Is the Androscoggin River still polluted?
Further downstream, the river is much cleaner than it used to be and people can now use it for recreation. But the river is still the dirtiest of Maine’s major rivers and could be much cleaner if the upstream mills invested in modern, widely used pollution prevention technologies.
How dirty is the Androscoggin River?
The Androscoggin River received a total of 14.2% of Maine’s Combined Sewer Overflow (CSO) discharge which is more than 62 million gallons of waste.
What is the most polluted river in Maine?
Disturbing Pictures From One Of The Most Polluted Rivers In The Country
- The Androscoggin River Flows between the cities of Auburn and Lewiston in Southeastern Maine.
- The third largest river in Maine is a popular destination for kayakers and trout fishers; it also has a history of severe pollution.
How clean is the Androscoggin River?
The Androscoggin River is Class C, the lowest allowed by law. The Maine Department of Environmental Protection says while Class C is the lowest, it’s still good, and one that supports fishing and swimming. Maine’s waters have become cleaner in recent decades.
Can you swim in Little Androscoggin River?
The Androscoggin River has rebounded dramatically in the 46 years since the Clean Water Act was passed, and now supports fishing, boating, and swimming.
Why are there rock piles in the Androscoggin River?
To set the scene, Tardiff says picture the banks of the Androscoggin lined with mills. Wood harvested north of Berlin would be dumped into the river, and then, during the annual spring river drive, sent down the waterway. “So they built these islands of rock out of hemlock framing, and divided the river.”
Does Maine have clean water?
Maine is blessed with an abundance of safe and reliable drinking water sources. Preventing contamination of Maine’s lakes, streams, and groundwater is essential to securing safe drinking water sources for our communities. Our lakes, rivers, and coastal waters are what make Maine a special place.
Can you swim in the Androscoggin River Maine?
Is the Androscoggin River salt water?
It is 178 miles (286 km) long and joins the Kennebec River at Merrymeeting Bay in Maine before its water empties into the Gulf of Maine on the Atlantic Ocean. Its drainage basin is 3,530 square miles (9,100 km2) in area….
| Androscoggin River | |
|---|---|
| • right | Magalloway River, Peabody River, Wild River |
Is the Kennebec River polluted?
The Kennebec, the Penobscot, and other Maine rivers are cleaner today than they were 40 years ago, thanks to the Clean Water Act of 1972, which forced polluting industries and towns to treat waste and sewage before discharging it.
Can you swim in the Androscoggin River?
Why was the Androscoggin River so polluted?
These and many other dams exacerbated the effects of pollution by drowning the river’s rapids that had naturally provided oxygen to the water. By the 1960s, the Androscoggin River had become one of the most severely polluted rivers in the United States.
Where is the Androscoggin River in Maine located?
The Androscoggin River runs through the heart of Maine. Its waters in Gilead, upriver from the Verso (formerly International Paper) mill in Jay, support a world-class trout fishery that attracts tourists to Bethel and nearby towns. Here, the river is a source of recreation-based jobs, activities, and pride for the people who live in the region.
Why is NRCM working to clean up the Androscoggin River?
Much of NRCM’s work to clean up the Androscoggin River has focused on the Verso (formerly International Paper) mill in Jay because it was the bigger polluter of the two mills. We worked for many years to get this mill to adopt modern pulping and bleaching technologies that reduce pollution, save energy, and lower operating costs.
How tall are the falls of the Androscoggin River?
A very gradual drop in elevation occurs between Bethel and Rumford, where the Androscoggin makes one of the most spectacular leaps along its course, dropping over 170 feet in three falls spread out over a mile.