Oswegatchie River
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The Oswegatchie River enters the Saint Lawrence River at the City of Ogdensburg. Oswegatchie is an Indian name which means going or coming around a hill. An Indian tribe of that name once lived along the river.[1]
The river is comprised of three branches named East, West and Middle. All of the branches begin in the Five Ponds Wilderness, with the East Branch Oswegatchie beginning at Partlow Lake, which is privately owned by one of William Seward Webb's descendants, but slated to go to NYS via easement agreement, late in the next decade. One of its branches: the Robinson River begins at Crooked lake. The Middle Branch headwaters are Willy's & Walker Lakes with one of its headwaters, an unnamed pond, separated from Crooked Lake by approximately, fifty feet of land. The West Branch Oswegatchie has its headwaters at Buck & Hog Ponds, which are separated from a smaller branch of the Middle Branch Oswegatchie by a short distance of land.
The Middle Branch Oswegatchie is comprised mostly, of shallow & fast moving waters with only, 2 or 3 slow moving sections favorable for canoeists, such as: Alder Bed Flow & another still water section known locally as Moynehan Flow, which begins in the area where Lower South Pond Outlet runs into the river. Occasionally, experienced kayakers take advantage of high water conditions to ply its waters- generally, from the Bear Pond Road, which is a few miles upstream of Alder Bed Flow & downstream to another seasonal access road located near Mullins Flow. However, because they are seasonal roads and the area is so remote- this is a seldom seen scenario. Brook trout exist as the primary sport-fish for its entire length. Chubs & bullheads also exist in its waters.
The West Branch Oswegatchie is slower moving than the Middle Branch, but the still waters such as: Long Pond, Mud Pond & Long Level are separated by hard to traverse rapids and/or waterfalls. With its far-upstream sections comprised of small & narrow feeder streams, which are generally, not canoe-able due to fallen logs & overhanging alders. During Depression times, deeded fishing rights were procured by NYS for the public on most of the river and the Civilian Conservation Corps created a public trail from where the outlet of Mud Pond crosses the Long Pond Road, downstream to the Jerden Falls Road. Today, no sign of the trail exists, but the deeded fishing rights for the public remain, despite new landowners in some locations. Brook trout are the main sport-fish and shiners, sunfish, suckers, chubs, minnows, bullheads and other fish exist in its waters.
The Middle Branch Oswegatchie unites with the West Branch Oswegatchie near the village of Harrisville in Lewis County. The river continues downstream as the West Branch Oswegatchie, until it unites with the East Branch Oswegatchie at a point a short distance west of the village of Talcville in St. Lawrence County. From that point, it is simply, known as "The Oswegatchie", as it flows northerly to its terminus with the St. Lawrence River near Ogdensburg.
The East Branch of the Oswegatchie, begins in Hamilton County, New York. The lower part of the river, between Gouverneur and Ogdensburg is slow-moving with some rapids that can be handled by experienced canoeists.
Important fish species include smallmouth bass, northern pike, musky, channel catfish, walleyes, red-finned mullet, and common carp.
The middle section of the Oswegatchie & East Branch Oswegatchie, between Gouverneur (village) and Cranberry Lake is partially navigable by experienced canoeists. A two mile section from southern Cranberry Lake to Inlet is unnavigable. From Inlet, the upper Oswegatchie is one of the wildest canoeable rivers in the Adirondacks.[2] The area is rich in history from logging days to the present. The upper river provides access to some of the remotest parts of Adirondack Park. Near the southern edge of St. Lawrence County it goes over High Falls. There is a 3.5 mile portage at the old historic "Beaverdam" that allows canoeists to travel to Lows Lake and the Bog River. These are all located in the Five Ponds Wilderness Area.
 The upper Oswegatchie R. near High Rock, in December |
 Oswegatchie River, August, 2008 |
 Rapids near site 28 |
 Oswegatchie water is tannin-stained |
[edit] References
- ^ p. 249, Simms, Jeptha Root, Trappers of New York, Harbor Hill Books, Harrison, NY, 1850, 1871, reprinted 1980, ISBN 0916346382
- ^ Jamieson, Paul F., and Donald Morris, Adirondack Canoe Waters: North Flow, third ed., Adirondack Mountain Club, Lake George, NY, 1988, rev. 1994, ISBN 9780935272437
[edit] See also
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