Maurice River
title: "Maurice River" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["tributaries-of-delaware-bay", "rivers-of-the-pine-barrens-(new-jersey)", "rivers-of-new-jersey", "rivers-of-cumberland-county,-new-jersey", "rivers-of-salem-county,-new-jersey", "wild-and-scenic-rivers-of-the-united-states"] topic_path: "law" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maurice_River" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0
::data[format=table title="Infobox river"]
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| name | Maurice River |
| image | Maurice River Millville.jpg |
| image_size | 300 |
| image_caption | The Maurice River in Millville |
| pushpin_map | USA New Jersey Cumberland County |
| pushpin_map_caption | Location of the mouth in Cumberland County, New Jersey |
| subdivision_type1 | Country |
| subdivision_name1 | United States |
| subdivision_type2 | State |
| subdivision_name2 | New Jersey |
| subdivision_type4 | Counties |
| subdivision_name4 | Salem and Cumberland |
| subdivision_type5 | Cities |
| subdivision_name5 | Vineland, Millville |
| length | 50 miapprox. |
| discharge1_location | Norma (Pittsgrove Township) |
| discharge1_min | 24 cuft/s1966 |
| discharge1_avg | 117 cuft/s |
| discharge1_max | 922 cuft/s1940 |
| source1_location | Pittsgrove Township |
| source_confluence | Still Run and Scotland Run |
| source_confluence_coordinates | |
| mouth | Delaware Bay |
| basin_size | 386 sqmiapprox. |
| tributaries_left | Burnt Mill Branch, Blackwater Branch, Little Robin Branch, Parvin Branch, Manantico Creek, Manumuskin River, Muskee Creek, Little Mill Creek |
| tributaries_right | Green Branch, Muddy Run, Mill Creek, White Marsh Run, Buckshutem Creek, Steep Run, Peterson Run, Sheppards Branch |
| extra | {{Designation list |
| embed | yes |
| designation1 | nwsr |
| designation1_type | Scenic, Recreational |
| designation1_date | December 1, 1993 |
| :: |
| name = Maurice River | native_name = | native_name_lang = | name_other = | name_etymology = | image = Maurice River Millville.jpg | image_size = 300 | image_caption = The Maurice River in Millville | map = | map_size = | map_caption = | pushpin_map = USA New Jersey Cumberland County | pushpin_map_size = | pushpin_map_caption= Location of the mouth in Cumberland County, New Jersey | subdivision_type1 = Country | subdivision_name1 = United States | subdivision_type2 = State | subdivision_name2 = New Jersey | subdivision_type3 = | subdivision_name3 = | subdivision_type4 = Counties | subdivision_name4 = Salem and Cumberland | subdivision_type5 = Cities | subdivision_name5 = Vineland, Millville | length = 50 miapprox. | width_min = | width_avg = | width_max = | depth_min = | depth_avg = | depth_max = | discharge1_location= Norma (Pittsgrove Township) | discharge1_min = 24 cuft/s1966 | discharge1_avg = 117 cuft/s | discharge1_max = 922 cuft/s1940 | source1 = | source1_location = Pittsgrove Township | source1_coordinates= | source1_elevation = | source_confluence = Still Run and Scotland Run | source_confluence_location = | source_confluence_coordinates= | source_confluence_elevation = | mouth = Delaware Bay | mouth_location = | mouth_coordinates = | mouth_elevation = | progression = | river_system = | basin_size = 386 sqmiapprox. | tributaries_left = Burnt Mill Branch, Blackwater Branch, Little Robin Branch, Parvin Branch, Manantico Creek, Manumuskin River, Muskee Creek, Little Mill Creek | tributaries_right = Green Branch, Muddy Run, Mill Creek, White Marsh Run, Buckshutem Creek, Steep Run, Peterson Run, Sheppards Branch | custom_label = | custom_data = | extra = {{Designation list | embed = yes | designation1 = nwsr | designation1_type = Scenic, Recreational | designation1_date = December 1, 1993 | designation1_number =
The Maurice River () is a tributary of Delaware Bay in Salem County and Cumberland County, New Jersey in the United States. The river was named for Maurice, Prince of Orange.
Watershed and course
The Maurice River, pronounced "MAW-ris", It is the second longest and second largest tributary to Delaware Bay. Its watershed includes an extensive southern portion of the coastal forested wetlands known as the Pine Barrens. Its mouth on Delaware Bay is surrounded by extensive salt marshes and has provided a historically important oystering ground.
::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a2/Maurice_River_from_the_Bluffs.jpg" caption="The Maurice River from the Maurice River Bluffs Preserve"] ::
It is born at the confluence of Still Run and Scotland Run, beneath the waters of Willow Grove Lake in Pittsgrove, Salem County and flows generally south-southeast, passing 2 mi west of Vineland. At Millville it is impounded to form the Union Lake reservoir, approximately 3 mi long. South of Millville it becomes navigable, forming a 10 mi estuary that empties into Maurice River Cove on Delaware Bay. The estuary is joined from the northeast by Menantico Creek, the Manumuskin River, and Muskee Creek.
Water quality and stewardship
The river is considered especially pristine for the region, forming a critical ecological link between the Pine Barrens and the Delaware Bay systems, except that the State of New Jersey advises against eating more than 8 oz of fish caught in the river in any week or month, depending on the species, for the general population and advises against eating any fish from the Maurice River for the High Risk population. It is the location of one of the few stands of wild rice in New Jersey, and provides habitat for 53 percent of the species in New Jersey designated as endangered. In 1993, Congress designated 28.9 mi of the river and its tributaries as the Maurice National Scenic and Recreational River, as part of the National Wild and Scenic Rivers program.
A local nonprofit organization, Citizens United to Protect the Maurice River and Its Tributaries, Inc., is a regional watershed organization that focuses its work on the Maurice River watershed, from Willow Grove Lake southward. The South Jersey Land and Water Trust focuses on the northern portion of the watershed, from Willow Grove Lake northward.
Tributaries
References
References
- U.S. Geological Survey (2013-09-04). [https://waterdata.usgs.gov/usa/nwis/uv?site_no=01411500 "Current Conditions for USGS 01411500 Maurice River at Norma NJ."]
- Berkery, Sheri. [https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/600536211/ "Do you know how to pronounce these S.J. town names?"], ''[[Courier-Post]]'', September 5, 2019. Accessed January 26, 2022, via [[Newspapers.com]]. "Maurice River/Maurice River Township: MAW-ris, instead of More-eece. So basically, pronounce it like a mans name, but not the one it looks like."
- Gannett, Henry. (1905). "The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States". U.S. Government Printing Office.
- is approximately {{convert. 50. mi
- (2019). "Fish Smart, Eat Smart A guide to Health Advisories for Eating Fish and Crabs Caught in New Jersey Waters". New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, New Jersey Department of Health.
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