Hook Creek

Hook Creek
Location
Country	United States
Region	South Shore of Long Island, New York
Physical characteristics
Mouth	Jamaica Bay
• coordinates	40°38′10″N 73°44′40″W

Hook Creek is a stream on the South Shore of Long Island, in New York, United States. The creek travels through both the New York City borough of Queens and the Town of Hempstead in Nassau County.

Description

Hook Creek runs between Rosedale, Queens and Jamaica Bay.[1][2][3] The creek begins in Rosedale, flowing in a drainage tunnel towards the south, west, and southwest roughly following along Hook Creek Boulevard, eventually reaching Sunrise Highway/Conduit Boulevard (NY 27) and the Atlantic & Montauk Branches of the Long Island Rail Road.[1][3] It then meanders its way south to Woodmere, forming part of the border between New York City and Nassau County – in addition to forming parts of the Village of Valley Stream's western border.[1][3]

Hook Creek eventually emerges from the tunnel near the Green Acres Mall.[2] It then continues southwards, soon reaching its confluence with Valley Stream Brook, just south of Rosedale Road.[2][4] From there, Hook Creek continues southwards through Hook Creek Park and hugging the edge of North Woodmere Park, thence passing under Rockaway Turnpike and meandering its way around Meadowmere and Meadowmere Park (where it passes underneath the Hook Creek Bridge) near John F. Kennedy International Airport before eventually reaching its mouth at Jamaica Bay.[1][2][3]

Portions of the long-proposed path of the Nassau Expressway follow Hook Creek.[5][6]

History

During the 20th century, a considerable amount of Hook Creek's wetlands were lost to development (including the construction of the adjacent John F. Kennedy International Airport), contributing to increased flooding in the surrounding areas during major storms.[2] The Queens side of the creek was also not connected to New York City's sanitary sewer network until the early 21st century, leading to wastewater being released into the creek and causing environmental degradation.[7][8] Industrial pollution also negatively impacted the water quality and marine life within the water.[9]

In the 21st century, New York City restored large sections of wetland, completing a $700,000 restoration project in Hook Creek Park in May 2023.[10][11][12] The sections of Queens near the creek were ultimately hooked up to New York City's sanitary sewer system in 2010, allowing the wastewater to be treated instead of being dumped into the creek, and thus enabling the environmental quality of the creek and Jamaica Bay to be improved & restored.[8][13]

The creek is the namesake of Hook Creek Boulevard.[14]

See also

• Geography of Long Island
• Motts Creek (Nassau County, New York)

References

1. "GNIS Detail – Hook Creek". edits.nationalmap.gov. Retrieved 2024-05-14.
2. Kensinger, Nathan (2014-12-04). "Following Hook Creek Through Ghost Towns and Wetlands". Curbed NY. Retrieved 2024-05-14.
3. "EPA – Waters GeoViewer". epa.maps.arcgis.com. Retrieved 2021-07-28.
4. Popper, Ellen K. (1990-10-21). "Valley Stream's Drying Brook". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2024-05-05.
5. "County OK's Planning Queens-Nassau Link". Newsday. September 18, 1945. p. 3 – via ProQuest.
6. "Town of Hempstead Jurisdiction Maps – Nassau County GIS". nassau-county.maps.arcgis.com. Retrieved 2024-05-14.
7. Grygiel, Chris (July 23, 1991). "Creek Contamination Kills Hundreds of Crabs". Newsday. p. 29 – via ProQuest.
8. Kilgannon, Corey (2010-02-17). "Sewer Hookup Drags Queens Hamlet Into 20th Century". City Room. Retrieved 2024-05-14.
9. Onishi, Norimitsu (1996-10-13). "Industrial Pollution Helps To Crowd Out a Way of Life". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2024-05-14.
10. Parry, Bill (2023-05-15). "City finishes $700,000 wetlands restoration project at Hook Creek Park in Rosedale". qns.com. Retrieved 2024-05-14.
11. "$700,000 Project Restores Salt Marsh and Bird Habitat in Queens". Audubon New York. 2023-05-12. Retrieved 2024-05-14.
12. "NYC Parks – Hook Creek Park". New York City Department of Parks and Recreation. Retrieved 2024-05-14.
13. "$25 Million Sewer Upgrade For Hook Creek Boulevard In Rosedale Will Reduce Flooding" (Press release). New York City Department of Environmental Protection. 2017-03-24. Retrieved 2024-05-14.
14. Walsh, Kevin (2005-10-20). "ROSEDALE, Queens". Forgotten New York. Retrieved 2024-05-14.