Richmond Creek (Fresh Kills)
Encyclopedia
Richmond Creek is a stream in Staten Island
, a borough of New York City
in the United States
. Its upper drainage basin
includes the remote forested hills in the center of the island. It empties into the Fresh Kills
.
Its source is Orbach Lake, located on the grounds of the Pouch Camp, maintained by the Boy Scouts of America
; from there it enters the Greenbelt
, crossing underneath the intersection of Manor Road and Rockland Avenue, whereupon it enters the Egbertville
Ravine, then emerges from the ravine and flows along the east side of Lighthouse Hill
, skimming the western edge of the Richmondtown
neighborhood (where bridges are necessary to cross it at several points, and creating dead-end streets at others) and through Historic Richmond Town
. South of Richmondtown it emerges into a wide floodplain of wetland
s that has been designated as part of Staten Island's "Bluebelt
," a region of wetlands in which many, but not all, kinds of development are prohibited.
It flows under Richmond Avenue east of the Staten Island Mall
and flows into the Fresh Kills alongside the former site of the Fresh Kills Landfill
.
In colonial times and in the early 19th century the creek was used to operate several mills in the center of the island. One such mill is being restored along the creek in Historic Richmond Town.
Staten Island
Staten Island is a borough of New York City, New York, United States, located in the southwest part of the city. Staten Island is separated from New Jersey by the Arthur Kill and the Kill Van Kull, and from the rest of New York by New York Bay...
, a borough of New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Its upper drainage basin
Drainage basin
A drainage basin is an extent or an area of land where surface water from rain and melting snow or ice converges to a single point, usually the exit of the basin, where the waters join another waterbody, such as a river, lake, reservoir, estuary, wetland, sea, or ocean...
includes the remote forested hills in the center of the island. It empties into the Fresh Kills
Fresh Kills
Fresh Kills is a stream and freshwater estuary in the western portion of the New York City borough of Staten Island...
.
Its source is Orbach Lake, located on the grounds of the Pouch Camp, maintained by the Boy Scouts of America
Boy Scouts of America
The Boy Scouts of America is one of the largest youth organizations in the United States, with over 4.5 million youth members in its age-related divisions...
; from there it enters the Greenbelt
Staten Island Greenbelt
The Staten Island Greenbelt is a system of contiguous public parkland and natural areas in the central hills of the New York City borough of Staten Island...
, crossing underneath the intersection of Manor Road and Rockland Avenue, whereupon it enters the Egbertville
Egbertville, Staten Island
Egbertville is the name of a neighborhood located immediately inland from, but classifiable within, the East Shore of Staten Island. The island forms one of the five boroughs of the USA's largest city, New York....
Ravine, then emerges from the ravine and flows along the east side of Lighthouse Hill
Lighthouse Hill, Staten Island
Lighthouse Hill is the name of a hill, and the neighborhood situated thereon, in the New York City borough of Staten Island.Formerly known as Richmond Hill , Lighthouse Hill acquired its present name when the Staten Island Range Light, towering 141 feet above the Lower New York Bay, was built...
, skimming the western edge of the Richmondtown
Richmondtown, Staten Island
Richmondtown, is a neighborhood on Staten Island in New York City, New York, in the United States.Originally known as Coccles Town because of the abundance of oyster and clam shells found in the waters of the nearby Fresh Kills, Richmondtown gained its present name in 1728 when the village now...
neighborhood (where bridges are necessary to cross it at several points, and creating dead-end streets at others) and through Historic Richmond Town
Historic Richmond Town
Historic Richmond Town is a living history village and museum complex in the neighborhood of Richmond, Staten Island, in New York City. It is located near the geographical center of the island, at the junction of Richmond Road and Arthur Kill Road....
. South of Richmondtown it emerges into a wide floodplain of wetland
Wetland
A wetland is an area of land whose soil is saturated with water either permanently or seasonally. Wetlands are categorised by their characteristic vegetation, which is adapted to these unique soil conditions....
s that has been designated as part of Staten Island's "Bluebelt
Bluebelt
The Staten Island Bluebelt , is a very large scale system of stormwater best management practices that includes structural and nonstructural stormwater management control measures taken to mitigate changes to both quantity and quality of runoff caused through changes to land use.The Bluebelt is an...
," a region of wetlands in which many, but not all, kinds of development are prohibited.
It flows under Richmond Avenue east of the Staten Island Mall
Staten Island Mall
Staten Island Mall is a shopping mall in the Staten Island borough of New York City, United States. It is the only indoor shopping mall in the borough. It is the largest retail center on the island and is the site of the island's second largest public transit hub after the St...
and flows into the Fresh Kills alongside the former site of the Fresh Kills Landfill
Fresh Kills Landfill
The Fresh Kills Landfill was a landfill covering in the New York City borough of Staten Island in the United States. The name comes from the landfill's location along the banks of the Fresh Kills estuary in western Staten Island...
.
In colonial times and in the early 19th century the creek was used to operate several mills in the center of the island. One such mill is being restored along the creek in Historic Richmond Town.