THE NEW YORK SUSQUEHANNA BASIN WATER TRAIL (NYSBWT) was created to connect outdoor recreation enthusiasts and visitors with access to New York’s Susquehanna and Chemung Rivers.
The Susquehanna River Basin is the second largest, after the Ohio River Basin, east of the Mississippi River. At 444 miles, the Susquehanna drains 27,500 square miles that cover large parts of New York, Pennsylvania and Maryland before emptying into Chesapeake Bay. The New York portion of the basin drains over 6,000 square miles and includes approximately 20,000 acres of lakes and 11,000 miles of mapped streams.
The smaller Chemung River Watershed accounts for about one-eighth of the full Susquehanna Basin. Straddling New York and Pennsylvania, the Chemung River waters travel across the western portion of Southern Tier of New York State. They eventually join with the Susquehanna River, continuing to the Chesapeake Bay.
Just as the waters flow across state lines, so too do efforts to full harness the power of the rivers in driving tourism, responsible recreation and economic development. The New York Susquehanna Basin Water Trail works in coordination with Pennsylvania’s Susquehanna Greenway Partnership. Ultimately, the goal is to achieve National Water Trail status, from New York to the Chesapeake Bay in Maryland.
4,000,0000
Acres across South Central New York comprise the Susquehanna Basin in New York.
6,000
Square miles drained by the Susquehanna River in New York
2,600
Square miles drained by the Chemung River in New York
