Conewango Creek is a
tributary
A tributary, or affluent, is a stream or river that flows into a larger stream or main stem (or parent) river or a lake. A tributary does not flow directly into a sea or ocean. Tributaries and the main stem river drain the surrounding drainag ...
of the
Allegheny River
The Allegheny River ( ) is a long headwater stream of the Ohio River in western Pennsylvania and New York. The Allegheny River runs from its headwaters just below the middle of Pennsylvania's northern border northwesterly into New York then i ...
in
Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania (; (Pennsylvania Dutch: )), officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a state spanning the Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes regions of the United States. It borders Delaware to its southeast, Ma ...
and
western New York
Western New York (WNY) is the westernmost region of the U.S. state of New York. The eastern boundary of the region is not consistently defined by state agencies or those who call themselves "Western New Yorkers". Almost all sources agree WNY in ...
in the
United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 U.S. state, states, a Washington, D.C., federal district, five ma ...
.
The creek's drainage covers much of southeastern
Chautauqua County, New York
Chautauqua County is the westernmost county in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2020 census, the population was 127,657. Its county seat is Mayville, and its largest city is Jamestown. Its name is believed to be the lone surviving remnant ...
, and western
Cattaraugus County, New York
Cattaraugus County (locally known as Catt County) is a county in Western New York, with one side bordering Pennsylvania. As of the United States 2020 census, the population was 77,042. The county seat is Little Valley. The county was created ...
. The creek's most notable tributary is the
Chadakoin River
The Chadakoin River is a stream that is a tributary of the Conewango Creek. The Chadakoin lies entirely in Chautauqua County in Western New York in the United States.
The stream drains an area of , covering much of Chautauqua County. The creek ...
, which supplies the creek water from
Chautauqua Lake
Chautauqua Lake is located entirely within Chautauqua County, New York, United States. The lake is approximately long and wide at its greatest width. The surface area is approximately . The maximum depth is about . The shoreline is about of wh ...
. The Chautauqua Ridge, a
continental divide
A continental divide is a drainage divide on a continent such that the drainage basin on one side of the divide feeds into one ocean or sea, and the basin on the other side either feeds into a different ocean or sea, or else is endorheic, no ...
bounds the watershed to the north and west.
Course

Conewango Creek begins at New Albion Lake in
New Albion, New York :''not to be confused with Albion, New York''
New Albion is a town in Cattaraugus County, New York, United States. The population was 1,990 at the 2020 census. The town is named after Albion in Orleans County, the source of some early settlers. ...
and follows a meandering path around much of western Cattaraugus County. It joins with the
Chadakoin River
The Chadakoin River is a stream that is a tributary of the Conewango Creek. The Chadakoin lies entirely in Chautauqua County in Western New York in the United States.
The stream drains an area of , covering much of Chautauqua County. The creek ...
in
Frewsburg, New York before heading southward into Pennsylvania.
Conewango Creek joins the Allegheny River at the city of
Warren, Pennsylvania
Warren is a city in Warren County, Pennsylvania, United States, located along the Allegheny River. The population was 9,404 at the 2020 census. It is the county seat of Warren County. It is home to the headquarters of the Allegheny National Fore ...
.
River modifications
On September 26, 2009, an obsolete Civil War-era
low head dam within the city of Warren on the Conewango Creek was removed. Removal of this dam allowed
fish migration
Fish migration is mass relocation by fish from one area or body of water to another. Many types of fish migrate on a regular basis, on time scales ranging from daily to annually or longer, and over distances ranging from a few metres to thousan ...
from the Allegheny River throughout the upper reaches of the Conewango Creek
drainage basin
A drainage basin is an area of land where all flowing surface water converges to a single point, such as a river mouth, or flows into another body of water, such as a lake or ocean. A basin is separated from adjacent basins by a perimeter, ...
.
From August 25 through September 4, 2014, saw the demolition of two Civil War-era remnant dams on the Conewango Creek in
North Warren, Pennsylvania
North Warren is a census-designated place located along the Conewango Creek in Conewango Township, Warren County in the state of Pennsylvania, United States. The community is located to the north of the city of Warren
A warren is a network of ...
. One dam was a partially breached low head dam similar to the dam that was removed downriver in Warren in 2009. Because it was located in close proximity to the Warren State Hospital and used to provide a water supply to that facility in years past, this dam was known as the Hospital Dam. The second dam was a remnant rock and crib dam located immediately upriver of the first. With the removal of the Carter Dam in the autumn of 2009 and the hospital dams in 2014, the entirety of the course of the Conewango Creek mainstream are open and free of dams, improving the ecology of the Conewango Creek watershed. Removing the dam was a public safety service, and will reconnect most of the Conewango Creek for freshwater mussel host species.
Pennsylvania River of the Year 2015
On January 16, 2015, it was announced that Conewango Creek won the 2015 Pennsylvania River of the Year contest, an annual competition conducted by the
Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources
The Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR), established on July 1, 1995, is the agency in the U.S. State of Pennsylvania responsible for maintaining and preserving the state's 124 state parks and 20 state forests; ...
and the Pennsylvania Organization for Watersheds and Rivers since 1983. The general public was invited to vote online for the designation from November 10 through December 15, 2014, choosing from among five waterways across the state.
The winning organization was the Conewango Creek Watershed Association, a non-profit organization based in
North Warren, Pennsylvania
North Warren is a census-designated place located along the Conewango Creek in Conewango Township, Warren County in the state of Pennsylvania, United States. The community is located to the north of the city of Warren
A warren is a network of ...
, who received a $10,000 grant intended to be used to integrate the "River of the Year" message into a river sojourn focusing on the watershed's history, wildlife, local fisheries, and related topics. Other planned activities included a poker run, special fall celebration, creek cleanup, photo contest, and public water safety courses. The association also planned to explore starting a pilot stream ambassador program.
Natural History
The water of the Conewango sustains two rare fish species. The
burbot
The burbot (''Lota lota'') is the only gadiformes, gadiform (cod-like) freshwater fish. It is also known as bubbot, mariah, loche, cusk, freshwater cod, freshwater ling, freshwater cusk, the lawyer, coney-fish, lingcod, and eelpout. The species ...
, once common in the headwaters of the Alleghany River but thought to be eradicated has been found in the Conewango. The
paddlefish
Paddlefish (family Polyodontidae) are a family of ray-finned fish belonging to order Acipenseriformes, and one of two living groups of the order alongside sturgeons (Acipenseridae). They are distinguished from other fish by their titular elongl ...
, a native fish, was recently reintroduced to the area. The waterway also is home 19 native, freshwater mussel species, and boasts biodiversity rich in
river otters,
bald eagles
The bald eagle (''Haliaeetus leucocephalus'') is a bird of prey found in North America. A sea eagle, it has two known subspecies and forms a species pair with the white-tailed eagle (''Haliaeetus albicilla''), which occupies the same niche a ...
,
ospreys
The osprey (''Pandion haliaetus''), , also called sea hawk, river hawk, and fish hawk, is a diurnal, fish-eating bird of prey with a cosmopolitan range. It is a large raptor reaching more than in length and across the wings. It is brown o ...
,
herons
The herons are long-legged, long-necked, freshwater and coastal birds in the family Ardeidae, with 72 recognised species, some of which are referred to as egrets or bitterns rather than herons. Members of the genera ''Botaurus'' and ''Ixobrychu ...
, and other wildlife.
See also
*
List of rivers of New York
This is a list of rivers in the U.S. state of New York.
By drainage basin
This list is arranged by drainage basin, with respective tributaries indented by order of confluence with their main stem, from mouth to source.
Long Island Sound (nor ...
*
List of rivers of Pennsylvania
This is a list of streams and rivers in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania.
By drainage basin
This list is arranged by drainage basin, with respective tributaries indented under each larger stream's name.
Delaware Bay
Chesapeake Bay
*' ...
*
List of tributaries of the Allegheny River
This article contains a list of tributaries of the Allegheny River, a stream in the U.S. states of New York and Pennsylvania. (Mouth at the Ohio River)
New York Sources:
*Oswayo Creek (Portville, Cattaraugus Co., NY)
*Dodge Creek (Allegany ...
References
External links
U.S. Geological Survey: PA stream gaging stationsConewango Creek Watershed Association
{{authority control
Rivers of New York (state)
Rivers of Pennsylvania
Tributaries of the Allegheny River
Rivers of Warren County, Pennsylvania
Rivers of Chautauqua County, New York
Rivers of Cattaraugus County, New York