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NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 



Groton river. The Croton rivet* is formed by the uniting of 

 three branches, known as the East, the Midjdle and the West 

 branch, which rise in the southern part of Dutches® county, flow- 

 ing in a southerly direction through Putnam county and uniting 

 near its southern boundary. From this point the river continues 

 in a southwesterly course across Westchester county to the 

 Hudson river, into which it enters at Croton point thirty miles 

 northerly from the City of New York. The principal tributaries 

 of the Croton are the Titicus, Cross, Kisco and Muscoot rivers. 



The catchment of the Croton, extending about thirty-three miles 

 north and south and eleven miles east and west, lies almost 

 entirely in New York, only a small portion being in Connecticut. 

 Its area is 339 square miles above the old Croton dam and 360 

 square miles above the new Croton dam now being constructed. 

 The catchment is hilly. The surface soil is composed principally 

 of sand and gravel — clay, hardpan and peat are found to a limited 

 extent in a few localities. The rock formation consists largely of 

 gneiss. Limestone, micaceous and taloose slate, granite, ser- 

 pertine and iron ore occur in a few places. 1 This stream is of very 

 great importance because its runoff is completely utilized for the 

 water supply of the City of New York and it is accordingly exten- 

 sively discussed in this report. 



Fishkill creek. This stream rises in the central part of Dutchess 

 county and flows southwesterly into the Hudson, one mile south 

 of Fishkill station.- Its headwaters drain the western slope of 

 Chestnut Kidge mountains. In its upper reaches the stream 

 receives the drainage from extensive swamp and flatlands. The 

 lower reaches of the stream flow along the foot of the Fishkill 

 range. From Fishkill village to Fishkill landing it falls over 

 slate and limestone ledges, making a descent of 200 feet in five 

 miles. This fall is largely utilized to provide waiter power for 

 manufactories on its banks. As a result, the stream becomes 

 greatly polluted from manufacturing waste and other impurities 

 which it receives. 



1 Wegman's Water Supply of the City of New York. (1896). 



