Kennebec River Rapids Classes
Located near The Forks, Maine, the 170-mile-long Kennebec River offers Class 2, 3, 4, and sometimes Class 5 rapids. Several commercial rafting companies offer guided Kennebec River whitewater rafting trips from May through September. For private rafters and kayakers, the Kennebec River is considered a whitewater rafting mecca during the summer months.
How Does the Kennebec River Flow?
The Kennebec River lies completely within the state of Maine. It rises in Moosehead Lake in central western Maine and its East and West Outlets join at Indian Pond, from which it flows south, moving from Skowhegan and Waterville through Maine’s capital, Augusta. Continuing into Merrymeeting Bay in Richmond, Maine, the Kennebec joins several other rivers flowing into a tidal bay. From there, the now mighty Kennebec flows from the shipbuilding town of Bath, into the Gulf of Maine, and goes on to the Atlantic Ocean.
Harris Station Dam
Harris Station Dam is a hydroelectric dam in Northeast Somerset, Somerset County, Maine. Also known as the Indian Pond Project, the dam was built from 1952 to 1954. The largest hydroelectric dam in the state of Maine, the station produces over 80 megawatts of power and provides daily dam releases for Kennebec whitewater rafting enthusiasts from April through October.
Kennebec River Tides
The Kennebec River whitewater rafting sections of the river are not affected by the Atlantic Ocean tides. However, ocean tides and saltwater species can move upriver in the southern part of the Kennebec, reaching as far as Waterville.
How Deep is the Kennebec River?
The Kennebec River can reach 30 feet in depth near its confluence with the Atlantic. The upper reaches of the river are wide and shallower. In the rafting sections of the river, the Kennebec ranges from just a few feet to over 10 feet in depth.
Ready for a Kennebec River whitewater rafting adventure?