A WATERSHED is the land area water flows across before entering a stream, lake, or river. All land is located in a watershed. The Upper Susquehanna and Chemung Watersheds combine to create the Susquehanna Basin. Starting in Painted Post, NY, the Chemung River marks the beginning of the watershed that ends at the Chesapeake Bay. The river travels 45-miles east where it empties into the Susquehanna River, which continues to flow through Pennsylvania and Maryland, emptying into the Chesapeake Bay.
UPPER SUSQUEHANNA RIVER WATERSHED
27,500
SQUARE MILES
The New York, portion of the Susquehanna River Basin drains over 6,000 square miles and includes:
8,158 miles of freshwater rivers and streams. Major tributaries include:
- Chenango River (2,796 river/stream miles)
- Tioughnioga River (1,293 miles, within the Chenango River Watershed)
- Unadilla River (935 miles)
- Owego Creek (766 miles)
130 significant freshwater lakes, ponds, and reservoirs, including:
- Otsego Lake (4,083 lake/reservoir acres)
- Canadarago Lake (1,882 acres)
- Whitney Point Lake/Reservoir (1,235 acres)
For more information and a map of the Upper Susquehanna Watershed, visit NYS Department of Environmental Conservation.
CHEMUNG RIVER WATERSHED
2,600
SQUARE MILES
At 2,600 square miles, the smaller Chemung River Watershed straddles the border of New York and Pennsylvania and includes:
4,086 miles of freshwater rivers and streams. Major tributaries include:
- Cohocton River (1,099 river miles)
- Tioga/Canisteo Rivers (979 miles)
23 significant freshwater lakes, ponds, and reservoirs, including:
- Lamoka Lake/Mill Pond (825 acres)
- Waneta Lake (781 acres)
- Almond Lake (480 acres)
- River Conditions (link to that page)
For more information and a map of the Chemung River Watershed, visit NYS Department of Environmental Conservation.
The Chemung Basin includes over two thousand acres. The water on this area of land drains into the Cohocton, Canisteo, Cowanesque, and Tioga Rivers which all flow into the Chemung River.