Acquisition History: Land acquisition
began in 1950, with additional marsh and upland being acquired over
the years. Today, the NH Fish and Game Department owns 450 acres
and has flowage rights on a total of 722 acres. Federal funds were
used to acquire segments of the property.
Description: Merrymeeting Marsh is an
extensive and diverse wetland system that is maintained by two large
water-control structures. A dam in Alton maintains some 500 acres
of wetland and one in New Durham floods an additional 222 acres.
Both create excellent waterfowl nesting and feeding habitat. Two
major streams, the Merrymeeting River and the Coffin Brook, provide
the water. The wetlands of Merrymeeting Marsh include: emergent
and deep-water, shrub/scrub, forested and bogs. Uplands surrounding
the marsh and the many islands within it are vegetated primarily
with oak, white pine and blueberry bush understory. There is a parking
area and boat launch for cartop boats and canoes.
A User-Pay, User-Benefit Program This Wildlife Management Area was funded
in part by the Federal Aid in Sport Fish and Wildlife Restoration Program.
Your purchases of hunting equipment and ammunition make a difference to
New Hampshire's wildlife resources and our way of life. Click
here to learn more.
Common Wildlife: White-tailed deer, moose,
black bear, snowshoe hare, woodcock, ruffed grouse, beaver and muskrat
can be found. Spring and fall migratory waterfowl species include
ring-necked ducks, common goldeneyes, blue-winged and green-winged
teal, scaup and scoters. The nesting species include black ducks,
mallards, wood ducks, hooded mergansers and Canada geese. Other
bird species include great blue herons, eastern kingbirds, tree
and rough-winged swallow, and marsh wrens. The marsh has warmwater
fish species, such as largemouth bass, chain pickerel, and yellow
perch. Trout that have escaped from the Powder Mill Fish Hatchery
are occasionally caught.
Directions: Merrymeeting Marsh flowage
parallels Route 11 in Alton and New Durham. There is a parking lot
at the boat launch. The Alton dam is located off the northerly side
of Route 140. The Jones dam flowage parallels the Merrymeeting Lake
Road in New Durham. There is access to the marsh from this road.
DeLorme N.H. Atlas and Gazetteer coordinates:
Page 37, H 9
