Damariscotta River

There are 2,500-year-old oyster shell middens (heaps) along the banks of the Damariscotta River, which occupies a drowned river valley leading to the Gulf of Maine, a large embayment of the Atlantic Ocean.

The tidal Damariscotta flows southward between Newcastle, Edgecomb and Boothbay on the west and Damariscotta, Bristol and South Bristol on the east, reaching the Atlantic Ocean between Linekin Neck on the west and Inner Heron Island on the east.

It is important in local commerce for tourism, Oyster and Mussel Farming as well as other forms of aquaculture, clamming, marine worming and fishing.

[3] The centerpiece of this annual alewife festival is the newly rebuilt/renovated Damariscotta Stone Fish Ladder.

With local community support and financing this unique stone fish ladder was fully re-constructed between 2007 and 2013.