Coordinates:
| Genesee River | |
|---|---|
 Upper Genesee near Belmont
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| Country | USA |
| States | New York, Pennsylvania |
| Counties | Monroe, NY, Livingston, NY, Wyoming, NY, Allegany, NY, Potter, PA |
| Major cities | Rochester, NY, Wellsville, NY, Genesee, PA, Geneseo, NY |
| Length | 157 mi |
| Watershed | 2,500 sq mi |
| Discharge at | Rochester |
| - average | 4,430 cu ft/s |
| Discharge elsewhere | |
| - Portageville, NY | 2,720 cu ft/s |
| Source | |
| - location | Ulysses Township, Potter County, Pennsylvania, USA |
| - coordinates | |
| - elevation | 2,240 ft |
| Mouth | Lake Ontario |
| - location | Rochester, Monroe County, New York, USA |
| - coordinates | |
| - elevation | 256 ft |
| Major tributaries | |
| - left | Oatka Creek |
| - right | Canaseraga Creek |
 Map of Genesee River
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The Genesee River's name is derived from the Seneca tribe word meaning a beautiful open valley, good valley or pleasant valley. It flows northward through western New York from its source south of the town of Genesee in Pennsylvania, near Wellsville , New York and empties into Lake Ontario north of the City of Rochester, New York. The river drains about 2500 square miles . Falls along the river are within the gorge of Letchworth State Park near Portageville, New York and within Rochester, where they provided power to 19th century industry. A dam at Mount Morris is the largest flood control dam east of the Mississippi. It has greatly reduced flood damage in the lower Genesee Valley; its capacity has never been exceeded. The dam was completed in 1952.
The river was the original source of power and commerce in the Rochester area. Many grist mills along the river grind more flour than anywhere else in North America, giving Rochester her nickname "Flour City".
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