St. Jones River facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St. Jones River |
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The St. Jones River in Dover in 2006
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 Location of the mouth of the St. Jones River
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| Other name(s) | Tributary to Delaware Bay |
| Country | United States |
| State | Delaware |
| County | Kent |
| City | Dover |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Main source | Silver Lake Dover 13 ft (4.0 m) 39°10′06″N 75°31′18″W / 39.16833°N 75.52167°W |
| River mouth | Delaware Bay Bowers 0 ft (0 m) 39°03′57″N 75°24′03″W / 39.06583°N 75.40083°W |
| Length | 13 mi (21 km) |
| Basin features | |
| Progression | southeast |
| River system | Delaware Bay |
| Basin size | 36 sq mi (93 km2) |
| Tributaries |
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| Waterbodies | Silver Lake |
| Bridges | E Division Street, E Lookerman Street, Martin Luther King, jr. Blvd., US 13, Puncheon Run Connector, E Lebanon Road, DE 1 |
The St. Jones River is a river in central Delaware, United States. It flows into Delaware Bay. The river is about 12.8 miles (20.6 km) long. It drains an area of 36 square miles (93 km2) on the Atlantic Coastal Plain.
People believe the river was named after Robert Jones. He was an early European landowner in the area. Another idea is that it comes from "St. Jone," which is the Welsh spelling of St. John.
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Where the St. Jones River Starts and Ends
The St. Jones River flows entirely through Kent County. It begins at the dam of Silver Lake in the city of Dover. Silver Lake gets its water from smaller streams like Fork Branch, Penrose Branch, and Maidstone Branch.
The River's Journey Through Delaware
From Silver Lake, the St. Jones River flows mostly southeast. It goes along the east side of downtown Dover. You can see it pass by important buildings like Legislative Hall. This is where Delaware's laws are made. The river also flows past the Dover Air Force Base.
The river then reaches Bowers. Here, it flows into Delaware Bay. This is about 0.5 miles (0.80 km) north of where the Murderkill River also meets the bay.
Nature and Wildlife Along the River
The lower part of the St. Jones River, southeast of Dover, is a special place. It is surrounded by brackish marshes and salt marshes. These are wetlands where fresh water mixes with salty ocean water. These areas are home to many different plants and animals.
Protecting the River's Natural Beauty
A part of the lower St. Jones River is federally protected. It is part of the Delaware National Estuarine Research Reserve. This reserve helps protect the natural habitats of the river. It is part of a larger system called the National Estuarine Research Reserve system. This system works to study and protect estuaries across the country.
Different Names for the St. Jones River
The official name, "St. Jones River," was decided in 1894. This was done by the United States Board on Geographic Names. However, the river has been known by other names throughout history.
Historical Names of the River
Some of the other names the river has been called include:
- Jones Creek
- Joness Creek
- Kishlen
- Saint Jones Creek
- Warge Kijhlen
- Wulfs Creek
- Wulfscreek
