What Are the Major Bodies of Water in Maine?

The major bodies of water in Maine include rivers, lakes and ocean. Maine has a coastline of at least 230 miles bordering the Atlantic Ocean. The Gulf of Maine is the area of the Atlantic Ocean between Cape Cod, Mass., and Nova Scotia, Canada.

Moosehead Lake in central Maine is the largest lake in the state. It is also the largest lake situated entirely within the New England states. The Kennebec River begins at Moosehead Lake and runs south for about 150 miles before ending at the Gulf of Maine. The Androscoggin River enters Maine from New Hampshire and flows for about 175 miles before joining with the Kennebec River. The Penobscot River system, which includes the Penobscot River and several tributaries, is the longest river system in Maine. It is about 350 miles long. The St. John River is part of the border dividing Maine from Canada. About 210 miles of the St. John River border the state.

Many other lakes are located in Maine. Major lakes include Rangeley Lake in Franklin County, Great Pond and Cobbosseecontee Lake in Kennebec County, the Richardson Lakes in Oxford County and Sebago Lake in Cumberland County. Maine also has thousands of smaller lakes and rivers.