Beaver River (New York)

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Beaver River
Beaver River near Lake Lila.jpg
The Beaver River near Lake Lila
Location
CountryUnited States
State New York
Region Adirondack Mountains
Physical characteristics
Source Lake Lila
Mouth Black River
 ⁃ location
 Castorland, New York
 ⁃ coordinates
 43°53′36″N75°30′13″W / 43.89333°N 75.50361°W / 43.89333; -75.50361 Coordinates: 43°53′36″N75°30′13″W / 43.89333°N 75.50361°W / 43.89333; -75.50361
 ⁃ elevation
720 ft (220 m)
Basin size323 sq mi (840 km2)
Basin features
Tributaries 
 ⁃ left Sunday Creek, Murmur Creek, Black Creek
 ⁃ right Alder Creek, Mosier Creek, Alder Creek, Sammys Creek, Wildmeyer Creek

The Beaver River is a small mountain stream which flows from the Adirondack Mountains to the Black River at Naumburg, north of Lowville in northwestern New York. The Beaver flows through parts of Hamilton, Herkimer, and Lewis counties. Its source is Lake Lila in Long Lake. [1]

Adirondack Mountains Mountain range in northeastern New York, US

The Adirondack Mountains form a massif in northeastern New York, United States. Its boundaries correspond to the boundaries of Adirondack Park. The mountains form a roughly circular dome, about 160 miles (260 km) in diameter and about 1 mile (1,600 m) high. The current relief owes much to glaciation.

Black River (New York) river in New York state, United States

The Black River is a 125-mile-long (201 km) blackwater river that empties into the eastern end of Lake Ontario on the shore of Jefferson County, New York in the United States. The origin of the name is not clear, but it may stem from the natural tannic acid that darkens the water in places. The river flows in a generally northwest direction, with its valley dividing the Adirondack Mountains on the east from the Tug Hill region to the west.

Lowville (village), New York village in New York, United States

Lowville is a village in Lewis County, New York, United States. The village is nestled in the Black River Valley, between the foothills of the Adirondack Mountains and the Tug Hill Plateau, in an area often referred to as the North Country. It is located in the center of Lewis County, in the southeastern part of the similarly named town of Lowville.

Contents

Owing to its high gradient as it drops out of the mountains, the Beaver is a favorite destination for whitewater kayakers and canoeists. In September of each year, hundreds of whitewater paddlers descend on the Beaver from all parts of the US and eastern Canada.

Stream gradient is the grade measured by the ratio of drop in elevation of a stream per unit horizontal distance, usually expressed as meters per kilometer or feet per mile.

Whitewater bubbly, or aerated and unstable current

Whitewater is formed in a rapid, when a river's gradient increases enough to generate so much turbulence that air is entrained into the water body, that is, it forms a bubbly or aerated and unstable current; the frothy water appears white. The term is also loosely used to refer to less turbulent, but still agitated, flows.

United States Federal republic in North America

The United States of America (USA), commonly known as the United States or America, is a country comprising 50 states, a federal district, five major self-governing territories, and various possessions. At 3.8 million square miles, the United States is the world's third or fourth largest country by total area and is slightly smaller than the entire continent of Europe, which is 3.9 million square miles. With a population of over 327 million people, the U.S. is the third most populous country. The capital is Washington, D.C., and the most populous city is New York City. Most of the country is located contiguously in North America between Canada and Mexico.

Also because of its high gradient, there are several hydropower projects along the Beaver's course. These projects, created between 1905 and 1920 have fostered a series of highly productive fisheries in the reservoir chain. Popular among locals, the Soft Maple Reservoir is an excellent Smallmouth Bass fishery.

Hydropower energy derived from falling or running water

Hydropower or water power is power derived from the energy of falling or fast-running water, which may be harnessed for useful purposes. Since ancient times, hydropower from many kinds of watermills has been used as a renewable energy source for irrigation and the operation of various mechanical devices, such as gristmills, sawmills, textile mills, trip hammers, dock cranes, domestic lifts, and ore mills. A trompe, which produces compressed air from falling water, is sometimes used to power other machinery at a distance.

The hamlet of Beaver River at the east end of Stillwater Reservoir, in the town of Webb has a year-round population of three that increases during the summer as many people have camps in this wilderness area. No roads lead to the hamlet; it is accessible only by hiking, rail car or boat in the summer and by snowmobile, snowshoes or cross country skis in the winter.

Beaver River, New York Hamlet in New York, United States

Beaver River is a hamlet that is six tenths of a mile square, at the east end of Stillwater Reservoir, in the town of Webb in Herkimer County, New York, United States. The hamlet is surrounded by the Adirondack Park. The hamlet has a year-round population of eight, that increases during the summer as many people have camps in this wilderness area. There are 125 private properties, and three commercial businesses. No roads lead to the hamlet; it is accessible only by hiking, rail car or boat in the summer and by snowmobile, snowshoes or cross country skis in the winter. There is no electrical service. The town is named for the Beaver River, which was impounded to form the Stillwater Reservoir. The Beaver River is a west-flowing tributary of the Black River and part of the Lake Ontario watershed. The New York Central Railroad right of way, on the National Register of Historic Places passes through the hamlet; an existing bunkhouse is a part of the historic property.

Webb, New York Town in New York, United States

Webb is the northernmost town in Herkimer County, New York, United States. As of the 2010 census it had a population of 1,807.

Fishing

The Beaver River is a true northern freshwater fishery, consisting of Northern Pike, Pickerel, Walleye, Smallmouth Bass, Bullhead, Catfish, Muskellenge, Carp, and Sunfish. Smallmouth Bass are a staple of the river, and it is not uncommon to catch a nice 20" bass anywhere is the upper reservoirs, particularly Effley and Soft Maple. Soft Maple Reservoir is the only place on the Beaver River that supports a population of Tiger Muskellenge, which are stocked on a periodic basis by the NYS DEC.

See also

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Pepperbox Wilderness Area

The Pepperbox Wilderness Area, an Adirondack Park unit of the New York Forest Preserve, lies entirely within the town of Webb in Herkimer County. Stillwater Reservoir and the Beaver River Primitive Area form the southern boundary, while the north bank of the West Branch of the Oswegatchie River generally forms the northern boundary. The western boundary is the county line, and the eastern boundary is the Raven Lake Road and the Five Ponds Wilderness Area.

Stillwater Reservoir

Stillwater Reservoir is a man-made lake located by Beaver River, New York. The lake has a large amount of recreational uses including camping, canoeing, boating, fishing, hunting, snowmobiling, and cross-country skiing. The lake has undeveloped edges with remote camping on both the islands and the shoreline. Camping permits and lake information may be obtained from the hamlet of Stillwater at the Forest Ranger Headquarters. Fish species present in the reservoir are smallmouth bass, splake, rock bass, yellow perch, sunfish and brown trout. There is a state owned hard surface ramp on Stillwater Road, 28 miles east of Lowville, New York.

Soft Maple Reservoir is located by Eagle Falls, New York. Fish species present in the lake are tiger muskie, white sucker, pickerel, smallmouth bass, rock bass, yellow perch, and black bullhead. There is a carry down on Soft Maple Road, on the southwest shore.

References

  1. ↑ "Beaver River Canoe Route". AdirondacksTugHill.com. New York State Department of Economic Development. Archived from the original on 20 July 2014. Retrieved 1 August 2014.


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