Indian River (Delaware)
Encyclopedia
The Indian River is a river and estuary
, approximately 15 mi (24 km) long, in Sussex County
in southern Delaware
in the United States
.
It rises approximately 2 mi (3 km) southwest of Georgetown
and flows east, past Millsboro
, its head of navigation. It enters Indian River Bay
, an inlet of the Atlantic Ocean
south of Cape Henlopen
. The lower 6 mi (10 km) of the river form a navigable tidal estuary stretching westward from Indian River Bay, which is protected from the open ocean by two sand bar peninsulas
. East of the bay is its mouth, the Indian River Inlet.
The river is crossed in three places, by U.S. Route 113
(in Millsboro
), Delaware Route 24
/Delaware Route 30
(also in Millsboro), and Delaware Route 1 (at the Delaware Seashore State Park
).
The bridge over the Indian River Inlet, which carries Delaware Route 1, is considered structurally deficient due to tidal
erosion. It is scheduled to be replaced in late 2011.
Estuary
An estuary is a partly enclosed coastal body of water with one or more rivers or streams flowing into it, and with a free connection to the open sea....
, approximately 15 mi (24 km) long, in Sussex County
Sussex County, Delaware
Sussex County is a county located in the southern part of the U.S. state of Delaware. As of 2010 the population was 197,145, an increase of 25.9% over the previous decade. The county seat is Georgetown. The Seaford Micropolitan Statistical Area includes all of Sussex County.Sussex County is...
in southern Delaware
Delaware
Delaware is a U.S. state located on the Atlantic Coast in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It is bordered to the south and west by Maryland, and to the north by Pennsylvania...
in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
It rises approximately 2 mi (3 km) southwest of Georgetown
Georgetown, Delaware
Georgetown is a town in Sussex County, Delaware, United States. According to 2010 census figures, the population of the town is 6,422, an increase of 38.3% over the previous decade...
and flows east, past Millsboro
Millsboro, Delaware
As of the census of 2000, there were 2,360 people, 1,045 households, and 619 families residing in the town. The population density was 1,367.9 people per square mile . There were 1,153 housing units at an average density of 668.3 per square mile...
, its head of navigation. It enters Indian River Bay
Indian River Bay
Indian River Bay is a body of water in Sussex County, Delaware. It is part of Delaware's inland bay system, along with Little Assawoman Bay and Rehoboth Bay...
, an inlet of the Atlantic Ocean
Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceanic divisions. With a total area of about , it covers approximately 20% of the Earth's surface and about 26% of its water surface area...
south of Cape Henlopen
Cape Henlopen
Cape Henlopen is the southern cape of the Delaware Bay along the Atlantic coast of the United States. It lies in the state of Delaware, near the town of Lewes, Delaware...
. The lower 6 mi (10 km) of the river form a navigable tidal estuary stretching westward from Indian River Bay, which is protected from the open ocean by two sand bar peninsulas
Barrier island
Barrier islands, a coastal landform and a type of barrier system, are relatively narrow strips of sand that parallel the mainland coast. They usually occur in chains, consisting of anything from a few islands to more than a dozen...
. East of the bay is its mouth, the Indian River Inlet.
The river is crossed in three places, by U.S. Route 113
U.S. Route 113
U.S. Route 113 is a spur of US 13 in the U.S. states of Maryland and Delaware. The U.S. Highway runs from US 13 in Pocomoke City, Maryland north to Delaware Route 1 in Milford, Delaware...
(in Millsboro
Millsboro, Delaware
As of the census of 2000, there were 2,360 people, 1,045 households, and 619 families residing in the town. The population density was 1,367.9 people per square mile . There were 1,153 housing units at an average density of 668.3 per square mile...
), Delaware Route 24
Delaware Route 24
Delaware Route 24 is a state highway located in Sussex County, Delaware. The route runs east from Maryland Route 348 at the Maryland border east of Sharptown, Maryland to an intersection with Delaware Route 1 in Midway, between Lewes and Rehoboth Beach. Along the way, DE 24 passes through Laurel,...
/Delaware Route 30
Delaware Route 30
Delaware Route 30 is a state highway in Sussex County, Delaware. The route runs from an intersection with Bi-State Boulevard a short distance west of U.S. Route 13 between Laurel and Delmar to Delaware Route 1 Business southeast of Milford in the area of Lincoln City and Cedar Creek. The road runs...
(also in Millsboro), and Delaware Route 1 (at the Delaware Seashore State Park
Delaware Seashore State Park
Delaware Seashore State Park is located near Dewey Beach, in Delaware, United States. It is bounded on the east by the mighty Atlantic Ocean and on the west by Rehoboth Bay and Indian River Bay. The park covers . It is a major attraction for millions of visitors who enjoy the large variety of...
).
The bridge over the Indian River Inlet, which carries Delaware Route 1, is considered structurally deficient due to tidal
Tide
Tides are the rise and fall of sea levels caused by the combined effects of the gravitational forces exerted by the moon and the sun and the rotation of the Earth....
erosion. It is scheduled to be replaced in late 2011.