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THE CATHANCE RIVER The word "cathance" is derived from the Native American word which means bent or crooked. The original pronunciation was Kat- hak- nis. By 1810, the Cathance River was lined from shore to shore with warehouses and mills which polluted the waters but now the the river is clean and its health is overseen. There are four water quality monitoring stations along the river that are manned by Bowdoin College students . Geo/Ecology students have also monitored the river at a spot where the only significant agriculture occurs. Even here the dissolved oxygen content is high and the nitrate levels are low. The Cathance River meanders through the countryside surrounding the communities of Bowdoin, Bowdoinham and Topsham. It drains a watershed encompassing over sixty miles and empties into the Merrymeeting Bay after its twenty mile journey from Bradley Pond. The upper and lower reaches have an easy flow but the middle stretch boasts a series of Level 4 and 5 rapids. This is due to the fact that the river drops 100 feet during its journey to the bay. Down stream of the rapids is a natural falls that separates the upstream river from the tidally influenced branch, leading into Merrymeeting Bay. The Cathance watershed includes mostly rural land with a rich combination of forests, fields, agricultural land with some residences, and a large wetland surrounding Bradley Pond. This watershed provides valuable wild life habitat for many water fowl, mammals, amphibians, and even bald eagles. It is truly a regional treasure for mid-coast Maine. |
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