Merrymeeting Bay
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Merrymeeting Bay is a large freshwater tidal bay located in the U.S. state of Maine. Merrymeeting Bay's unusual geography defies common landform terms.[citation needed] It is not what is usually meant by the word bay. It is somewhat like an estuary but it has fresh water with very little salt. Geologically it is described as an "inland delta" and biologically as "tidal riverine."[citation needed]
The head of Merrymeeting Bay is generally considered to begin at the southernmost point of Swan Island.[1] Bordering towns and cities include Bath, Brunswick, Topsham, Bowdoinham, Dresden, and Woolwich. Public access to the bay is gained mainly from public docks on one of the contributing rivers in Brunswick, Bath, Richmond, and Bowdoinham.[citation needed]
Six rivers flow into the bay, the two largest being the Kennebec River and the Androscoggin River. The four smaller rivers are the Cathance, Eastern, Abagadasset, and Muddy rivers. The bay receives water from nearly 40% of Maine's land area as well as from part of New Hampshire. The watershed is just under 20,000 square miles (50,000 km2).
Merrymeeting Bay is linked to the Gulf of Maine and the Atlantic Ocean by the Lower Kennebec River, a long saltwater tidal channel. The Lower Kennebec River and Merrymeeting Bay are known collectively as the Kennebec Estuary. Merrymeeting Bay's connection to the Lower Kennebec River is via a 280-yard (260 m) slot in the bedrock called The Chops, an area of converging water flows known to be hazardous to boaters.
The waters of the bay flow out through The Chops at low tide, while high tide brings a mix of fresh water and seawater back up the Kennebec. The river flow volume from six rivers typically exceeds the volume of the incoming tide. Combined with the bottleneck of The Chops, the result is a tidal waterbody with very little salt, known as brackish.
Located about 17 miles (27 km) from the North Atlantic, Merrymeeting Bay has many river delta characteristics. The tides average about 5 feet (1.5 m). The unusual combination of a large body of freshwater and strong tides results in an intertidal habitat that harbors a variety of rare plant species.[citation needed]
Habitat
Large numbers of migrating birds use Merrymeeting Bay as a stopping point along their flyway. For the east coast of the United States, the concentration of waterfowl at Merrymeeting Bay is second only to that at Chesapeake Bay. The bay is also home to a large population of bald eagles.
The strong tidal currents and saltwater in the Lower Kennebec River prevent the river below The Chops or Thorne Head from freezing, making it an ideal wintering habitat for waterfowl. The freshwater in the bay and the Kennebec above The Chops freeze thoroughly. The bay and Kennebec above were once the source of winter ice for a thriving ice harvesting industry. In the early 20th century, Kennebec ice was shipped as far away as India, protected by being packed in sawdust to keep it from melting.
Merrymeeting Bay also supports runs of migratory fish, including the endangered Atlantic salmon and shortnose sturgeon. Other species include Atlantic sturgeon, shad, alewives, American eel, and others.
