Hutchinson River

Hutchinson River
East Chester Creek, Eastchester Creek, Eastchester River, Hutchins Creek, Hutchinson Creek, Hutchinson's Brook, Hutchinson's River, Hutchinsons River[1]
River in Twin Lakes County Park between Lake Innisfree and Reservoir 3
Native nameAquacanounck, Aqueanounck, Aqueanouncke (Munsee)[1]
Location
CountryUnited States
StateNew York
RegionGreater New York City
CountiesWestchester, Bronx
Cities, towns and villagesScarsdale, New Rochelle, Eastchester, Mount Vernon, Pelham Manor, Pelham and New York City
Physical characteristics
Sourceconfluence of unnamed streams
 • locationScarsdale–New Rochelle municipal boundary
 • coordinates40°59′10″N 73°47′11″W / 40.9862°N 73.7863°W / 40.9862; -73.7863
 • elevation235 ft (72 m)[2]
MouthEastchester Bay
 • location
Bronx, New York
 • coordinates
40°51′14″N 73°48′28″W / 40.8539°N 73.8078°W / 40.8539; -73.8078
 • elevation
0 ft (0 m)
Length10 mi (16 km)
Basin size19.4 sq mi (50 km2)
Discharge 
 • locationPelham
 • average7.24 cubic feet (0.205 m3)/sec[4]
 • minimum0.01 cubic feet (0.00028 m3)/sec[3]
 • maximum526 cubic feet (14.9 m3)/sec

The Hutchinson River is a 10 mile-long (16 km) freshwater stream located in the New York City borough of the Bronx and Southern Westchester County, New York, United States. It forms on the New RochelleScarsdale municipal line off Brookline Road in the latter community and flows south, draining a 19.4-square-mile (50 km2) area.[5] It continues to serve as New Rochelle's city line with Eastchester; further downstream; its lower reaches divide Mount Vernon and Pelham[6] until it enters the Bronx and empties into Long Island Sound's Eastchester Bay.

The river is named for Anne Hutchinson, who came from Rhode Island in 1642 and settled on Pelham Neck to the east of the river, across from where Co-op City is now.[7]

Much of the land in the Hutchinson's watershed has been extensively developed over the last century as the New York metropolitan area grew and suburbanized. Along all but its uppermost and lowermost stretches, it is paralleled by the Hutchinson River Parkway. At three points along its length it has been dammed to create reservoirs. Its lower three miles (5 km) are commercially navigable and still in use by shipping.

As a result of all this pressure, the river is seriously polluted. The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation rates the entire stream as impaired to an extent that it cannot be used as drinking water or recreationally; local authorities discourage eating any fish caught from the Hutchinson. Efforts to clean up the river have begun both in the form of remediation programs and lawsuits against polluters.

  1. ^ a b "Hutchinson River". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
  2. ^ "Map showing the source of the Hutchinson River" (Map). Google Maps Find Altitude. Daft Logic. November 23, 2013. Retrieved November 18, 2014.
  3. ^ "USGS 03001500 Hutchinson River at Pelham NY". U.S. Geological Survey. Retrieved July 30, 2023.
  4. ^ "USGS 03001500 Hutchinson River at Pelham NY". U.S. Geological Survey. Retrieved July 30, 2023.
  5. ^ "Hutchinson River Watershed Plan Phase I – Westchester County" (PDF). SaveTheSound.org. Westchester County. September 21, 2022. p. 21. Retrieved July 29, 2023.
  6. ^ Lederer, Richard M. (1978). The Place Names of Westchester County New York. Harrison, NY: Harbor Hill Books. p. 72. ISBN 978-0-916346-30-0.
  7. ^ "Anne Hutchinson". National Women's Hall of Fame. 1994. Archived from the original on October 21, 2011. Retrieved December 24, 2011.

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