The
Croton River (pronounced "Crow-ton") is a river in southern
New York that begins where the
East and
West Branches of the Croton River meet a little ways downstream from the
Croton Falls Reservoir. Shortly downstream, the Croton River, along with its tributary, the
Muscoot River, flow into the
Muscoot Reservoir, and after flowing through that, it empties into the
New Croton Reservoir, which feeds the New Croton Aqueduct supplying water to New York City. Excess water leaves the spillway at the
New Croton Dam, and finally empties into the
Hudson River at
Croton-on-Hudson, New York.
In the 1890s, New York City ordered the destruction or relocation of any village lining the Croton or its tributaries that threatened to pollute them; the Croton was, and still is, an important part of the water supply of New York City. Many of the villages and hamlets were moved. The city chose this kind of source protection instead of resorting to expensive filtration.
See also