Facts about this Watershed
The Black River drains the western slope of the Adirondack Mountains and the eastern edge of the Tug Hill Plateau before flowing north and west and emptying into Lake Ontario. The Black River watershed is mostly forested and sparsely populated; the primary population center is located in Watertown.
Location: North central New York State
- Much of Jefferson, Lewis and Herkimer Counties, and
- Portions western Hamilton and northern Oneida Counties.
Size: 1,920 square miles of land area.
Rivers and Streams: 3,910 miles of freshwater rivers and streams. Major tributary watersheds to the Black River:
- Moose River (872 river/stream miles)
- Beaver River (624 miles)
- Independence River (207 miles)
- Deer River (201 miles)
Lakes, Ponds and Reservoirs: 179 significant freshwater lake and reservoir segments (33,500 acres):
- Stillwater Reservoir (6195 lake/reservoir acres)
- Fulton Chain of Lakes (4310 acres)
- Lake Lila (1,414 acres)
- Big Moose Lake (11,286 acres)
- Woodhull Lake (1,258 acres)
What You Can Do
Each of us lives in a watershed. On our Watershed Stewardship page are some tips on actions that you and your friends can take to help your watershed.
Black River Watershed Map
