Genesee River

Genesee River
Genesee River near Belmont
Genesee River watershed (Interactive map)
Native nameČunehstí•yu• (Tuscarora)[1]
Location
CountryUnited States
StateNew York, Pennsylvania
Counties(see Navbox, below)
CityRochester, NY
Physical characteristics
Source 
 • locationUlysses Township, Potter County, Pennsylvania
 • coordinates41°53′33″N 77°43′54″W / 41.89250°N 77.73167°W / 41.89250; -77.73167[2]
 • elevation2,275 ft (693 m)[3]
MouthLake Ontario
 • location
Charlotte, Rochester, Monroe County, New York
 • coordinates
43°15′30″N 77°36′08″W / 43.25833°N 77.60222°W / 43.25833; -77.60222[2]
 • elevation
243 ft (74 m)[2]
Length157 mi (253 km)
Basin size2,500 sq mi (6,500 km2)
Discharge 
 • locationLake Ontario
Discharge 
 • locationPortageville, NY

The Genesee River (/ˌɛnɪˈs/ JEN-iss-EE) is a tributary of Lake Ontario flowing northward through the Twin Tiers of Pennsylvania and New York in the United States. The river contains several waterfalls in New York at Letchworth State Park and Rochester.

The river was historically used as a border between the lands of the Seneca to the east and the Erie and Wenro to the west. Later, the river provided the original power for the Rochester area's 19th century mills, and still provides hydroelectric power for downtown Rochester. Flooding occurred periodically in the river valley before construction of the Mount Morris Dam in the 1950s.

  1. ^ Peck, William (1908). History of Rochester and Monroe county, New York. The Pioneer publishing company. p. 15. Retrieved April 4, 2009.
    NOTE: Čunehstí•yu• is from the Seneca tribe name Chin-u-shio (Tuscarora language) meaning a beautiful open valley.
  2. ^ a b c U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Genesee River
  3. ^ Harrison Valley, PA, 7.5 Minute Topographic Quadrangle, USGS, 1957 (1971 rev)