The Five Mile River (Fivemile River on federal maps
) is a
[U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline data]
The National Map
, accessed April 1, 2011 river in central
, part of the
Chicopee River
The Chicopee River is an U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map, accessed April 1, 2011 tributary of the Connecticut River in the Pioneer Valley, Massachusetts, known for fast-moving water ...
watershed. It rises north of Dean Pond in the Town of
Oakham within Rutland State Forest and flows south through Dean Pond to
Brooks Pond, northeast of
North Brookfield, then continues south to its mouth at the north end of
Lake Lashaway, also in North Brookfield.
Information
The Five Mile River is a short river that connects the outflow portion of
Brooks Pond located at the boundary between the towns of North Brookfield and
Spencer, and
Lake Lashaway located downstream in North Brookfield. The river is a tributary, via the
East Brookfield River
The East Brookfield River is a U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map , accessed April 1, 2011 river in Massachusetts that heads at Lake Lashaway in East Brookfield at an elevation of ab ...
, to the
Quaboag River
The Quaboag River is a U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map, accessed April 1, 2011 river in Massachusetts that heads at Quaboag Pond in Brookfield at an elevation of above sea level. ...
and is part of the
Chicopee River Watershed
The Chicopee River is an U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map, accessed April 1, 2011 tributary of the Connecticut River in the Pioneer Valley, Massachusetts, known for fast-moving wate ...
. The Five Mile has been harnessed as a source of power for saw and grist mills and colonial foundry according to historical documentation. The proximity to iron ore, power from Brooks Pond (previously known as Johnson's Pond and North Pond), to power an air-blast bellows, and nearby abundance of wood (for charcoal), made the Five Mile River a good location for blast furnace and iron works operated by Jonathan and Nicholas Jenks in 1782. "Two Gilberts joined the enterprise and still later the venture was split in two--two furnaces, two forges etc.-each family operating one."
The Five Mile River is also fed by the outflow from the Kittredge Dam Reservoir and the Horse Pond Brook Reservoir as well as drainage from the wetlands area extending from Brooks Pond to the north and Lake Lashaway to the south. This watershed is approximately in addition to the Brooks Pond watershed.
Coordinates
Head
Mouth
[
]
See also
*List of rivers of Massachusetts
List of rivers of Massachusetts (U.S. state).
All Massachusetts rivers flow to the Atlantic Ocean. The list is arranged by drainage basin from north to south, with respective tributaries indented under each larger stream's name, arranged travellin ...
References
*http://pubs.usgs.gov/wri/wri994006/wrir99-4006.pdf
{{authority control
Rivers of Worcester County, Massachusetts
Tributaries of the Connecticut River
Rivers of Massachusetts