Fishkill Creek

Fishkill Creek
Fishkill Creek from NY 52 near Brinckerhoff
Fishkill Creek watershed
EtymologyDutch for "fish stream"
Native nameMatteawan [1] (Munsee)
Location
CountryUnited States
StateNew York
RegionHudson Valley
CountyDutchess
TownsUnion Vale, Beekman, East Fishkill, Fishkill
Physical characteristics
SourcePray Pond
 • coordinates41°40′38″N 73°40′38″W / 41.67722°N 73.67722°W / 41.67722; -73.67722
 • elevation480 ft (150 m)
MouthHudson River S of Denning Point
 • coordinates
41°28′55″N 73°59′8″W / 41.48194°N 73.98556°W / 41.48194; -73.98556
 • elevation
0 ft (0 m)
Length33.5 mi (53.9 km), SW
Basin size193 sq mi (500 km2)
Discharge 
 • locationBeacon
 • average205 cu ft/s (5.8 m3/s)
 • minimum1.1 cu ft/s (0.031 m3/s)September 12, 1964
 • maximum6,970 cu ft/s (197 m3/s)August 20, 1955
Discharge 
 • locationHopewell Junction
 • average130 cu ft/s (3.7 m3/s)
 • minimum25 cu ft/s (0.71 m3/s)1965
 • maximum140 cu ft/s (4.0 m3/s)1972
Basin features
Tributaries 
 • leftWhaley Lake Brook, Clove Creek
 • rightWhortlekill Creek, Sprout Creek

Fishkill Creek (also Fish Kill, from the Dutch vis kille, for "fish creek") is a tributary of the Hudson River in Dutchess County, New York, United States. At 33.5 miles (53.9 km)[2] it is the second longest stream in the county, after Wappinger Creek. It rises in the town of Union Vale and flows generally southwest to a small estuary on the Hudson just south of Beacon. Part of its 193-square-mile (500 km2) watershed[3] is in Putnam County to the south. Sprout Creek, the county's third-longest creek, is its most significant tributary. Whaley and Sylvan lakes and Beacon Reservoir, its largest, deepest and highest lakes, are among the bodies of water within the watershed.

While the creek is not impounded for use in any local water supply, it remains a focus of regional conservation efforts as a recreational and aesthetic resource, especially since the lower Fishkill watershed has been extensively developed in the last two decades. It flows through several local parks and is a popular trout stream. Industries and mills along it helped spur the settlement of the region.

  1. ^ History of the Indian tribes of Hudson's River: their origin, manners and customs..., By Edward Manning Ruttenberg, page 370
  2. ^ U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline data. The National Map Archived 2012-03-29 at the Wayback Machine, accessed October 3, 2011
  3. ^ "Fishkill Creek Information". Dutchess Watersheds. 2009. Retrieved April 18, 2010.