East Branch Delaware River

East Branch Delaware River
East Branch at Margaretville, New York
Location
Country	United States
State	New York
Region	Catskills
County	Delaware
Towns	Roxbury, Middletown, Andes, Colchester, Hancock
Physical characteristics
Source	Unnamed pond
• location	SW of Grand Gorge
• coordinates	42°21′21″N 74°31′03″W / 42.35583°N 74.51750°W / 42.35583; -74.51750[1]
• elevation	1,560 ft (480 m)
Mouth	Delaware River
• location	Hancock
• coordinates	41°56′20″N 75°16′45″W / 41.93889°N 75.27917°W / 41.93889; -75.27917[1]
• elevation	883[1] ft (269 m)
Length	75 mi (121 km)[1]
Basin size	828 sq mi (2,140 km2)
Discharge
• average	1,715 cu ft/s (48.6 m3/s)
• maximum	77,400 cu ft/s (2,190 m3/s)
Basin features
River system	Delaware River
Tributaries
• left	Beaver Kill, Dry Brook
• right	Platte Kill

The East Branch Delaware River is one of two branches that form the Delaware River. It is approximately 75 mi (121 km) long, and flows through the U.S. state of New York. It winds through a mountainous area on the southwestern edge of Catskill Park in the Catskill Mountains for most of its course, before joining the West Branch along the northeast border of Pennsylvania with New York. Much of it is paralleled by State Route 30.

The river was impounded just north of Downsville in the mid-20th century to create Pepacton Reservoir, part of the New York City water supply system supplying drinking water to the City. It is a popular destination for fly fishing for brown trout.

In 1881 John Burroughs, a native of the area, published "A Summer Voyage", recounting a solo boat trip down the East Branch from Arkville to Hancock.^[2]

There are many variant names for the river that include: Papaconck, Papakonk River, Papotunk River, Pepachton River, Pepacton Branch, Popacton River, Popaxtunk Branch.^[1]