Beaver River (New York)

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Beaver River
Beaver River near Lake Lila.jpg
The Beaver River near Lake Lila
Beaver River (New York)
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
  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]

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.

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.

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.

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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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.

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, small self-propelled private track speeder 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 former 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. The Adirondack Railroad will resume tourist passenger service from Utica to Tupper Lake, via Beaver River, in 2023: 42 years since the last passenger train ran on its trackage. The last New York Central Railroad passenger train left Beaver River on April 24, 1965.

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Stillwater Reservoir is a man-made lake located by Beaver River, New York within the Western Adirondacks. 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. the record low temperature for the state of New York of −52 °F (−47 °C) took place at Stillwater Reservoir, and was later tied by Old Forge on February 17, 1979.

Soft Maple Reservoir is a reservoir 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.