TOTAL RIVER DISCHARGE
Total streamflow across the
Piscataquis River
was last observed at
3,803
cfs, and is expected to yield approximately
7,543
acre-ft of water today; about 34%
of normal.
River levels are low and may signify a drought.
Average streamflow for this time of year is
11,267 cfs,
with recent peaks last observed
on
2023-12-19 when daily discharge volume was observed at
56,790 cfs.
Maximum discharge along the river is currently at the
Piscataquis River At Medford
reporting a streamflow rate of 3,020 cfs.
However, the streamgauge with the highest stage along the river is the
Piscataquis River At Blanchard
with a gauge stage of 7.46 ft.
This river is monitored from 3 different streamgauging stations along the Piscataquis River, the highest being situated at an altitude of 592 ft, the
Piscataquis River At Blanchard.
| Last Updated | 2024-12-21 |
| Discharge Volume | 7,543 ACRE-FT |
| Streamflow |
3,803.0 cfs
-1002.0 cfs (-20.85%) |
| Percent of Normal | 33.75% |
| Maximum |
56,790.0 cfs
2023-12-19 |
| Seasonal Avg | 11,267 cfs |
YEAR OVER YEAR DISCHARGE (CFS)
Streamflow Conditions
| Streamgauge | Streamflow | Gauge Stage | 24hr Change (%) | % Normal | Minimum (cfs) | Maximum (cfs) | Air Temp | Elevation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Piscataquis River At Blanchard
USGS 01031300 |
285 cfs | 7.46 ft | -1.04 | |||||
|
Piscataquis River Near Dover-Foxcroft
USGS 01031500 |
783 cfs | 3.51 ft | -28.82 | |||||
|
Piscataquis River At Medford
USGS 01034000 |
3020 cfs | 4.23 ft | -11.7 |
History of the River
The Piscataquis River is a major tributary of the Penobscot River, found in Piscataquis County, Maine, United States. It starts from the confluence of its East Branch and West Branch (45°16′54″N 69°35′24″W) in Blanchard. The river flows in a mostly eastern direction until it meets the Penobscot at Howland. It is approximately 65 miles (105 km) in length.The United States government maintains three river flow gauges on the Piscataquis river. The first is at Blanchard (45°16′02″N 69°35′03″W) where the rivershed is 118 square miles (306 km2). Flow here has ranged from 7,550 to 4.8 cubic feet per second (0.14 m3/s). The second is near Dover-Foxcroft, Maine (45°10′31″N 69°18′55″W) where the rivershed is 298 square miles (772 km2). Flow here has ranged from 37,300 to 5 cubic feet (0.14 m3) per second. The third is in Medford, Maine (45°15′40″N 68°52′07″W) where the rivershed is 1,162 square miles (3,010 km2). Flow here has ranged from 60,100 to 66 cubic feet (1.9 m3) per second.The Appalachian Trail runs along the West Branch of the Piscataquis, crossing the East Branch just upstream from their joining. The river is impounded by the Howland Dam at its confluence with the Penobscot River.