Oneida Lake

Oneida Lake
Oneida Lake
	View from Cicero, a suburban Syracuse town
Location	New York
Coordinates	43°12′0″N 75°54′0″W / 43.2°N 75.9°WCoordinates: 43°12′0″N 75°54′0″W / 43.2°N 75.9°W
Primary inflows	Oneida Creek
Primary outflows	Oneida River
Basin countries	United States
Max. length	21 mi (33 km)
Max. width	5 mi (8.7 km)
Average depth	22 ft (6.7 m)
Surface elevation	112 feet (34 m)
Settlements	(see article)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Jump to: navigation, search

Oneida Lake is the largest lake entirely within New York (79.8 square miles). The lake is located northeast of Syracuse and near the Great Lakes. It serves as one of the links in the Erie Canal. It empties into the Oneida River which flows into the Oswego River which in turn flows into Lake Ontario. It is named for the Oneida tribe of the Iroquois who live in the area. While not included as one of the Finger Lakes, it is sometimes referred to as their "thumb".

The current lake is about 21 miles (33 km) long and about 5 miles (8.7 km) wide with an average depth of 22 feet (6.4 m). The shoreline is about 55 miles (89 km). Portions of six counties and sixty-nine communities are in the watershed. Oneida Creek, which flows past the cities of Oneida and Sherrill, empties into the southeast part of the lake at South Bay.

Map showing Oneida Lake and the Finger Lakes in relation to Lake Ontario and upstate New York

Because it is shallow, in the summer it is warmer than the deeper Finger Lakes, and freezes solidly in winter, making it relatively safe and popular for ice fishing and snowmobiling.

[edit] Geology

Oneida Lake is a remnant of Lake Iroquois, a large prehistoric lake formed when glaciers blocked the current outlet of the Great Lakes, the St. Lawrence River.

Located on the eastern shore of Oneida Lake, Sylvan Beach, New York is a popular summer boating destination thanks to its shallow water and sandy bottom.

When the Erie Canal was enlarged for a final time in the early 20th century, the new route used natural rivers and lakes when possible to save money. Barges were driven by steam and diesel, rather than animals, which allowed them to cross open water and work against a current. The new route entered the lake at Sylvan Beach where it straightened Fish Creek and leave from the Oneida River in Brewerton. The towns along the shorelines of Oneida Lake thrived; terminal walls in Sylvan Beach, Cleveland, and Brewerton allowed boats to to load and unload cargo and stay overnight. The break wall protects the entrance to the canal was created to prevent waves from entering canal as well as prevent shoaling.