Choptank River

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Map of the rivers of the Eastern Shore of Maryland with the Choptank and its watershed highlighted.

The Choptank River is a major tributary of the Chesapeake Bay on the Delmarva Peninsula. It rises in Kent County, Delaware, runs through Caroline County, Maryland and forms much of the border between Talbot County, Maryland on the north, and Caroline County and Dorchester County and on the south and east. It is located north of the Nanticoke River and its mouth is located south of Eastern Bay. Cambridge, the county seat of Dorchester County and Denton, the county seat of Caroline County are located on its south shore.

[edit] Course

The Choptank River begins at Choptank Mills, Delaware, where Tidy Island Creek and Culbreth Marsh Ditch join together. It ends at the Chesapeake Bay in a very wide mouth between Blackwalnut Point on Tilghman Island, and Cook Point, near Hudson, Maryland. Tidy Island Creek and Culbreth Marsh Ditch rise in western Kent County, Delaware. The entire watershed is in the coastal plain and quickly reaches sea level at Greensboro, Maryland, the head of navigation.

[edit] Tributaries

Its main tributaries are the Tred Avon River and Tuckahoe River on the north side and the Cabin Creek and Hunting Creek on the south side. There are also several small creeks on the northern shore, including Harris Creek, Broad Creek, Irish Creek, Island Creek, La Trappe Creek, Bolingroke Creek, Mile Creek, Kings Creek, Forge Branch, and Broadway Branch. On the southern shore the small creeks include Jenkins Creek, the Warwick River, Marsh Creek, Skeleton Creek, Mitchell Run, Hog Creek, Fowling Creek, Robins Creek, Williston Creek, Watts Creek, Chapel Branch, Spring Branch, Gravelly Branch, and Cow Marsh Creek.