Pennsylvania has over 80,000 miles of streams and rivers — and this year, our very own Delaware River and Perkiomen Creek are in the running to be the state’s 2025 River of the Year.
And unlike our national elections, all they have to do is win the popular vote in order to snag the title.
They are two out of three nominees for the honor, which comes with not just bragging rights, but also a $10,000 grant from the state Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) to fund yearlong celebrations, including paddling programs and community activities.
Also part of the prize package: a commemorative poster.
So how do we make sure one of our two waterway finalists wins this thing? And which contestant deserves your vote?
How/why to vote
Visit the Pa. Organization for Watersheds and Rivers website to cast your vote. The deadline is Friday, January 24.
Voting is “a fun way to rally behind and support your favorite waterway” and ensure that “we all continue to spend more time outdoors and deepen our appreciation for the beautiful natural resources of Pennsylvania,” said Janet Sweeney of POWR.
“These three rivers are remarkable examples of Pennsylvania’s rich natural heritage,” said DCNR Secretary Cindy Adams Dunn. “This competition not only highlights their unique qualities, but also builds community pride and emphasizes their recreational, cultural and economic importance.
The Finalists
After an open call for nominees last October, the top three finalists were:
- Delaware River: Must be the favorite on betting markets. The longest undammed river in the Eastern U.S., forming part of Pennsylvania’s border with New York and New Jersey.
- Youghiogheny River: First off, you pronounce it yok-u-gay-nee. This is the Sheetz to the Delaware River’s Wawa as the Western Pa. entrant in the field. A hub for water recreation, it flows from the Laurel Highlands into, wait for it, West Virginia.
- Perkiomen Creek: This is the underdog entrant, an NCAA Tournament 16 seed of a waterway. This 37.7-mile tributary of the Schuylkill River stretches through Berks, Lehigh and Montgomery counties.
I ♥️ Delaware River
As of Jan. 17, with one week left for voting, the Delaware is in the lead with 37% of votes. Is it any wonder why? Not only does the 301-mile-long river traverse three states, but it is “one of the last large free-flowing rivers left in the contiguous 48 states, one of the last major rivers without any dams or control structures on its main stem,” according to Rivers.gov.
Life along the Delaware also offers hidden shorelines, community spaces, wetlands and critical ecosystems that can’t be found anywhere else. Like every Philadelphian, the river has battled hardships like pollution, invisible threats like climate change, and changing water regulation to maintain its popularity as a key resource for the region and country.
Its importance also extends from the recreational and scientific/geological, to the economic and the historical — as a key trade port, as well as a part of U.S. history books from the earliest days of its founding, thanks to George Washington’s famous crossing and Native American and colonial-era archaeological sites.
Blackbeard the pirate was also known to take refuge on the Delaware River, stopping over in Marcus Hook to visit a particular Swedish lady.
Having every major northeast corridor city from Boston and NYC to Philly and Washington D.C. within walking distance or a short drive/train ride away also gives it the numbers advantage: more potential voters who have traversed its Upper, Middle and Lower portions!
I ♥️ Perkiomen Creek
Described in its candidate bio as “a true hidden gem,” the Perkiomen sits northwest of Philly and runs through some of the most geologically interesting areas in the state and is the newest PA State Water Trail in the system.
Unfortunately, as of Jan. 17, Perkiomen Creek is coming in last in voting, with only 29% of the vote.
Why does it deserve to catch up in the race and win the conservation prize money?
There’s the underdog aspect — what, only the biggest, most prominent waterways deserve attention?!?! The Perkiomen is a hub of recreation for those in-the-know, home to the Lenape Challenge Adventure Race, the Perkiomen Creek Sojourn, and the Perkiomen Creek Stream Cleanup, which is the state’s largest single-day stream cleanup with thousands of volunteers coming every year. It also has a lovely bike and walking path that wind beside it through Montco.
As a creek, it’s also more accessible overall – at 38 miles, with a 20-plus-mile walking trail in the Perkiomen Trail, which parallels the creek on a repurposed railroad bed, nature-lovers can potentially take it all in over a long relaxing weekend, getting just as much beauty, without the crowds and overwhelming size.
So if you love upsets, get Perky!
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2025-01-17 11:06:16
