The Water Resources in the Hudson Valley

Water resources in the Hudson Valley include streams, creeks, rivers, lakes and reservoirs. These are all watersheds, places where water collects and drains. The Hudson Valley has three main watersheds. The upper and lower Hudson River watersheds along with the Mohawk River make up the watersheds in the Hudson Valley. These areas provide such recreational activities as boating, fishing and swimming. Check with the area before taking motorboats or preparing to swim in an undesignated area.

Upper Hudson Valley Watershed

• The 7,140 mile upper Hudson watershed begins in the Adirondack Mountains and flows to the Mohawk River ending at the Troy Dam. This watershed includes a small part of Vermont and Massachusetts including the Mohawk River watershed. The rivers and streams in the upper watershed include the Sacandaga River, Schroon River, Fish Creek, Hoosic River and Batten Kill. A total of 229 lakes, ponds and reservoirs lie in the upper Hudson River watershed, including the Great Sacandaga Lake, Indian Lake, Schroon Lake and Saratoga Lake.

Lower Hudson Valley Watershed

• The 8,861 mile lower Hudson River watershed flows from Manhattan to the Troy Dam. The Hudson is a tidal estuary here. The rivers and creeks that flow into the lower Hudson River estuary are Rondout/Wallkill rivers, Stockport/Kinderhook creeks, Catskill Creek, Esopus Creek and Croton River. The watershed holds 324 lakes, ponds, and reservoirs. The major reservoirs are Ashokan Reservoir, Rondout Reservoir, New Croton Reservoir, Alcove Reservoir, Cross River Reservoir and the Muscoot/Upper New Croton Reservoir.

Mohawk River Watershed

• The 4,086 mile Mohawk River watershed lies entirely within New York state and consists of major tributaries from Schoharie Creek, West Canada Creek and East Canada Creek. Captains use sections of the Mohawk as a New York barge canal. The larger reservoirs and lakes within the Mohawk River Watershed consist of 135 lakes, ponds, and reservoirs including Hinkley Reservoir, Delta Reservoir, Peck Lake and Schoharie Reservoir.