76-80

=76. - 80. Five largest lakes with borders touching Onondaga County.=

=76. Cross Lake= Cross Lake lies on the border of Cayuga and Onondaga Counties in New York. It is within the boundaries of the traditional Onondaga Indian Nation. It is known as the "widening of the Seneca River." Cross Lake is 6.1 kilometers long by 1.5 kilometers wide. The lake is about 65 feet at its deepest and the average depth is about 18 feet. Cross Lake is hypereutrophic due to nutrients that flow to the upstream areas of Seneca River from waste and rural deposits. It is alkaline and contains hard water. The lake exports high concentrations of phytoplankton to downstream portions of the Seneca River, which causes for a dense population of zebra mussels. Another cause of this is believed to be the reduction on inorganic solids leaving the lake since it acts as a settling pond. The lake is 20 minutes northwest of Syracuse.

Physical Features: Elevation: 400 ft Area: 1,947 acres Length:4.5 Miles Maximum Depth: 65 ft For more information: [] http://www.dec.ny.gov/outdoor/69525.html

Walleye, Tiger Musky Northern Pike, Largemouth and Smallmouth Bass are the main gamefish found in the lake. Black Crappie, Bluegill, Pumpkinseed Sunfish, Yellow Perch, White Perch, Channel Catfish, Brown Bullhead and Common Carp can also be found in the lake. Fishing Information: For further information on fisheries management, click on the link below: http://www.dec.ny.gov/outdoor/7917.html



Lies on the border of Cayuga and Onondaga Counties. The Seneca River portion of the Erie Canal flows through it from west to east. Come spring, Cross Lake is known to be the fishiest part of the Seneca River. It is also a popular vacation spot for upstate New Yorkers. Cross Lake is part of the New York State Barge Canal System.



=77. Oneida Lake=
 * [[image:http://www.oneidalake.com/images/oneidalakemasterani.gif caption="Aerial View of Oneida Lake"]] ||
 * Aerial View of Oneida Lake ||

Oneida Lake is eight miles northeast of Syracuse. Oneida Lake is the remains of Lake Iroquois, which was struck by a glacier 12,000 years ago. Today, the lake has many marinas such as Fremac's and Marion Manor Marina. The largest city on the shores of Oneida is Cicero which sits on the western end of the lake and is home to over 30,000 people. To the east, farther from the Syracuse metropolitan area, the lakefront is dotted with much smaller towns, villages, and hamlets in Onondaga, Oswego, Oneida, and Madison counties, all of which border the lake. Oneida Lake has several attractions including beaches, parks, and golf courses. Central New York's version of Coney Island, Sylvan Beach Amusement Park is on the lake. Oneida Lake has facilities for RVs and camping, hotels, motels and cottages for visitors.

Oneida Lake was created over 12,000 years ago when the Ice Age ended. It was originally a vast inland sea called Lake Iroquois which covered much of Central New York. As the ice retreated, most of the lake drained away except for what remains now. It measured 22 miles long and 5 miles across at the widest point. It is the largest lake entirely within New York, it measures 79.8 square miles. It is located northeast of Syracuse. It is one of the links of the Erie Canal and empties into the Oneida River, which flows into the Oswego River which flows into Lake Ontario. It is not included as one of the Finger Lakes, but is sometimes referred to as their "thumb." It has 55 miles of shoreline and an average depth of 22 feet. The lake is warmer than the other deeper Finger Lakes in the summer, and because it's much shallower it freezing completely solid in winter making the lake a popular hot spot for local ice fishing and snowmobiling enthusiasts.

Physical Features: Area: 79.8 mi² Length: 20.51 miles  [|S] urface elevation: 369' Width: 5.406 miles

 [|Fish] :  [|Walleye], [|Largemouth bass] , [|Smallmouth bass] , [|Yellow perch]  [|Islands] :  [|Frenchman's Island], [|Wantry Island] , [|Dunham's Island] , [|Long Island] , [|Big Isle] , [|Little Island]

For more information: [] http://www.oneidalakeassociation.org/about-oneida-lake.htm

Wetlands like the Cicero and Harbor Swamps around Oneida Lake are main habitats for fish and waterfowl survivals. They also play important roles in improving Oneida’s water quality by retaining fertilizing chemicals. Moreover, during the periods of excessive precipitation, they serve as a ‘storage tank’ and protect the lake from flooding. However during the past decades, the wetlands have been destroyed. Consequently, the lake became more vulnerable to water damages. What is worse, the purple loosestrife plant has been thriving in this area over the past decade and hinder other indigenous cattails and related flora from inhabiting the lake. []



Fun Fact: Lake Oneida is the largest lake entirely in the state of New York. = = = 78. Skaneateles Lake= Skaneateles Lake is the fourth largest of the Finger Lakes in volume. It averages about three-quarters of a mile wide and about 16 miles in length. It is located about 23 miles west of the city of Syracuse. This lake is a primary drinking supply for Syracuse and Onondaga County. Of all the Finger Lakes, Skaneateles Lake contains the highest level of clarity and is the cleanest Finger Lake and one of the cleanest lakes in the country. Skaneateles Lake has several tiny tributaries and an outlet that create the Skaneatles Creek. The lake has many attractions activities as boating and swimming. Landmarks and beautiful scenery grace the lake and the surround community making Skaneateles Lake a local hot spot for sailing. There are few commercial sailing facilities on the lake however, because of the fact that Skaneateles supplies much of the drinking water to Syracuse. The largest marina is located at the Skaneateles Country Club in the town of Skaneateles on the north end of the lake. The town's population is a little over 7,000.

The name Skaneateles means "long lake" in Iroquoian language. Another name of the lake is "the Roof Garden of the Lakes" because of its high altitude (863.27ft/ 263.12m). The shores of Skaneateles Lake are in the counties of Cayuga, Cortland, and Onondaga. The city of Syracuse annually spends about 2.3 million dollars to protect lake from pollution with 16 people inspecting the lake, usually twice a year. There are many factors which result in the bluish-green water of the lake. One factor is that the lake it so deep and clear that blue light waves are able to penetrate deep into the lake. Although the blue lights can bounce around the deep waters and reflect back, other wavelengths cannot. As a result, the lake color is bluish green. Another reason is some minerals like lime help accentuate the water’s color. Finally there are less biological systems in the lake.



[|header-skaneateles-jb.jpg]

In the spring of 2007 there was a significant decline in the bass population in the lake. This epidemic was was found to be because of a virus that causes a fatal fish disease. VHS, or Viral Hemorrhagic Septicema is a epidemic that has killed millions of fish throughout the Great Lakes Region since it's discovery in 2005. Skaneateles Lake is the second Finger Lakes to be plagued with the virus. In 2006 Conesus Lake, the westernmost lake, became the first lake to be infected with the virus. VHS is not a threat to human health and is unable to be transmitted to people. The state of New York is making strides to ensure the virus doesn't spread to any other lakes. In the summer of 2007, to prevent future VHS flare ups New York State has announced new bait regulations that are designed to slow the spread of VHS. A stiff, sticky foam on the lake was reported in 2013 to have been visibly increasing for years. The foam accumulates on shorelines and in bays after strong winds. According to the Skaneateles Lake Association, a preliminary analysis indicated that the source of the foam was [|anionic surfactants] released during the natural breakdown of organic matter. The phenomenon was reported on other nearby lakes as well.

Physical Features:

 [|L] ength: 16.03 miles

<span class="_xdb"> [|A] rea: <span class="_Xbe kno-fv">13.75 mi²

<span class="_xdb">Width: <span class="_Xbe kno-fv">1.491 miles


 * [[image:rtnwiki/snv80044_joy89315.jpg align="center" caption="photo by Heather Lee"]] ||
 * photo by Heather Lee ||

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For more information: [] [] []

=79. Otisco Lake= Otisco Lake is one of the minor Finger Lakes and the closest Finger Lake to the city of Syracuse, just 22 miles southwest of Syracuse. Otisco Lake is approximately 6 miles long, half a mile wide, and at its deepest point, the lake is around 60 feet deep. The lake has a causeway that separates the southern and northern areas. The drainage basin of the lake is made up of cropland and woodland. It is the third quickest Finger Lake to flush, about one time in two years. Otisco means “waters much dried away” in Iroquoian language. prior to damming it was much smaller and primarily marshland. But dams constructed in 1869 and 1908 raised the water level and formed the lake as it is and used as a water supply to the City of Syracuse and surrounding neighborhoods.

The area surrounding the lake is a very popular area for recreation activities such as boating as well as many homes and cottage. Otisco attracts many fishermen year-round as well. One of the most popular fish to catch in the lake, the tiger muskie, is a hybrid of muskie and northern pike and can grow to be over 40 inches long. Small and quiet communities surround the area around Otisco Lake. On the eastern shores of Lake Otisco is the village of Amber. Though it has only a few shops, Amber is the largest village on Otisco.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has confirmed that the lake is infected with "non-source pollution" resulting from pesticides and fertilizers used at nearby farms, residential septic system issues, and stream bank erosion. In addition, The Otisco Lake has a significant mussel infestation problem that requires swimmers to wear footwear whenever they venture into the lake. 2015 recorded the lowest lake levels in Otisco Lake history. [|Renovations are being made to help fix the problem.]

Physical Features: <span class="_xdb"> [|L] ength: <span class="_Xbe kno-fv">6.214 miles <span class="_xdb">Width: <span class="_Xbe kno-fv">5,249 feet <span class="_xdb">Depth: <span class="_Xbe kno-fv">33'

For more information: [] <span class="wiki_link_ext">[] [] []

=80. Onondaga Lake=

Onondaga Lakeis northwest of Syracuse and south of Lake Ontario. It is near the Finger Lakes but is not normally counted as one. Onondaga Lake is about 5 miles long, 1 mile wide, has an area of 4.6 square miles, and a maximum depth of just under 65 feet. Water leaves the lake through one outlet at the north end and then flows to the Seneca River to Lake Ontario. The lake flushes approximately 4 times a year which is much more rapid than Skaneateles Lake or Lake Superior; Skaneateles Lake flushes once every 12 years and Lake Superior does only once every 191 years.

This lake was severely polluted and has been called one of the most polluted lakes in the United States primarily due to industrial dumping. It has been declared a hazardous waste site by the Environmental Protection Agency. Recently however; efforts have been made to clean up this lake because it is a hazardous waste site. Several companies in the Syracuse area are being blamed for the pollution in the lake. Honeywell International is being held accountable for the clean up of the lake due to its role in dumping large amounts of mercury and salt into the lake over the years. A 15-year $500 million program is currently in the works to improve water quality standards and to fix the sewage situation. News Story about Onondaga Lake : CLEAN-UP VIDEO By the end of 2006, Onondaga County had completed twenty six projects required under the Amended Consent Judgment, which was more than two-thirds of the mandated clean up projects. The cleanup project has seen great progress in the early 2010s due to significant upgrades to Onondaga County's municipal wastewater treatment systems as well as the construction of Honeywell's underground barrier wall, which prevents contaminated groundwater from former factory sites from returning to the lake. According to Steven Effler, Chief Executive Officer of the Upstate Freshwater Institute, Onondaga Lake is "experiencing a renaissance that few thought possible."

In 2016, County Executive Joanie Mahoney plans to spend $300,000 to study the lake and see if it is possible to open up a beach. State and County tests show the lake is clean enough to swim on the north end. The county and Honeywell have spend over $1 billion cleaning up the lake.

Physical Features: <span class="_xdb">Area: <span class="_Xbe kno-fv">4.6 mi² <span class="_xdb"> [|S] urface Elevation: <span class="_Xbe kno-fv">370' <span class="_xdb"> [|L] ength: <span class="_Xbe kno-fv">4,921 feet <span class="_xdb"> [|W] idth: <span class="_Xbe kno-fv">4.287 miles

More Information: [] [] @http://onondagacountyparks.com/onondaga-lake-park/ []

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