List of Delaware River tributaries facts for kids
The Delaware River is a very important river in the eastern United States. Its watershed is like a giant funnel that collects water from a huge area. This area covers about 14,119 square miles (36,568 square kilometers). It includes parts of five states: New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Delaware. This watershed makes up about 0.4% of all the land in the United States.
The Delaware River starts high up in the Catskill Mountains in Upstate New York. It flows south for 419 miles (674 km). Finally, it reaches Delaware Bay, where its waters mix with the Atlantic Ocean. This happens near Cape May in New Jersey and Cape Henlopen in Delaware. Many smaller streams and creeks flow into the Delaware River. There are about 216 of these "tributaries," adding up to over 14,000 miles of waterways!
People use the water from the Delaware River basin for many things. It's used for fishing, transportation, and making electricity. It also helps cool down power plants and is great for recreation like boating. Most importantly, this river provides drinking water for 17 million people. That's about 10% of the entire U.S. population! Even though it's the 33rd largest river by how much water flows, it's one of the busiest for moving goods by boat every day.
Contents
What is a Watershed?
A watershed is an area of land where all the water drains into a single river, lake, or ocean. Think of it like a giant bowl. When rain or snow falls anywhere in that bowl, the water eventually flows down to the lowest point. For the Delaware River, all the rain and snow that falls in its watershed ends up in the river itself.
Main Rivers that Flow into the Delaware
Many rivers and creeks join the Delaware River along its long journey. These are called tributaries. They add their water to the main river.
Tributaries in New York
In New York, some of the main rivers that flow into the Delaware are:
- Mongaup River
- Neversink River
- Callicoon Creek
Tributaries in Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania has several large tributaries that feed the Delaware River:
Tributaries in New Jersey
From New Jersey, important rivers and creeks include:
- Flat Brook
- Pequest River
- Musconetcong River
- Maurice River
- Oldmans Creek
- Raccoon Creek
- Rancocas Creek
Tributaries in Delaware
In Delaware, some of the creeks and rivers that flow into the Delaware River are:
Delaware Bay and Its Tributaries
Delaware Bay is where the Delaware River meets the Atlantic Ocean. It's a special place called an estuary. In an estuary, fresh water from the river mixes with salty ocean water. This creates a unique environment. The bay is bordered by New Jersey and Delaware. Its entrance to the ocean is marked by two points of land: Cape Henlopen in Delaware and Cape May in New Jersey.
Tributaries in New Jersey (flowing into Delaware Bay)
Some rivers and creeks from New Jersey that flow directly into Delaware Bay include:
- Stow Creek
- Cohansey River
- Maurice River
Tributaries in Delaware (flowing into Delaware Bay)
From Delaware, some waterways that flow into the bay are:
- Appoquinimink River
- Blackbird Creek
- Smyrna River
- St. Jones River
- Murderkill River
- Mispillion River
- Broadkill River
Images for kids
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The Paulins Kill river.
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The Musconetcong River in Hopatcong State Park.
See also
