Passumpsic River

Passumpsic River
The Passumpsic River in 1875
Country	United States
Basin features
Main source	Main stem: Lyndonville, VT West Branch: east of Crystal Lake, northeast of Sutton, VT and north of Sheffield, VT East Branch: north of East Haven, VT Main stem 699 feet (213 m), West Branch 968 feet (295 m), East Branch 1,010 feet (310 m)
River mouth	Connecticut River at Nine Island near East Barnet, VT 469 feet (143 m)
Basin size	436 square miles (1,129 km2)
Physical characteristics
Length	Main stem 22.7 miles (36.5 km), West Branch 15.3 miles (24.6 km), East Branch 19.5 miles (31.4 km)

The Passumpsic River is a 22.7-mile-long (36.5 km) tributary of the Connecticut River, in Vermont. Though primarily a Caledonia County river, it is the only river to flow through all three counties of the Northeast Kingdom.

The river arises in two branches, one east, the other west. The East Branch begins just north of East Haven. It flows southwest through Hartwellville in East Haven, then into East Burke.

The West Branch starts as several small forks near Crystal Lake, northeast of Sutton. The Montreal, Maine and Atlantic Railway lines follows the West Branch of the Passumpsic until it converges with the East Branch in Lyndonville.

From Lyndonville, the river proceeds southerly through St. Johnsbury Center, St. Johnsbury, Passumpsic, and Barnet, and into the Connecticut River near Nine Island.

The East Branch originates about 1/2 mile southeast of Sukes Pond, Brighton, in Essex County. Route 114 nearly parallels it as it runs south-southeast. It soon enters Caledonia County. It is joined by Jack Brook near Howard Brook Road in Newark. It then turns south southwest.

Just before entering East Haven, it is joined by Mill Brook/King Brook entering from the east. It is then joined by the confluence of Bean Brook and Whetstone Brook just inside the town of East Haven, back in Essex County. It goes through Hartwellville, in the town of East Haven, then crosses into Caledonia County for good.

In Burke, a mile downstream, it is joined on the south by Flower Brook which flows mainly from the east. Duck Pond drains into it. It is followed by Route 5A and flows through East Burke. It converges with the west branch before 5A joins US Route 5.