Moodna Creek is a small
tributary of the
Hudson River that drains eastern
Orange County,
New York. At 15.5 miles (25 km)
[Nolan, J. Kelly; April 2004; ; Hudson Basin River Watch; retrieved June 29, 2007.] in length from its source at the
confluence of
Cromline Creek and
Otter Kill west of
Washingtonville, it is the longest stream located entirely within the county.
Despite its small size relative to the Hudson, it has been a major influence on the topography of eastern central Orange County. Its 187.2-square mile (485 km²)
watershed,
including not only both its parent streams but
Woodbury Creek as well, reaches as far inland as
Goshen as well as 21 other area communities. Near
Salisbury Mills it is crossed by the
Moodna Viaduct, the longest actively-used railroad
trestle east of the Mississippi.
Name
"Moodna" is a
corruption of the
Dutch "Moordenaars", from
Murderers' Creek, its original name. Local lore has it that the name came from the massacre of the Stacys, an early family of settlers, along its banks.
[Murphy, Glenn; ; retrieved June 29, 2007.] Murderers' Creek was in common use in the mid-18th century, however by the dawn of the 20th Moodna was being used on maps although the older name persisted.
[.]
Confluence of Cromline Creek (center) and Otter Kill (right), creating Moodna Creek (left).
Course
From the confluence, just off
NY 208, the Moodna flows through woods and field alongside the highway for a short distance, then veers southwestward to where it crosses
NY 94. The creek and Route 94 will keep close company for several miles as it turns eastward again into
Washingtonville, where it crosses under 208 just south of downtown. Past the village, Route 94 and the creek enter first the
Town of Blooming Grove and then
Cornwall. They run close together at first, then further apart as the Moodna valley opens up just to the north of
Schunemunk Mountain. At
Salisbury Mills the viaduct crosses 193 feet (59 m) overhead.
After that point, the Moodna turns southward slightly, following the curve of Schunemunk's north end under the
Thruway and leaving the Route 94 corridor. It descends into the narrower valley, forming the eastern boundary of
Storm King Art Center. Here the already wide creek gets even wider with the addition of
Woodbury Creek just after it tumbles over a small
dam. Immediately afterwards
NY 32 crosses between
Vails Gate and
Mountainville. The wide, rocky stream curves between steep, wooded hills to enter
New Windsor and cross Old Forge Hill Road just below
Knox's Headquarters State Historic Site, receiving its only major northern tributary,
Silver Stream, in the process. Following Old Forge Hill briefly, it passes its last road crossing at
US 9W, then bends southwards back into Cornwall to empty into the Hudson amid tidal marshes. The
CSX Hudson River Subdivision freight line crosses right at its mouth.
The tidal marshes at the creek's mouth, home to some rare species and communities.
Natural history
The 75 acres (30 ha) of
tidal marsh in the creek's
estuary, between Route 9W and the Hudson, are home to several rare plants and natural communities.
Anadromous fish species, such as
striped bass, spawn there as well. This fish supply has been attractive not only to human
anglers but to
predatory bird species as well:
bald eagles and
ospreys have been seen feeding in the Moodna's marshes
[New York State Department of State, Division of Coastal Resources; retrieved June 30, 2007.]Two herpetofaunal species listed by the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation occur along the Moodna. One, the
Northern Cricket Frog (
Acris c. crepitans) occurs along the length of the
Black Meadow creek, which runs from
Warwick, NY into
Chester, NY.
The Northern Cricket Frog, NY's only endangered frog species, occurs in its most numerous population along the
Black Meadow creek, in the Orange-County-owned
Glenmere Lake reservoir lands.
While the water quality in that area remains generally good, there is
effluent from the Town of New Windsor's
sewage treatment plant. In November 2003 the
Riverkeeper environmental organization sued the town over discharge into the creek leaking from two
manholes into the creek. It was settled in 2005 when the town agreed to repair the manholes, remediate the area and provide public access to the water.
Recreation
The six miles (10 km) between Woodbury Creek and Old Forge Hill Road in Cornwall have become a popular place for
whitewater kayaking. Section ratings on the
International Scale of River Difficulty range from Class II to Class IV.
Anglers, too, have taken advantage of the stream above the salt marshes. The
New York State Department of Environmental Conservation keeps Moodna Creek regularly
stocked with
brown and
rainbow trout.
History
During
colonial times, and for a short time after
independence, the creek formed part of the boundary between
Orange and
Ulster counties.
In
1798, however,
Rockland County was created, and the line was adjusted northward, giving Orange the current towns of
Newburgh,
Montgomery and
Crawford as compensation for the lost territory.
Heavy rains during the
April 2007 Nor'easter caused the creek to flood extensively in its upper course in and around Washingtonville. Route 94 was blocked in both directions, and Route 208 from the south, leaving only northern access to the village available. Almost a hundred residents had to leave their homes for temporary shelter at a local elementary school.
[Al-Rikabi, Ramsey; April 17, 2007; ""; Times-Herald Record; retrieved June 30, 2007.]Tributaries
See also
