York River
Partnership Wild and Scenic River
The York River runs 13 miles from York Pond to the estuary, collecting waters from Cutts Ridge Brook, Smelt Brook, Cider Hill Creek, and Rogers Brook, among many other tributaries. The river was designated into the National Park Service Partnership Wild and Scenic Rivers System in December 2022.
Watershed Description
The York River begins at York Pond in Eliot, flows through the remnants of Upper Bartlett Mill Pond, and continues past woodlands and former mill sites into the Town of York. There it becomes tidal and is joined by feeder streams from South Berwick and Kittery, such as Cutts Ridge Brook, Smelt Brook, Cider Hill Creek, and Rogers Brook. The mouth of the river is protected by Stage Neck.
The York River main stem was never dammed. It has retained healthy smelt, herring, eel, lobster, and flounder populations, as well as seasonal striped bass and bluefish runs.'
The watershed holds significant habitat for rare and endangered plant and animal species including the New England cottontail, spotted wintergreen, and swamp darter.
Local Information
Towns in Watershed
Eliot, Kittery, South Berwick, York
Resources
- "Wheeler Marsh Report" or Assessment of Tidal Hydrology and Wetland Surface Elevation in the Wheeler Refuge, York, Maine (2022)
- Report: An Assessment of Spring Fish Communities in the York River, Maine (2018)
- StoryMap: Fish Species of Greatest Conservation Need (2017)
- StoryMap: York River Stream Barrier Prioritization (2017)
- Watershed Management Plan (2005)
- PREP Conservation Focus Area fact sheet (2010)
- Wells Reserve blog entries tagged "york river"
York River Wild and Scenic Study
Identifying key issues and goals for long-term river and watershed protection
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