013. Web. 27 November 2013.

http://www2.epa.gov/laws-regulations/summary-clean-water-act.

“Swift currents call for caution on Maine’s rivers.” Portland Press Herald 10 March 2010. Web. 27 November 2013.

http://www.pressherald.com/archive/swift-currents-call-for-more-caution-on-maines-rivers_2009-07-13.html?searchterm=a+paddle+on+the+presumpscot.

Wheeler, Roger. “RE: Programmatic Agreement for the Eel Weir Project (FERC No. 2984).” Friends of Sebago Lake 20 February 2005. Web. 27 November 2013.

http://friendsofsebago.org/programmatic.html. 

Wheeler, Roger. “The Basin Dam War.” Friends of Sebago Lake, n.d. Web. 27 November 2013. http://friendsofsebago.org/basindamwar.html. 

White, Charles R. “The Sebago Trail.” Pine Tree Magazine August 1907: 281-283. Print (scanned).

http://books.google.com/books?id=jlgxAQAAMAAJ&pg=PA283&lpg=PA283&dq=“The+Funeral+Tree+of+the+Sokokis”&source=bl&ots=k_BbWxS5xv&sig=oy6xH5ouRg1gFHKL8dJmHciLV4c&hl=en&sa=X&ei=jHVdUqvUKsfK4APUioHADw&ved=0CFsQ6AEwBQ#v=onepage&q=“The%20Funeral%20Tree%20of%20the%20Sokokis”&f=false.

Organizations

Casco Bay Estuary Partnership

http://www.cascobay.usm.maine.edu

Friends of Sebago Lake

http://www.friendsofsebago.org

Friends of the Presumpscot River

http://www.presumpscotriver.org

Portland Trails

http://trails.org 

Presumpscot Regional Land Trust

http://www.prlt.org  

Presumpscot River Watershed Coalition

http://presumpscotcoalition.org

Sebago to Sea Trail

http://www.sebagotothesea.org 

Local historical societies

Falmouth Historical Society

http://thefhs.org

Gorham Historical Society

http://www.gorhamhistorical.com/home

Maine Historical Society

http://www.mainehistory.org 

Westbrook Historical Society

http://www.westbrookhistoricalsociety.org/index.html

Windham Historical Society

http://www.windhamhistorical.org

Documents pertaining to the Eel Weir Dam and Sappi’s Water Quality Certification:

“Board Order in the Matter of S.D. Warren Company, Water Quality Certification, Findings of Fact and Order on Appeal.” Maine DEP, 15 November 2012. Web. 27 November 2013.

https://www.saveoursebago.org/Documents/FinalDEPAppealResult2012.pdf

“Douglas H. Watts vs. Maine Department of Environmental Protection.” Maine Superior Court, n.d. Web. 27 November 2013.

http://friendsofsebago.org/92011WattsComplaint.pdf

Lessard, Susan M. “Maine DEP: Motion to Dismiss Appeal by Douglas Watts.” Maine DEP, 10 May 2012. Web. 27 November 2013.

http://friendsofsebago.org/51012BEPWatts.pdf

Lessard, Susan M. “Maine DEP: Reply to Appeals By Frechette and Watts.” Maine DEP, 25 April 2012. Web, 27 November 2013.

http://friendsofsebago.org/42512BEPProceduralOrder.pdf

Information about Sebago Lake

Maine.gov: search “Why is Sebago Lake so Deep?” and  “Glacial Presumpscot Formation” (direct links are broken).

(C) Website & multimedia content by Emma Deans, 2013.