Nine Mile Run (New Jersey)
Encyclopedia
The Nine Mile Run, known as the Ninemile Run according to the USGS GNIS, is a moderately large tributary
of the Six Mile Run
, one of the branches of the Millstone River
, in central New Jersey
in the United States
.
, South Brunswick. Another more visible source, although it is not the official source, is a long narrow marsh beside Sand Hills Road across from the intersection of Stillwell Road and Sand Hills Road.
The stream flows north from the source through a housing development and intersects Route 27 nine miles from where the highway crosses the Raritan River
in New Brunswick
, hence its name. The crossing on Route 27 is not easy to find because it has been covered with plants and greenery. However, it may be visible as a pipe on the right side of Route 27 in the area across from Stillwell Road when driving south. It can also be seen diagonal to the intersection between Stillwell Road and Route 27. From Route 27, the Nine Mile Run meanders through a wooded area and crosses Beekman Road. It then crosses Claremont Road and travels through the end of a housing development on Bennington Parkway. Continuing north, the stream encounters another wooded area, part of the land set aside for the Six Mile Run Reservoir Site
, and crosses Cortelyous Road under a narrow bridge. It then joins the Six Mile Run
east of South Middlebush Road in Franklin Township
40°28′00"N 74°32′13"W.
s and several varieties of small fish. It is shallow in many areas, too shallow for large fish to live in. There are occasional deep pools that bigger fish live in. Turtles are sometimes found along the banks or in moist areas. In the marsh farther upstream, there are many frog
s and tadpoles, along with a turtle that lives near a deep pool.
There are many roads that cross this stream, so accessing it is not a problem.
Some sides have steep banks. The banks are composed of shale in certain places. In one location there is a 12 feet (3.7 m) high shale cliff. It is dangerous to climb because the shale is very crumbly. Some areas have natural floors composed of rock polished smooth by the stream's abrasive action.
Several tributaries feed this stream, and they have varied terrain. One that drains a pond near Claremont Road is very muddy and home to frogs. Another one that drains springs near Bennington Parkway is rocky and contains several fish.
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...
of the Six Mile Run
Six Mile Run (New Jersey)
Six Mile Run is a tributary of the Millstone River that drains a large area in central Franklin Township in Somerset County and as well western portions of North Brunswick and South Brunswick Townships in Middlesex County, New Jersey in the United States....
, one of the branches of the Millstone River
Millstone River
The Millstone River is a tributary of the Raritan River in central New Jersey in the United States.The Millstone River begins in western Monmouth County and flows northward through southern Somerset County into the Raritan River at Manville. Almost three quarters of its length is paralleled by...
, in central New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
Course
The official source of the Nine Mile Run is at 40°24′51"N 74°32′57"W. It is found between Sand Hill Rd and Old Beekman Rd in Kendall ParkKendall Park, New Jersey
Kendall Park is a census-designated place and unincorporated area located within South Brunswick Township, in Middlesex County, New Jersey. As of the United States 2000 Census, the CDP population was 9,006....
, South Brunswick. Another more visible source, although it is not the official source, is a long narrow marsh beside Sand Hills Road across from the intersection of Stillwell Road and Sand Hills Road.
The stream flows north from the source through a housing development and intersects Route 27 nine miles from where the highway crosses the Raritan River
Raritan River
The Raritan River is a major river of central New Jersey in the United States. Its watershed drains much of the mountainous area of the central part of the state, emptying into the Raritan Bay on the Atlantic Ocean.-Description:...
in New Brunswick
New Brunswick, New Jersey
New Brunswick is a city in Middlesex County, New Jersey, USA. It is the county seat and the home of Rutgers University. The city is located on the Northeast Corridor rail line, southwest of Manhattan, on the southern bank of the Raritan River. At the 2010 United States Census, the population of...
, hence its name. The crossing on Route 27 is not easy to find because it has been covered with plants and greenery. However, it may be visible as a pipe on the right side of Route 27 in the area across from Stillwell Road when driving south. It can also be seen diagonal to the intersection between Stillwell Road and Route 27. From Route 27, the Nine Mile Run meanders through a wooded area and crosses Beekman Road. It then crosses Claremont Road and travels through the end of a housing development on Bennington Parkway. Continuing north, the stream encounters another wooded area, part of the land set aside for the Six Mile Run Reservoir Site
Six Mile Run Reservoir Site
The Six Mile Run Reservoir Site, part of the Delaware and Raritan Canal State Park, is located in Franklin Township, Somerset County, New Jersey, United States. It is adjacent to the Delaware and Raritan Canal. It covers . The reservoir plan was to flood the Six Mile Run watershed...
, and crosses Cortelyous Road under a narrow bridge. It then joins the Six Mile Run
Six Mile Run (New Jersey)
Six Mile Run is a tributary of the Millstone River that drains a large area in central Franklin Township in Somerset County and as well western portions of North Brunswick and South Brunswick Townships in Middlesex County, New Jersey in the United States....
east of South Middlebush Road in Franklin Township
Franklin Township, Somerset County, New Jersey
-Communities of Franklin Township:The following are census-designated places, unincorporated enclaves, and historical communities located within Franklin Township...
40°28′00"N 74°32′13"W.
Animal life
The stream is home to tadpoleTadpole
A tadpole or polliwog is the wholly aquatic larval stage in the life cycle of an amphibian, particularly that of a frog or toad.- Appellation :...
s and several varieties of small fish. It is shallow in many areas, too shallow for large fish to live in. There are occasional deep pools that bigger fish live in. Turtles are sometimes found along the banks or in moist areas. In the marsh farther upstream, there are many frog
Frog
Frogs are amphibians in the order Anura , formerly referred to as Salientia . Most frogs are characterized by a short body, webbed digits , protruding eyes and the absence of a tail...
s and tadpoles, along with a turtle that lives near a deep pool.
Accessibility
The stream is easy in most places to walk through, though the rocks are slippery from underwater plants. It runs in many places through woods with dense brush on either side, making it hard to access in most places.There are many roads that cross this stream, so accessing it is not a problem.
Terrain
The stream has varying terrain. Upstream, it is a fast flowing small stream with a generally rocky streambed. By Beekman Road, it slows down while still retaining a rocky bottom. Past Bennington Parkway, it gradually becomes more muddy and wide. Near its mouth at Cortelyous Lane, it is very muddy, slow, and wide.Some sides have steep banks. The banks are composed of shale in certain places. In one location there is a 12 feet (3.7 m) high shale cliff. It is dangerous to climb because the shale is very crumbly. Some areas have natural floors composed of rock polished smooth by the stream's abrasive action.
Several tributaries feed this stream, and they have varied terrain. One that drains a pond near Claremont Road is very muddy and home to frogs. Another one that drains springs near Bennington Parkway is rocky and contains several fish.