Wicomico River (Maryland eastern shore)

Map of the rivers of the Eastern Shore of Maryland with the Wicomico and its watershed highlighted.

The Wicomico River is a 24.4-mile-long (39.3 km) tributary of the Chesapeake Bay on the eastern shore of Maryland. It drains an area of low marshlands and farming country in the middle Delmarva Peninsula. The name "Wicomico" (English pronunciation: /waɪˈkɒmɨkoʊ/; not as though the first four letters rhyme with the last four) derives from the words wicko mekee, meaning "a place where houses are built," apparently referring to an Indian town on the banks. The river is one of two in Maryland with this same name, along with the Wicomico River (a tributary of the Potomac River) in south central Maryland.

It rises in northern Wicomico County, along the Delaware state line, and flows generally southwest, through Salisbury, its head of navigation. It enters Monie Bay on the eastern edge of the Chesapeake Bay between Mt. Vernon and Waterview approximately 15 miles (24 km) southwest of Salisbury. The lower 20 miles (32 km) of the river form a tidal estuary.

The gentle free-flowing river is a popular destination for recreational canoeing and kayaking, as well as recreational fishing. The river has also become a hot spot for water sports such as wake boarding and water skiing due to its consistently smooth surface. Barge traffic on the river has made Salisbury the primary shipping points for goods on the Delmarva Peninsula over the last several centuries. Two automobile cable ferries cross the river at the at Whitehaven and Upper Ferry.

The river has had an issue with treated sewage overflows during periods of heavy rain. This happens at least once a summer. The river is not allowed to be swam in during a week period after the spill. The sewage treatment plant has since fixed the problem.

External links

• The Wicomico River