Dry River (Jamaica)
Encyclopedia
The Dry River is a river
in St Mary
, Jamaica
.
and Portland in a district called Cocoa Wood. The highest of these reaches to just over 4000 feet (1,219.2 m) on the east flank of Telegraph Mountain, a spur on the north of the Grand Ridge of the Blue Mountains
, which is the site of a secondary triangulation station
. From here the river flows essentially northwards until it reaches the Caribbean Sea
just west of the Golden Grove Estate. Along the way it passes a number of small settlements and named regions including (working downstream from south to north):
is at Timsberry where the river crosses from east to west under an unclassified road. The second is a little south of Enfield where it crosses back. The final two bridges come just before the river enters the sea; here it crosses from south to north first under a road bridge carrying the A4 from Kingston
to Annotto Bay
and then under a railway bridge carrying the now defunct Kingston to Port Antonio railway line
.
It is interesting to note that the 1966 Directorate of Overseas Surveys 1:50,000 map shows the final two bridges as a single, combined road and rail bridge. There were a number of these along this coast, many built when the railway was first constructed in the mid 1890s, so it is quite possible that it was replaced at some point after 1966 but prior to the railways closure in 1978.
River
A river is a natural watercourse, usually freshwater, flowing towards an ocean, a lake, a sea, or another river. In a few cases, a river simply flows into the ground or dries up completely before reaching another body of water. Small rivers may also be called by several other names, including...
in St Mary
Saint Mary Parish, Jamaica
Saint Mary is a parish located in the northeast section of Jamaica. With a population of 115,000 it is one of Jamaica's smallest parishes, located in the county of Middlesex. Its chief town and capital is Port Maria, located on the coast. It is also the birthplace of established dancehall reggae...
, Jamaica
Jamaica
Jamaica is an island nation of the Greater Antilles, in length, up to in width and 10,990 square kilometres in area. It is situated in the Caribbean Sea, about south of Cuba, and west of Hispaniola, the island harbouring the nation-states Haiti and the Dominican Republic...
.
Course
The head of the river is a network of about 10 unnamed streams which rise on either side of the border between the parishes of St MarySaint Mary Parish, Jamaica
Saint Mary is a parish located in the northeast section of Jamaica. With a population of 115,000 it is one of Jamaica's smallest parishes, located in the county of Middlesex. Its chief town and capital is Port Maria, located on the coast. It is also the birthplace of established dancehall reggae...
and Portland in a district called Cocoa Wood. The highest of these reaches to just over 4000 feet (1,219.2 m) on the east flank of Telegraph Mountain, a spur on the north of the Grand Ridge of the Blue Mountains
Blue Mountains (Jamaica)
The Blue Mountains form the longest mountain range in Jamaica. They include the island's highest point, Blue Mountain Peak, at 2256 m . From the summit, accessible via a walking track, both the North and South coasts of the island can be seen...
, which is the site of a secondary triangulation station
Triangulation station
A triangulation station, also known as a triangulation pillar, trigonometrical station, trigonometrical point, trig station, trig beacon or trig point, and sometimes informally as a trig, is a fixed surveying station, used in geodetic surveying and other surveying projects in its vicinity...
. From here the river flows essentially northwards until it reaches the Caribbean Sea
Caribbean Sea
The Caribbean Sea is a sea of the Atlantic Ocean located in the tropics of the Western hemisphere. It is bounded by Mexico and Central America to the west and southwest, to the north by the Greater Antilles, and to the east by the Lesser Antilles....
just west of the Golden Grove Estate. Along the way it passes a number of small settlements and named regions including (working downstream from south to north):
- Perrys Tavern Gap
- Warminister (sic)
- Mount Joseph
- Evandale
- Happy Hut
- Two Paths
- Timsberry
- Enfield
- Juno Pen Village
- Fort Stewart
Gradient
From its source at just over 4000 feet (1,219.2 m) the Dry River falls 3750 feet (1,143 m) to the 250 feet (76.2 m) contour just below Timsberry bridge in a little over 10 kilometres (6.2 mi), an average gradient of about 1 in 9. For this part of its course it has the character of a swift moving mountain river with numerous small waterfalls and rapids. Below the 250 feet (76.2 m) contour its character changes as it enters a relatively flat valley and slows, taking about 9 kilometres (5.6 mi) to fall the final 250 feet (76.2 m) to sea level at its mouth, an average gradient of about 1 in 118.Infrastructure
Working downstream from south to north, the first bridgeBridge
A bridge is a structure built to span physical obstacles such as a body of water, valley, or road, for the purpose of providing passage over the obstacle...
is at Timsberry where the river crosses from east to west under an unclassified road. The second is a little south of Enfield where it crosses back. The final two bridges come just before the river enters the sea; here it crosses from south to north first under a road bridge carrying the A4 from Kingston
Kingston, Jamaica
Kingston is the capital and largest city of Jamaica, located on the southeastern coast of the island. It faces a natural harbour protected by the Palisadoes, a long sand spit which connects the town of Port Royal and the Norman Manley International Airport to the rest of the island...
to Annotto Bay
Annotto Bay
Annotto Bay is a town in the parish of Saint Mary in Jamaica. - External links :*...
and then under a railway bridge carrying the now defunct Kingston to Port Antonio railway line
Railways of Jamaica: Bog Walk to Port Antonio
The Bog Walk to Port Antonio was built to serve the banana, cacao, citrus and coconut districts of St Catherine, St Mary and Portland.All external links below are to WikiMapia.-Construction, operation and closure:...
.
It is interesting to note that the 1966 Directorate of Overseas Surveys 1:50,000 map shows the final two bridges as a single, combined road and rail bridge. There were a number of these along this coast, many built when the railway was first constructed in the mid 1890s, so it is quite possible that it was replaced at some point after 1966 but prior to the railways closure in 1978.
Tributaries
Most of the tributaries of the Dry River are short and appear to be unnamed. Working upstream from north to south (and taking the highest reaching tributary to be the true source) there are:- Four unnamed on the west or right bank.
- Three unnamed on the east or left bank.
- The May RiverMay RiverThe May River is a river in the Kimberley of Western Australia.The river is formed when the Lennard River splits into two channels just North of Mount Marmion and near the Kimberley Downs Station homestead, the other channel being the Meda River...
on the west or right bank, which joins immediately below the Timsberry road bridge. - Two unnamed on the east or left bank.
- Three unnamed on the west or right bank.
- One unnamed on the east or left bank.
- One unnamed on the west or right bank.