Cooper River (New Jersey) facts for kids
The Cooper River is a cool river in New Jersey, USA. It flows into the big Delaware River. It helps form the borders between towns like Cherry Hill and Haddonfield. The river was named after the Cooper family, who were some of the first European settlers in the area.
The Cooper River is about 16 miles (25.7 km) long. It starts in a town called Gibbsboro. The area of land where all the water drains into the Cooper River is called its watershed, and it covers about 40 square miles. Smaller streams like Nicholson Branch and the North Branch flow into it.
Long ago, the ocean's tides used to reach far up the Cooper River. Now, a special barrier in Camden stops the tides, creating calm water. The river also has seven "impoundments," which are like small lakes or ponds where the water is held back. These include Cooper River Lake and Hopkins Pond.
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Fun on the Cooper River
The Cooper River is a great place for outdoor activities!
Boating and Sailing
The Camden County Boathouse is right on the river in Pennsauken Township. It's a busy spot for eight different rowing clubs, including high school teams and Rutgers University-Camden. They practice and race from February to November.
If you like sailing, the Cooper River Yacht Club in Collingswood offers lessons for kids and adults during the summer. They also organize fun sailing races.
Canoeing and Fishing
You can explore a good part of the Cooper River by canoe, from its mouth all the way to southern Haddonfield. Just remember that you'll need to cross a few of those impoundments.
Fishing in the river has gotten much better! Special "fish ladders" have been added along the impoundments. These ladders help fish swim past the barriers. If you go fishing during the right season, you might catch small fish like sunnies and smallmouth bass.
Sports Events
The Cooper River is famous for hosting big sports competitions.
Rowing Championships
Since 1955, the Cooper River has been the home of the Intercollegiate Rowing Association's IRA Championship Regatta. This is a really important event, considered the national championship for college rowing in the United States.
The river has also hosted other major events, like the 2007 Scholastic Rowing Association of America national championships and the USRowing club national championships.
Community Races
The trail that goes around the river is also a popular spot for community races. For example, the 9/11 Heroes Run, hosted by the Travis Manion Foundation, regularly takes place here.
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