The river originates in bogs and wetlands in central Long Island near the Brookhaven National Laboratory and flows eastward to the Peconic Bay. It is the longest river on Long Island and is almost entirely within the Central Long Island Pine Barrens which was set up in 1993 to protect its relative wilderness standing.
It is fresh water until about the center of Riverhead where it becomes an estuary.
The river is slow-moving, making it ideal for canoers.
It forms the border between Brookhaven and Riverhead towns as well as the border between Riverhead and Southampton.
McCartin said the completion of the ByronYoung ladder leaves only one other place along the Peconic River where alewives are prevented by dams from spawning — a site in Upper MillsPond on the Peconic River in Rivherhead.