Bronx River

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Bronx River is a river, approximately 24 mile(38 km) long, in southeast New York in the United States.

It rises in the Kensico Reservoir, in Westchester County north of New York City. It flows south past White Plains, then SSW through the northern suburbs of New York City, passing Edgemont, Tuckahoe, Bronxville, and into the northern portion of the Bronx. It flows southward through the urbanized areas of the Bronx, through Bronx Park and empties into the East River, a tidal strait connected to Long Island Sound, between the Soundview and Hunts Point neighborhoods.

Along much of its length in Westchester County and the northern Bronx it is paralleled by the Bronx River Parkway, and its associated bicycle path from Bronxville to the Kensico Dam plaza.

In the southern Bronx, it has become a popular destination for urban canoeing in New York City.

The Bronx River also bisects the Bronx Zoo. A tram in the zoo takes you over the river to an exhibit of exotic animals.

The Bronx River is also known as the "Aquahung", a name used by Native Americans in the area before the arrival of European colonists.

During the 19th and 20th centuries, the river became a natural sewer due to the industrial waste that was being poured into it every day. Recently action has been taken by different environmental groups, including the Bronx River Alliance, to return the river to its original state as a clean waterway.