Christina River facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Christina River |
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The Christina River in Wilmington in 2006
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Christina River/Brandywine Creek watershed
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| Other name(s) | Tributary to Delaware River |
| Country | United States |
| State | Pennsylvania, Maryland, Delaware |
| County | New Castle (DE) Chester (PA) |
| Cities | Newark, DE, Newport, DE, Wilmington, DE |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Main source | Franklin Township, Chester County, Pennsylvania 380 ft (120 m) 39°44′47″N 75°48′53″W / 39.74639°N 75.81472°W |
| River mouth | Delaware River Wilmington, New Castle County, Delaware 0 ft (0 m) 39°42′57″N 75°30′44″W / 39.71583°N 75.51222°W |
| Length | 35 mi (56 km) approximately |
| Basin features | |
| Basin size | 565 sq mi (1,460 km2) |
| Tributaries |
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The Christina River is a cool waterway in the United States. It's about 35 miles (56 km) long. This river flows through parts of Delaware, Pennsylvania, and Maryland. Near its end, it goes right past downtown Wilmington, Delaware. This part of the river acts as a busy harbor for ships on the bigger Delaware River. The Port of Wilmington, a major shipping hub, opened here in 1923. It handles cargo from all over the world.
Contents
Where Does It Start and Go?
The Christina River begins in southeastern Pennsylvania. It starts in Franklin Township in Chester County. From there, it flows southeast. It briefly passes through the northeastern part of Cecil County, Maryland.
Then, the river enters New Castle County in Delaware. It flows through the western and southern areas of Newark. After Newark, it turns northeast. It passes the town of Newport and gets closer to Wilmington.
River Branches and Water Supply
The Christina River has several important branches, called tributaries. Near Newport, it meets White Clay Creek from the west. In Wilmington, it joins with Brandywine Creek. This meeting point is about 2 miles (3 km) before the Christina River flows into the Delaware River.
The Christina River and its tributaries drain a huge area. This area is about 565 square miles (1,463 km2). Even though Brandywine Creek is a tributary, it drains a big part of this area. It covers 58% of the total basin. White Clay Creek and its branch, Red Clay Creek, drain another 28%.
Most of the Christina River's basin is in Pennsylvania. About 71% of it is there. Delaware has 28% of the basin, and Maryland has 1%. The streams in this basin provide a lot of water. They supply about 100 million gallons (400 million liters) of water every day. This water helps over half a million people in the three states. It provides 75% of the water for New Castle County, Delaware. It also gives more than 40% of the water for Chester County, Pennsylvania.
Why Is It Called Christina?
The Christina River was named after Christina of Sweden. She was a queen of Sweden. In 1638, the first permanent European settlement in Delaware was built here. It was called Fort Christina. This fort was part of the Swedish colony of New Sweden.
Later, the Dutch took over the fort in 1655. Then, the English captured it in 1664.
Fun Things to Do on the River
Many rowing teams and clubs use the Christina River. They practice in Wilmington. Some of these groups include:
- Wilmington Youth Rowing Association
- Wilmington Rowing Association
- Newport Rowing Club
- University of Delaware rowing teams
Every fall, there's a special rowing race called the "Head of the Christina." It takes place on the river. The Wilmington Youth Rowing Association's boathouse hosts this event.
Just south of downtown Wilmington, the Christina River is home to the "Kalmar Nyckel." This ship is Delaware's official Tall Ship. The U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary's Search and Rescue Detachment (SARDET) Wilmington also has its home port here.
The Christina River is also a place where Striped Bass fish come to lay their eggs. These fish then swim out into the Delaware River.
The Christina Riverwalk is a walking path along the river. It's part of the East Coast Greenway. This is a huge trail system. It stretches 3,000 miles (4,800 km) from Maine all the way to Florida!
Images for kids
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The Christina River in its upper course in 2006, near the community of Christiana
