Cooper River (New Jersey)
Encyclopedia
Tributary
A tributary or affluent is a stream or river that flows into a main stem river or a lake. A tributary does not flow directly into a sea or ocean...
of the Delaware River
Delaware River
The Delaware River is a major river on the Atlantic coast of the United States.A Dutch expedition led by Henry Hudson in 1609 first mapped the river. The river was christened the South River in the New Netherland colony that followed, in contrast to the North River, as the Hudson River was then...
in southwestern New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
The confluence of the Cooper River with the Delaware River is in Camden
Camden, New Jersey
The city of Camden is the county seat of Camden County, New Jersey. It is located across the Delaware River from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city had a total population of 77,344...
. The Cooper River serves as a border between Cherry Hill
Cherry Hill, New Jersey
Cherry Hill is a township in Camden County, New Jersey, in the United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township had a population of 71,045, representing an increase of 1,080 from the 69,965 residents enumerated during the 2000 Census...
and Haddon Township
Haddon Township, New Jersey
Haddon Township is a Township in Camden County, New Jersey, United States. As of the United States 2010 Census, the township population was 14,707....
, Haddonfield
Haddonfield, New Jersey
Haddonfield is a borough located in Camden County, New Jersey. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough had a total population of 11,593....
Borough, and Lawnside
Lawnside, New Jersey
Lawnside is a Borough in Camden County, New Jersey, United States. As of the United States 2010 Census, the borough population was 2,945.The land that became Lawnside was purchased by Abolitionists for freed and escaped slaves, as well as other African Americans, in 1840.On April 20, 1926, an...
Borough.
The Cooper River (known upstream near Haddonfield
Haddonfield, New Jersey
Haddonfield is a borough located in Camden County, New Jersey. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough had a total population of 11,593....
as Cooper's Creek) was named after the Cooper family, who were some of the first European settlers in the area of Camden County
Camden County, New Jersey
-Demographics:As of the 2010 Census the population of Camden County was 60.28% Non-Hispanic white, 18.45% Non-Hispanic black, 1.12% Hispanic blacks, 0.17% Non-Hispanic Native American, 0.15% Hispanic Native Americans, 5.07% Non-Hispanic Asian, and 0.14% non-Hispanics reporting some other race...
, New Jersey. This tributary of the Delaware River
Delaware River
The Delaware River is a major river on the Atlantic coast of the United States.A Dutch expedition led by Henry Hudson in 1609 first mapped the river. The river was christened the South River in the New Netherland colony that followed, in contrast to the North River, as the Hudson River was then...
is 16 miles (25.7 km) long measuring from its headwater in Gibbsboro
Gibbsboro, New Jersey
Gibbsboro is a Borough in Camden County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 2,274.Gibbsboro was incorporated as a borough by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on March 8, 1924, from portions of Voorhees Township, based on the results of a...
(it is notable that the Northern Branch begins in Voorhees Township
Voorhees Township, New Jersey
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 28,126 people, 10,489 households, and 7,069 families residing in the township. The population density was 2,424.0 people per square mile . There were 11,084 housing units at an average density of 955.2 per square mile...
). The Cooper River Watershed is 40 sq mi (103.6 km²), and includes the tributaries Chandlers Run, Millard Creek, Nicholson Branch, the North Branch, and Tindale Run (the last two being the most significant). Although historically a tidal river
Tidal river
A tidal river is a river, or more typically a stretch of a river, whose flow and level is influenced by tides. An example of a tidal river is the portion of the Connecticut River flowing from Windsor Locks, Connecticut, to the Atlantic Ocean. The Brisbane River, which flows into the Pacific Ocean...
(the most severe tide reportedly reached Kings Highway), all present tidal influence stops at the Kaighn Avenue Bridge, in Camden, where it is impounded.
The Cooper flows through Barrington
Barrington, New Jersey
Barrington is a Borough in Camden County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 6,983.Barrington was incorporated as a borough on March 27, 1917, from portions of the now-defunct Centre Township, based on the results of a referendum held on April...
, Berlin
Berlin Township, New Jersey
Berlin Township is a Township in Camden County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township population was 5,357.Berlin was incorporated as a township on April 11, 1910, from portions of Waterford Township...
, Camden
Camden, New Jersey
The city of Camden is the county seat of Camden County, New Jersey. It is located across the Delaware River from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city had a total population of 77,344...
, Cherry Hill
Cherry Hill, New Jersey
Cherry Hill is a township in Camden County, New Jersey, in the United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township had a population of 71,045, representing an increase of 1,080 from the 69,965 residents enumerated during the 2000 Census...
, Collingswood
Collingswood, New Jersey
Collingswood is a borough in Camden County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 13,926....
, Gibbsboro
Gibbsboro, New Jersey
Gibbsboro is a Borough in Camden County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 2,274.Gibbsboro was incorporated as a borough by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on March 8, 1924, from portions of Voorhees Township, based on the results of a...
, Haddon Township
Haddon Township, New Jersey
Haddon Township is a Township in Camden County, New Jersey, United States. As of the United States 2010 Census, the township population was 14,707....
, Haddonfield
Haddonfield, New Jersey
Haddonfield is a borough located in Camden County, New Jersey. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough had a total population of 11,593....
, Lawnside
Lawnside, New Jersey
Lawnside is a Borough in Camden County, New Jersey, United States. As of the United States 2010 Census, the borough population was 2,945.The land that became Lawnside was purchased by Abolitionists for freed and escaped slaves, as well as other African Americans, in 1840.On April 20, 1926, an...
, Lindenwold
Lindenwold, New Jersey
Lindenwold is a borough in Camden County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 17,613.The Borough of Lindenwold was created on April 23, 1929, from Clementon Township, one of seven municipalities created from the now-defunct township, and one of...
, Magnolia
Magnolia, New Jersey
Magnolia is a Borough in Camden County, New Jersey, United States. As of the United States 2010 Census, the borough population was 4,341.Magnolia was incorporated as a borough by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on April 14, 1915, from portions of the now-defunct Centre Township, and parts of...
, Merchantville
Merchantville, New Jersey
Merchantville is a borough in Camden County, New Jersey, United States. As of the United States 2010 Census, the borough population was 3,821....
, Pennsauken Township
Pennsauken Township, New Jersey
Pennsauken Township is a township in Camden County, New Jersey, USA, and a suburb of Philadelphia. As of the 2010 census, the township population was 35,885....
, Somerdale, Stratford
Stratford, New Jersey
Stratford is a Borough in Camden County, New Jersey, United States. As of the United States 2000 Census, the borough population was 7,271. A campus of the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey is located in Stratford....
, Tavistock
Tavistock, New Jersey
Tavistock is a borough in Camden County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 Census, the population was only five people, making it the smallest municipality by population in New Jersey, with just seven fewer residents than nearby Pine Valley, which has 12.Tavistock was incorporated as a...
, and Voorhees.
The Cooper also has seven impoundments, not listed in Geographical order: Cooper River Lake, Evans Pond, Hopkins Pond, Kirkwood Lake, Linden Lake, Square Circle Lake, Wallworth Lake.
Recreation
The Cooper River Yacht Club is situated on the Cooper River and offers sailing instruction courses during the summer to children and adults, as well as organizing racing events from time to time.Using a canoe the Cooper is navigable from its mouth to southern Haddonfield
Haddonfield, New Jersey
Haddonfield is a borough located in Camden County, New Jersey. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough had a total population of 11,593....
, however it is necessary to cross several impoundments. Canoeing the Cooper into and farther than Greenwald Park in Cherry Hill
Cherry Hill, New Jersey
Cherry Hill is a township in Camden County, New Jersey, in the United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township had a population of 71,045, representing an increase of 1,080 from the 69,965 residents enumerated during the 2000 Census...
is technically a violation of local watercraft laws.
Fishing in the river has improved since the installation of fish ladders along the impoundments. In season, small fish such as sunnies and smallmouth bass
Smallmouth bass
The smallmouth bass is a species of freshwater fish in the sunfish family of the order Perciformes. It is the type species of its genus...
can be caught.
Sports
- See also: Lake Carnegie (New Jersey)Lake Carnegie (New Jersey)Lake Carnegie is a reservoir that is formed from a dam on the Millstone River, in the far northeastern corner of Princeton Township, New Jersey. The Delaware and Raritan Canal and its associated tow path are situated along the eastern shore of the lake...
Since 1955, the Cooper River has been the site of the Intercollegiate Rowing Association
Intercollegiate Rowing Association
The Intercollegiate Rowing Association runs the IRA Championship Regatta, which is considered to be the United States collegiate national championship of rowing. Since 1995, it has been held on the Cooper River in Pennsauken, New Jersey, and includes both men's and women's events for sweep boats...
's IRA Championship Regatta, which is considered to be the United States collegiate
College athletics
College athletics refers primarily to sports and athletic competition organized and funded by institutions of tertiary education . In the United States, college athletics is a two-tiered system. The first tier includes the sports that are sanctioned by one of the collegiate sport governing bodies...
national championship
Championship
Championship is a term used in sport to refer to various forms of competition in which the aim is to decide which individual or team is the champion.- Title match system :...
of rowing
College rowing (United States)
Rowing is one of the oldest intercollegiate sports in the United States. However, rowers comprise only 2.2% of total college athletes. This may be in part because of the status of rowing as an amateur sport and because not all universities have access to suitable bodies of water. In the 2002-03...
.
The 2007 Scholastic Rowing Association of America national championships and USRowing
USRowing
USRowing is the national governing body for the sport of rowing in the United States. It serves to promote the sport on all levels of competition, including the selection and training of those who represent the US at international level....
club national championships were held on the Cooper River.