Delaware
Delaware is a mapped river in the YearMaps hydrographic index. River courses organise settlement, agriculture and frontier-making more durably than any political boundary, and this reach is indexed against the dams, lakes and cities within its catchment.
- Feature Class
- River
- Coordinates
- 41.11°, -74.97°
About Delaware
The Delaware River is a major river in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States and is the longest free-flowing (undammed) river in the Eastern United States. From the meeting of its branches in Hancock, New York, the river flows for 282 miles (454 km) along the borders of (north to south): New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware, before emptying into Delaware Bay.
The river has been recognized by the National Wildlife Federation as one of the country's Great Waters and has been called the "Lifeblood of the Northeast" by American Rivers. Its watershed drains an area of 13,539 square miles (35,070 km2) and provides drinking water for 17 million people, including half of New York City via the Delaware Aqueduct.
The Delaware River has two branches that rise in the Catskill Mountains of New York: the West Branch at Mount Jefferson in Jefferson, Schoharie County, and the East Branch at Grand Gorge, Delaware County. The branches merge to form the main Delaware River at Hancock, New York. Flowing south, the river remains relatively undeveloped, with 152 miles (245 km) protected as the Upper, Middle, and Lower Delaware National Scenic Rivers.
Encyclopedic summary adapted from Wikipedia: Delaware River (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Delaware in Depth
Course
The West Branch of the Delaware River, also called the Mohawk Branch, spans approximately 90 miles (140 km) from the northern Catskill Mountains to its confluence with the Delaware River's East Branch at Hancock, New York. The last 6 miles (9.7 km) forms part of the boundary between New York and Pennsylvania.
The West Branch rises in Schoharie County, New York at 1,886 feet (575 m) above sea level, near Mount Jefferson, and flows tortuously through the plateau in a deep trough. The branch flows generally southwest, entering Delaware County and flowing through the towns of Stamford and Delhi. In southwestern Delaware County it flows in an increasingly winding course through the mountains, generally southwest.
History
At the time of the arrival of the Europeans in the early 17th century, the area near the Delaware River was inhabited by the Native American Lenape people, who called the Delaware River Lënapei Sipu, meaning "Lenape river", or Lenape Wihittuck, which means "the rapid stream of the Lenape". The Delaware River played a key factor in the economic and social development of the Mid-Atlantic region.
In the 17th century, the river provided the conduit for colonial settlement by the Dutch (New Netherland) and the Swedish (New Sweden). Beginning in 1664, the region became an English possession as settlement by Quakers established the colonies of Pennsylvania (including present-day Delaware) and West Jersey.
Sections adapted from Wikipedia: Delaware River (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Delaware: Key Facts
| Length | 579 km |
|---|---|
| Average discharge | 224 m³/s |
| Drainage basin | 36,568 km² |
| Mouth | Delaware Bay |
| Drainage system | Delaware River basin |
| Tributaries | Neversink River, Schuylkill River, Assunpink Creek, Lehigh River, Big Bushkill Creek, Crum Creek, Darby Creek, East Branch Delaware River |
Facts from Wikidata Q143762 (CC0).
Major River Dossiers
Hand-written studies of the great river systems of history.
Connected Reaches
Nearby watercourses in the same drainage network.
Water Bodies in the Catchment
Settlements Along the Reach
Hydraulic Infrastructure Nearby
Surrounding Terrain
Delaware: Quick Answers
- Where is Delaware?
- Delaware is located in United States, at 41.1124° N, 74.9688° W.
- Are there dams on the Delaware?
- No dam on the Delaware is recorded in the YearMaps dam index, which covers major structures only.