Black River (New York)

This article is about the tributary of Lake Ontario in New York. For other uses, see Black River.

The Black River is a 125-mile-long (201 km) blackwater river that empties into the eastern end of Lake Ontario on the shore of Jefferson County, New York in the United States. The origin of the name is not clear, but it may stem from the natural tannic acid that darkens the water in places. The river flows in a generally northwest direction, with its valley dividing the Adirondack Mountains on the east from the Tug Hill region to the west.

Black River
The Black River's Great Falls, Watertown, New York
A map of the Black River watershed
Location
Country	United States
State	New York
Physical characteristics
Source	North Lake
• location	Herkimer County, New York, Adirondack Mountains
• coordinates	43°31′19″N 74°56′53″W
• elevation	1,850 ft (560 m)
Mouth	Lake Ontario
• location	Dexter, Jefferson County
• coordinates	43°59′39″N 76°03′54″W
• elevation	246 ft (75 m)
Length	125 mi (201 km)
Basin size	1,920 sq mi (5,000 km2)
Discharge
• location	Watertown
• average	4,242 cu ft/s (120.1 m3/s)
• minimum	137 cu ft/s (3.9 m3/s)
• maximum	52,000 cu ft/s (1,500 m3/s)
Basin features
Progression	Lake Ontario→ Saint Lawrence River→ Gulf of Saint Lawrence
River system	Lake Ontario drainage basin
Tributaries
• left	South Branch Black River, Deer River
• right	Moose River Otter Creek, Independence River, Beaver River

Course

The cascade of a small tributary entering the Black River just south of NY Route 3, in the Village of Black River

The Black River originates at North Lake in the foothills of the Adirondacks, in Herkimer County, about 25 miles (40 km) east of Boonville. The river flows west into Oneida County then north, past Forestport and Boonville into Lewis County. At Lyons Falls, it is joined by the Moose River from the east just above the eponymous waterfall, where the river drops 70 feet (21 m) over a gneiss cliff.

Near Glenfield the Black River receives the smaller tributaries of Otter Creek and the Independence River, also from the east. Further north, it passes Lowville, then receives the Beaver River from the east, then the Deer River, its only major western tributary. Starting above Carthage the river briefly divides Lewis and Jefferson Counties before crossing entirely into Jefferson County, where it turns sharply west toward Lake Ontario, flowing past Great Bend, Black River and Watertown. Below Watertown it enters a canyon, well known for its challenging rapids.

Looking north at the bridge over NY Route 3

The river ends at Lake Ontario in the village of Dexter, about 10 miles (16 km) west of Watertown, where it empties into the Black River Bay and Marsh, which are parts of the Golden Crescent. For the last few miles it forms the boundary between the Towns of Brownville and Hounsfield.

Dams

There are at least 17 dams on the Black River, with eight in the upper part above Lyons Falls, and nine below Watertown. The upper and lower reaches of the river have a steep gradient and were originally developed to provide mechanical power for mills, such as the old Georgia-Pacific paper mill (which now sits abandoned and falling into disrepair) in Lyons Falls, and later hydroelectricity. In contrast the middle 40 miles (64 km) of the river have practically no gradient and are not suitable to the development of head for industrial or hydropower projects.

The three uppermost dams, forming North Lake, Kayuta Lake and the smaller Forestport Reservoir are the only structures forming significant impoundments. The other dams are run-of-the-river, with no appreciable storage capacity, so power generation is entirely dependent on the natural flow of the river combined with releases from upstream reservoirs, which is relatively consistent except for drought years.

Sporting activities

Abundant trout, salmon, bass, and pike are present in the stream, and salmon is the most favored.

Whitewater rafting and kayaking are popular on some stretches of the river, notably the Black River Canyon, which begins in Watertown and ends in Brownville. The Black River Canyon is one of few whitewater streams which have reliable flows throughout the summer. The "Canyon" itself is not actually present until you reach Brownville and ends in the Dexter Reservoir.

Environmental issues

A number of streams and lakes in the watershed have been impaired as a result of acid rain. Elevated levels of mercury have led to restrictions on the consumption of fish in some areas.

In August 2005, the Black River was contaminated by a spill from a manure lagoon on Marks Dairy Farm (a concentrated animal feeding operation near Lowville) when a retaining wall gave way, allowing the contents of a waste holding pond to spill. About 3 million US gallons (11,000 m³) of pollution flowed into the river. An estimated 280,000 to 375,000 fish were killed. As of August 3, 2006, a settlement has been reached and Marks Dairy Farm, originator of the spill, was ordered to pay $2.2 million.

Tributaries

Left

South Branch Black River

Twin Lakes Stream

Little Black Creek

Kent Creek

Mill Creek

Sugar River

Mill Creek

Douglass Creek

House Falls Creek

Whetstone Creek

Roaring Brook

Rainbow Creek

Mill Creek

Negro Creek

Stony Creek

Deer River

Felts Mills Creek

Right

Otter Brook

Indian Creek

Cold Brook

Cummings Creek

Mile Creek

Fall Brook

Miller Brook

Cold Brook

Moose River

Fish Creek

Otter Creek

Independence River

Harvey Creek

Hodge Creek

Crystal Creek

Capidon Creek

Beaver River

Potash Creek

Swiss Creek

Kelsey Creek

Philomel Creek

Trout Creek

See also

• List of New York rivers
• Village of Black River, New York

Further reading

• O'Hern, William; Byron-Curtiss, A.L. (2003). Adirondack stories of the Black River Country. Utica, N.Y.: North Country Books. ISBN 0-925168-68-8.

External links

• NYS Department of Environmental Conservation: Fishing and Canoeing the Black River
• National Whitewater River Inventory: Black River, Hawkinsville Section