Appoquinimink River
Encyclopedia
The Appoquinimink River is a river
flowing to Delaware Bay
in northern Delaware
in the United States
. The river is 15.3 miles (24.6 km) long and drains an area of 47 square miles (121.7 km²) on the Atlantic Coastal Plain
.
The Appoquinimink flows for its entire length in southern New Castle County
. It rises approximately 2 miles (3 km) west of Townsend
and flows generally eastwardly, south of Middletown
and past Odessa
, to its mouth at the northern end of Delaware Bay, approximately 3 miles (5 km) east of Odessa. In its upper course the river passes through two man-made lakes, Wiggins Mill Pond and Noxontown Lake; the river is tidal
to the dam at Noxontown Lake, and salinity
from Delaware Bay typically affects the lowermost 5 miles (8 km) of the river. The lower 7 miles (11 km) of the river are considered to be navigable by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
It collects three named tributaries
along its course: From the north, Deep Creek, 4.2 miles (6.8 km) long (also known historically as the "North Appoquinimink River"); and Drawyers Creek, 8.2 miles (13.2 km) long; and from the south, Hangmans Run.
According to 2002 data from the United States Environmental Protection Agency
, 54.9% of the Appoquinimink River watershed
is occupied by agricultural
uses (predominantly soybean
s, corn
, and wheat
); 15.1% is residential; 9.9% is wetland
; and 8.8% is forest
ed.
In 2004, a non-profit group, The Appoquinimink River Association, was founded with a mission to protect the water and natural resources in the region surrounding the Appoquinimink River.
issued a decision clarifying the stream's name in 1950. According to the Geographic Names Information System
, the Appoquinimink River has also been known historically as:
River
A river is a natural watercourse, usually freshwater, flowing towards an ocean, a lake, a sea, or another river. In a few cases, a river simply flows into the ground or dries up completely before reaching another body of water. Small rivers may also be called by several other names, including...
flowing to Delaware Bay
Delaware Bay
Delaware Bay is a major estuary outlet of the Delaware River on the Northeast seaboard of the United States whose fresh water mixes for many miles with the waters of the Atlantic Ocean. It is in area. The bay is bordered by the State of New Jersey and the State of Delaware...
in northern Delaware
Delaware
Delaware is a U.S. state located on the Atlantic Coast in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It is bordered to the south and west by Maryland, and to the north by Pennsylvania...
in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The river is 15.3 miles (24.6 km) long and drains an area of 47 square miles (121.7 km²) on the Atlantic Coastal Plain
Atlantic Coastal Plain
The Atlantic coastal plain has both low elevation and low relief, but it is also a relatively flat landform extending from the New York Bight southward to a Georgia/Florida section of the Eastern Continental Divide, which demarcates the plain from the ACF River Basin in the Gulf Coastal Plain to...
.
The Appoquinimink flows for its entire length in southern New Castle County
New Castle County, Delaware
New Castle County is the northernmost of the three counties of the U.S. state of Delaware. As of 2010 its population was 538,479, an increase of 7.6% over the previous decade. The county seat is Wilmington. The center of population of Delaware is located in New Castle County, in the town of...
. It rises approximately 2 miles (3 km) west of Townsend
Townsend, Delaware
Townsend is a town in New Castle County, Delaware, United States. The population was 2,049 at the 2010 census, an increase of 492.2% from 2000...
and flows generally eastwardly, south of Middletown
Middletown, Delaware
Middletown is a town in New Castle County, Delaware, United States. According to the 2010 Census, the population of the town is 18,871.-Geography:Middletown is located at with an elevation of ....
and past Odessa
Odessa, Delaware
Odessa is a town in New Castle County, Delaware, United States. The population was 364 at the 2010 census. Originally founded as Cantwell's Bridge in the 18th century, the name was changed in the 19th century, after the Ukrainian port city of the same name...
, to its mouth at the northern end of Delaware Bay, approximately 3 miles (5 km) east of Odessa. In its upper course the river passes through two man-made lakes, Wiggins Mill Pond and Noxontown Lake; the river is tidal
Tide
Tides are the rise and fall of sea levels caused by the combined effects of the gravitational forces exerted by the moon and the sun and the rotation of the Earth....
to the dam at Noxontown Lake, and salinity
Salinity
Salinity is the saltiness or dissolved salt content of a body of water. It is a general term used to describe the levels of different salts such as sodium chloride, magnesium and calcium sulfates, and bicarbonates...
from Delaware Bay typically affects the lowermost 5 miles (8 km) of the river. The lower 7 miles (11 km) of the river are considered to be navigable by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
It collects three named tributaries
Tributary
A tributary or affluent is a stream or river that flows into a main stem river or a lake. A tributary does not flow directly into a sea or ocean...
along its course: From the north, Deep Creek, 4.2 miles (6.8 km) long (also known historically as the "North Appoquinimink River"); and Drawyers Creek, 8.2 miles (13.2 km) long; and from the south, Hangmans Run.
According to 2002 data from the United States Environmental Protection Agency
United States Environmental Protection Agency
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is an agency of the federal government of the United States charged with protecting human health and the environment, by writing and enforcing regulations based on laws passed by Congress...
, 54.9% of the Appoquinimink River watershed
Drainage basin
A drainage basin is an extent or an area of land where surface water from rain and melting snow or ice converges to a single point, usually the exit of the basin, where the waters join another waterbody, such as a river, lake, reservoir, estuary, wetland, sea, or ocean...
is occupied by agricultural
Agriculture
Agriculture is the cultivation of animals, plants, fungi and other life forms for food, fiber, and other products used to sustain life. Agriculture was the key implement in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that nurtured the...
uses (predominantly soybean
Soybean
The soybean or soya bean is a species of legume native to East Asia, widely grown for its edible bean which has numerous uses...
s, corn
Maize
Maize known in many English-speaking countries as corn or mielie/mealie, is a grain domesticated by indigenous peoples in Mesoamerica in prehistoric times. The leafy stalk produces ears which contain seeds called kernels. Though technically a grain, maize kernels are used in cooking as a vegetable...
, and wheat
Wheat
Wheat is a cereal grain, originally from the Levant region of the Near East, but now cultivated worldwide. In 2007 world production of wheat was 607 million tons, making it the third most-produced cereal after maize and rice...
); 15.1% is residential; 9.9% is wetland
Wetland
A wetland is an area of land whose soil is saturated with water either permanently or seasonally. Wetlands are categorised by their characteristic vegetation, which is adapted to these unique soil conditions....
; and 8.8% is forest
Forest
A forest, also referred to as a wood or the woods, is an area with a high density of trees. As with cities, depending where you are in the world, what is considered a forest may vary significantly in size and have various classification according to how and what of the forest is composed...
ed.
In 2004, a non-profit group, The Appoquinimink River Association, was founded with a mission to protect the water and natural resources in the region surrounding the Appoquinimink River.
Variant names and spellings
The United States Board on Geographic NamesUnited States Board on Geographic Names
The United States Board on Geographic Names is a United States federal body whose purpose is to establish and maintain uniform usage of geographic names throughout the U.S. government.-Overview:...
issued a decision clarifying the stream's name in 1950. According to the Geographic Names Information System
Geographic Names Information System
The Geographic Names Information System is a database that contains name and locative information about more than two million physical and cultural features located throughout the United States of America and its territories. It is a type of gazetteer...
, the Appoquinimink River has also been known historically as:
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