A propos water in New York... here's a detail of Egbert L. Viele's 1865 Sanitary and Topographical Map of NY. (See it all here.) I hear it's still used today to see where the island's many rivers and streams flow... 
I knew that Minetta Lane bends because it traces an ancient riverbed but had no idea that Minetta Creek also flowed through the block where The New School landed! Did I say "flowed"? It must be flowing still.
I knew that Minetta Lane bends because it traces an ancient riverbed but had no idea that Minetta Creek also flowed through the block where The New School landed! Did I say "flowed"? It must be flowing still.