The creek begins in the towns of
Hyde Park and
Clinton, flows southward through the town and city of
Poughkeepsie, and drains into the
Hudson River. The creek's
drainage basin accounts for approximately of the larger Hudson Direct Watershed. As of the
2000 Census, about 28,500 people resided in this area. Although the northern section of the creek is characterized by marshes and wetlands harboring several threatened or endangered species, the southern end of the creek is surrounded by heavy urbanization. In the city of Poughkeepsie, of the Fall Kill were channelized by stone walls during the
Great Depression. The creek was an important source of industrial water power in the early 19th century, such as grinding materials to make dyes. The
New York State Department of Environmental Conservation designates the creek as a "Class C" stream, meaning it is suitable for fishing. The Fall Kill is also a
third order stream by the time it reaches the Hudson River. ==See also==