The river is an estuary connecting Oyster Pond with Stage Harbor, averaging 3 to 5 feet (1 to 2 m) in depth and bordered with salt marshes.

According to an assessment for the Massachusetts Estuaries Project, its total surface area is 88.1 acres (357,000 m2).

The monograph gives a detailed description of the pond in terms of topography, geology, hydrology, and biology.

It also describes the management scheme put in place in the mid 1990s to control the salinity levels in the pond between 2- 4 ppt.

[7]Over 200 species of birds utilize the marshes, forests, thickets, and open water surrounding Oyster Pond for breeding, migratory stops and over wintering.