The Saco River from the Mountains to the Ocean
The Saco watershed is not wilderness: the river valley has been inhabited for thousands of years. In its bottomlands, farmers benefit from fertile floodplain soils. Its uplands include woodlots that have been managed for generations and pastures that have only recently reverted to forest. The groundwater of the floodplain provides drinking water to over 100,000 people. Tens of thousands of visitors flock to the river each year for canoeing, camping, swimming, hunting, and fishing. The Saco River Floodplain is the largest intact floodplain in New England. Spring rains bring the river water over its banks, where it scours the landscape, making room for rare plants and animals..
Mike Morin and I paddled from Bartlett, NH to The Atlantic Ocean in a little over 4 days on paddleboards, it was a remarkable and educational experience. This collection of images supports the NHPBS episode of Windows to the Wild "”Paddling the Saco River”" show and the ”NRS - Duct Tape Diaries” - Source to Sea we produced during our adventure down the Saco River.