Mohawk River

Mohawk River
Cohoes Falls, near the eastern end of the Mohawk River in Cohoes, New York
Hudson River watershed map showing the Mohawk River
EtymologyNamed for Mohawk Nation
Native nameTeionontatátie (Mohawk)
Location
CountryUnited States
StateNew York
RegionsCentral New York, Capital Region
CountiesOneida, Herkimer, Montgomery, Schenectady, Albany, Rensselaer, Saratoga,
CitiesRome, Utica, Little Falls, Amsterdam, Schenectady, Cohoes
Physical characteristics
SourceEast Branch Mohawk River
  locationS of Mohawk Hill
  coordinates43°30′51″N 75°28′02″W / 43.5142362°N 75.4671217°W / 43.5142362; -75.4671217
2nd sourceWest Branch Mohawk River
  locationW of West Branch
  coordinates43°22′12″N 75°30′29″W / 43.3700696°N 75.5079556°W / 43.3700696; -75.5079556
Source confluence 
  locationE of West Branch
  coordinates43°22′16″N 75°28′6″W / 43.37111°N 75.46833°W / 43.37111; -75.46833
  elevation932 ft (284 m)
MouthHudson River
  location
Border of Albany County, Saratoga County, and Rensselaer County, New York
  coordinates
42°45′39″N 73°41′13″W / 42.76083°N 73.68694°W / 42.76083; -73.68694
  elevation
10 ft (3.0 m)
Length149 mi (240 km)
Basin size3,460 sq mi (9,000 km2)
Discharge 
  locationBelow Delta Dam
  minimum15 cu ft/s (0.42 m3/s)
  maximum8,560 cu ft/s (242 m3/s)
Discharge 
  locationCohoes
  average5,908 cu ft/s (167.3 m3/s)
  minimum6 cu ft/s (0.17 m3/s)
  maximum200,000 cu ft/s (5,700 m3/s)
Basin features
River systemHudson River
Tributaries 
  leftLansing Kill, West Canada Creek, East Canada Creek, Caroga Creek, North Chuctanunda Creek, Alplaus Kill
  rightOriskany Creek, Otsquago Creek, Canajoharie Creek, Schoharie Creek, Plotter Kill
WaterfallsCohoes Falls

The Mohawk River is a 149-mile-long (240 km) river in the U.S. state of New York. It is the largest tributary of the Hudson River. The Mohawk flows into the Hudson in Cohoes, New York, a few miles north of the state capital of Albany. The river is named for the Mohawk Nation of the Iroquois Confederacy. A major waterway, in the early 19th century, the river's east-west valley provided the setting and water for development of the Erie Canal, as a key to developing New York. The largest tributary, the Schoharie Creek, accounts for over one quarter (26.83%) of the Mohawk River's watershed. Another main tributary is the West Canada Creek, which makes up for 16.33% of the Mohawk's watershed.