tributary
A tributary, or affluent, is a stream or river that flows into a larger stream or main stem (or parent) river or a lake. A tributary does not flow directly into a sea or ocean. Tributaries and the main stem river drain the surrounding drai ...
Hudson River
The Hudson River is a river that flows from north to south primarily through eastern New York. It originates in the Adirondack Mountains of Upstate New York and flows southward through the Hudson Valley to the New York Harbor between N ...
via the
Mohawk Mohawk may refer to:
Related to Native Americans
* Mohawk people, an indigenous people of North America (Canada and New York)
*Mohawk language, the language spoken by the Mohawk people
* Mohawk hairstyle, from a hairstyle once thought to have been ...
. Since it drains into the Schoharie upstream of
Schoharie Reservoir
The Schoharie Reservoir is a reservoir in the Catskill Mountains of New York State that was created to be one of 19 reservoirs that supplies New York City with water. It was created by impounding Schoharie Creek. Portions of it lie in the towns of ...
, it is part of the
New York City water supply system
A combination of aqueducts, reservoirs, and tunnels supplies fresh water to New York City. With three major water systems ( Croton, Catskill, and Delaware) stretching up to away from the city, its water supply system is one of the most exte ...
. East Kill drains the southern slopes of the Blackhead Mountains, which include Thomas Cole Mountain, Black Dome, and Blackhead Mountain, the fourth-, third-, and fifth-highest peaks in the Catskills, respectively.
The East Kill's watershed accounts for 3.9 percent of the Schoharie basin and is located near the southern end of that creek's watershed.
Course
East Kill begins as a mountainous stream dropping approximately in its first mile, then reduces in slope to dropping about over the next mile. The remainder of the creek drops to an average slope of per mile until it reaches its confluence with Schoharie Creek.
East Kill begins on the northwestern slopes of Stoppel Point and begins flowing northwestward, then soon curves to the west. It continues west for a short distance, then flows into Colgate Lake, a lake. It exits the lake then passes by the East Kill Valley Church, as it continues along the road. It soon recei
ves Halsey Brook from the north, which drains the southwestern slopes of Black Dome and the southeastern slopes of Thomas Cole Mountain, the third and fourth of the
Catskill High Peaks
The Catskill High Peaks are all of the mountains in New York (state), New York's Catskill Mountains above in elevation whose summits are separated either by ''or'' a vertical drop of at least between it and the next nearest separate summit. B ...
respectively. The creek then curves northward, passes through East Jewett, then curves back west. It then soon reaches Camp Beecher, where it curves north and begins to parallel State Route 296. After a short distance it curves back west and crosses under State Route 296. It soon receives Roaring Brook from the north, which drains part of the southern slope of Cave Mountain. East Kill then soon turns to the southwest, and soon converges with Schoharie Creek in Jewett Center.
Watershed
The East Kill's watershed, is mostly located within the town of Jewett, with a few small sections entering into the towns of Windham, Ashland, and Lexington. East Kill drains some of the highest slopes in the Catskills, including the Blackhead Mountains. The Blackhead Mountain range includes Thomas Cole Mountain, Black Dome, and Blackhead Mountain, the fourth-, third-, and fifth-highest peaks in the Catskills, respectively. The highest point in the East Kill watershed is at the summit of
Black Dome Mountain
Black Dome Mountain is the northernmost summit of the Camelsfoot Range, which lies along the west side of the Fraser River, north of Lillooet, British Columbia, Canada. It is an ancient butte-like volcano located in the formation known as the Chi ...
in southeast Jewett. The average elevation of the watershed is approximately .
Within the watershed, the predominant land cover is undeveloped forested area, at or 90 percent of the watershed. About 2.5 percent of the watershed is developed and the remaining 7.5 percent is shrubland. Water covers ; the
National Wetlands Inventory The National Wetlands Inventory (NWI) was established by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) to conduct a nationwide inventory of U.S. wetlands to provide biologists and others with information on the distribution and type of wetlands ...
maintained by the
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
The United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS or FWS) is an agency within the United States Department of the Interior dedicated to the management of fish, wildlife, and natural habitats. The mission of the agency is "working with othe ...
has identified 168 separate wetlands within the East Kill watershed, totaling , including all open water. About 84.5 percent of the total acreage is
palustrine wetland
Palustrine wetlands include any inland wetland that contains ocean-derived salts in concentrations of less than 0.5 parts per thousand, and is non- tidal. The word ''palustrine'' comes from the Latin word ''palus'' or marsh. Wetlands within this ...
s such as marshes and swamps.
History
When settlers first arrived in the East Kill Valley, they frequently encountered bears, wolves, and other dangerous wildlife. This caused many of the first settlers to only stay in the area for a short time. A man by the name of John Godsell, known as Uncle John by the locals, was an expert trapper along the creek, who killed between 40 and 50 wolves in the East Kill Valley. One wolf he tied up and tried to bring to the nearby town of Cairo, in order to get a larger bounty. The wolf died before Godsell was able to reach Cairo.
From the late 1700s to early 1800s, the local economy thrived on the sale of hemlock bark, which was used to tan
leather
Leather is a strong, flexible and durable material obtained from the tanning, or chemical treatment, of animal skins and hides to prevent decay. The most common leathers come from cattle, sheep, goats, equine animals, buffalo, pigs and hog ...
. The local industry later shifted to logging as lumber demands rose in the area. When the majority of the forests were cleared, dairy farms became the dominant economic revenue in the East Kill valley.
Geology
While the Catskills originated during the Devonian period, around 375 million years ago, as a former
river delta
A river delta is a landform shaped like a triangle, created by deposition of sediment that is carried by a river and enters slower-moving or stagnant water. This occurs where a river enters an ocean, sea, estuary, lake, reservoir, or (more ra ...
uplifted
''Uplifted'' is the second studio album by Nigerian singer Flavour N'abania. It was released on July 20, 2010, by Obaino Music and 2nite Entertainment. The album features guest appearances from Jay Dey, Oloye, Stormrex, Waga Gee, Asemstone, M-Jay, ...
and became a
dissected plateau
A dissected plateau is a plateau area that has been severely eroded such that the relief is sharp. Such an area may be referred to as mountainous, but dissected plateaus are distinguishable from orogenic mountain belts by the lack of folding, ...
, the East Kill's valley was formed during the recent
effects
Effect may refer to:
* A result or change of something
** List of effects
** Cause and effect, an idiom describing causality
Pharmacy and pharmacology
* Drug effect, a change resulting from the administration of a drug
** Therapeutic effect, a ...
of the
Wisconsin glaciation
The Wisconsin Glacial Episode, also called the Wisconsin glaciation, was the most recent glacial period of the North American ice sheet complex. This advance included the Cordilleran Ice Sheet, which nucleated in the northern North American Cord ...
, which ended about 12,000 years ago. Meltwater fed many streams, which eventually formed today's East Kill.
Lodgement till, which is a very dense, clay-rich, and reddish brown deposit, is very frequent in the East Kill and upper Schoharie Creek watersheds. The extreme density is distinguished from the looser assemblage of mixed sediment that comprises melt-out till found in moraines and along mountain sides. The presence of bedrock banks in the East Kill can represent natural limits to changes in the stream channel system. Examples of this are shown in the headwater waterfalls.
Hydrology
Discharge
The East Kill's watershed receives an average of precipitation annually, making it one of the wettest areas of the Catskills. Most of the precipitation is concentrated in seasonal events such as summer thunderstorms, remnants of hurricanes later in the year, or rain-on-snow events in springtime. The average slope of the watershed is 17.3 percent. Drainage density, or how much stream length is available to carry water off the landscape, is slightly higher than average streams in the Catskills. The high average drainage density, steep slopes, and high precipitation causes flash floods during storm events. However, most of the watershed lies within forests that tend to mitigate this somewhat.
The
United States Geological Survey
The United States Geological Survey (USGS), formerly simply known as the Geological Survey, is a scientific agency of the United States government. The scientists of the USGS study the landscape of the United States, its natural resources, ...
(USGS) maintains one stream gauge along East Kill. The station is located on Mill Hollow Road, northeast of Jewett Center, had a maximum discharge of per second on August 28, 2011, as Hurricane Irene passed through the area, and a minimum discharge of per second on August 13, 1997.
Water quality
NYSDEC performed a study of the creek in 2005 and 2006, showed that overall water quality was good. Also it showed that aquatic life was normal in the stream, and that there were no other water quality impacts to recreational uses. In the past, there has excessive stream bank erosion along the creek. However the East Kill does not seem to be as prone to sediment and turbidity problems like other Schoharie Creek tributaries in the area. However, sediment load from East Kill, along with
West Kill
The West Kill, an tributary of Schoharie Creek, flows through the town of Lexington, New York, United States, from its source on Hunter Mountain, the second-highest peak of the Catskill Mountains. Ultimately its waters reach the Hudson River vi ...
and Batavia Kill, have been the principal contributors of sediment and turbidity in the
Schoharie Reservoir
The Schoharie Reservoir is a reservoir in the Catskill Mountains of New York State that was created to be one of 19 reservoirs that supplies New York City with water. It was created by impounding Schoharie Creek. Portions of it lie in the towns of ...
.
DEC rates the
water quality
Water quality refers to the chemical, physical, and biological characteristics of water based on the standards of its usage. It is most frequently used by reference to a set of standards against which compliance, generally achieved through tr ...
of the stream as Class C, suitable for fishing and non-contact human recreation. The agency also adds a "(TS)", indicating that the stream's waters are ideal for trout spawning. The kill's waters are pure enough to be part of the
New York City water supply system
A combination of aqueducts, reservoirs, and tunnels supplies fresh water to New York City. With three major water systems ( Croton, Catskill, and Delaware) stretching up to away from the city, its water supply system is one of the most exte ...
; after draining into the Schoharie they are impounded at
Schoharie Reservoir
The Schoharie Reservoir is a reservoir in the Catskill Mountains of New York State that was created to be one of 19 reservoirs that supplies New York City with water. It was created by impounding Schoharie Creek. Portions of it lie in the towns of ...
downstream, where they can be delivered through the
Shandaken Tunnel
The Shandaken Tunnel is an aqueduct in Eastern New York State, part of the New York City water supply system. It was constructed between 1916 and 1924. The tunnel starts in Gilboa, New York at the Schoharie Reservoir, which is in the counties o ...
to
Esopus Creek
Esopus Creek is a tributary of the Hudson River that drains the east-central Catskill Mountains in the U.S. state of New York. From its source at Winnisook Lake on the slopes of Slide Mountain, the Catskills' highest peak, it flows across Uls ...
Ashokan Reservoir
The Ashokan Reservoir (; Iroquois for "place of fish") is a reservoir in Ulster County, New York. It is at the eastern end of the Catskill Park, and is one of several in the region created to provide the City of New York with water. It is the ci ...
, which supplies 10 percent of the city's water, and then, via the Catskill Aqueduct, to customers, without requiring filtration.
Flood control
In 2006, a combined effort of the Greene CountySoil and Water Conservation District and the DEP resulted in a management plan for East Kill. The stream was subdivided into 11 sections from its source to the mouth and inventoried in great detail. Issues of concern for habitat and flood management were identified and recommendations made.
After a January 1996 flood that damaged areas along the creek, certain sections had to be reconstructed. One section was by the Farber Farm to prevent damage from future floods. The reconstruction projects also improved aquatic and riparian habitats, and improved water quality. Then in 2011, a project was performed to repair
aggradation
Aggradation (or alluviation) is the term used in geology for the increase in land elevation, typically in a river system, due to the deposition of sediment. Aggradation occurs in areas in which the supply of sediment is greater than the amount of ...
upstream of the Vista Ridge bridge, and fix where the creek changed its course closer towards Colgate Lake road. The project protected the road, and planted native trees and shrubs to reduce erosion and prevent future flood damage.
Fishery
The East Kill is mostly a cold water stream, which provides suitable water temperatures for organisms, such as brook trout, which require water less than . Roughly 2,700 brown trout are stocked annually along the creek from the mouth to just downstream of Colgate Lake. Upstream of this point the kill has a sufficient wild trout population which makes stocking unnecessary. The wild trout population is primarily brown trout to Harriman Lake, and primarily brook trout upstream of Harriman Lake. Fish communities were analyzed in 2000, 2002 and 2003, they showed that in addition to brown trout and brook trout,
creek chub
''Semotilus'' is the genus of creek chubs, ray-finned fish in the family Cyprinidae. The term "creek chub" is sometimes used for individual species, particularly the common creek chub, ''S. atromaculatus''. The creek chub species of minnows can ...
,
common shiner
The common shiner (''Luxilus cornutus'') is a freshwater fish of the family Cyprinidae, found in North America. It ranges in length between 4 and 6 inches, although they can reach lengths of up to 8 inches.
Description
The common shiner i ...
,
pumpkinseed
The pumpkinseed (''Lepomis gibbosus''), also referred to as pond perch, common sunfish, punkie, sunfish, sunny, and kivver, is a small/medium-sized North American freshwater fish of the genus ''Lepomis'' (true sunfishes), from family Centrarchi ...
white sucker
The white sucker (''Catostomus commersonii)'' is a species of freshwater cypriniform fish inhabiting the upper Midwest and Northeast in North America, but it is also found as far south as Georgia and as far west as New Mexico. The fish is common ...
cutlips minnow
:''"Cutlips minnows" is also used for the genus ''Exoglossum'' as a whole.''
''Exoglossum maxillingua'' (cutlips minnow) is an olive-green medium-sized minnow (average 6 inches) of North America with a distinguishing lower jaw. Isolated f ...
, and marginated madtom were present in the creek. Despite the kill being a cold water fishery, largemouth bass which is warm-water species were found often during a 2006 study. The largemouth bass were stocked or escaped into the stream from adjacent ponds.
To provide fishing access, DEC has acquired public fishing rights from local landowners in addition to those short stretches where it already owns land adjoining the kill. On the lower stream, these include both sides of the creek from the mouth to Roaring Brook. Located along the kill within the Colgate Lake Wild Forest, is Colgate Lake. The lake is a popular year-round lake for trout, of which 750 brown trout from in length are stocked each year. The Lake is also popular for kayaking and has six campsites.