Owasco Lake

History

Owasco Lake's name may have been derived from the Iroquois word dwas-co, meaning bridge on the water. The name may also have been derived from the word was-co, meaning floating bridge. Cayuga territory was found between the territory of the Onondaga and Seneca. Jesuits founded missions among the Cayuga in the mid-17th century. In 1660, there were approximately 1,500 Cayuga.

In the nineteenth century, Owasco Lake was a popular vacation spot for the well-to-do. A casino located just north of Cascade hosted guests traveling by rail along the western length of the lake. It burned down in the early years of the twentieth century, but vestiges of the railway remain in the swampy waters. The "iIndianist" composer Arthur Farwell camped on the east shore in 1899, before assuming his teaching duties at Cornell University, and wrote a set of piano pieces depicting his experience, entitled "Owasco Memories." He included a representation of "The Casino Across the Lake."

Description

Owasco Lake is 11.1 mi long, with a maximum width of 1.3 mi. The lake reaches a maximum depth of 177 ft and has a surface elevation of 712 ft above sea level, controlled by a dam on the lake's outlet. The lake has a volume of 212 e9USgal, and drains a watershed of 208 sqmi.

The city of Auburn is located at the northern end and takes its drinking water from the lake. The lake lies entirely within the boundaries of Cayuga County, and the watershed boundary includes portions of Onondaga County and Tompkins County. Located at the south end of the lake is the hamlet of Cascade, which consists of a community of cottages, a marina, and a restaurant.

Owasco has the largest catchment area, or watershed, of all the Finger Lakes. This means that the land use has a large impact on water quality, and the lake especially vulnerable to nutrient loading from stormwater run-off. It is also downstream from the villages of Moravia and Groton. Sewage treatment effluent from two communities flows into the lake, which is regulated and permitted by the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation.

The Owasco Lake Watershed Inspection and Protection Division (OLWIPD) enforces the 1984 Owasco Lake Watershed Rules and Regulations and inspects various types of land use to determine compliance. OLWIPD is in the process of updating its rules and regulations, which will provide protections comparable to Skaneateles Lake if passed.

Recreation

Owasco Lake is smaller and shallower than many other Finger Lakes, allowing its waters to warm up much more quickly, and making swimming, water-skiing, and boating popular. Emerson Park is a county park with a beach and boat launch on the lake's north end. The private Owasco Yacht Club, founded in 1889, sits on its northeastern corner.

Fishing

Fish species present in the lake include lake trout, brown trout, rainbow trout, landlocked salmon, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, northern pike, yellow perch, bluegill, pumpkinseed sunfish, rock bass, black bullhead, pickerel, and walleye. Access is via a fee-for-use county owned hard surface boat launch in the park.

References

• Dave Tobin. "A Watertight Watershed." Post-Standard, December 24, 2006
• Pritzker, Barry M. A Native American Encyclopedia: History, Culture, and Peoples, Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2000. .

References

1. (1893). "Indian names in New-York, with a selection from other states, and some Onondaga names of plants, etc.". H.C. Beauchamp.
2. (1907). "Aboriginal Place Names of New York (New York State Museum Bulletin, Volume 108)". New York State Education Department.
3. Pritzker 412
4. NYS Department of Environmental Conservation. "Owasco Lake".
5. Sportsman's Connection (Firm). (2011-01-01). "Western Adirondacks New York fishing map guide: includes lakes & streams for the following counties: Allegany, Broome, Cattaraugus, Cayuga, Chautauqua, Chemung, Cortland, Erie, Livingston, Madison, Monroe, Niagara, Onondaga, Ontario, Orleans, Oswego, Schuyler, Seneca, Steuben, Tioga, Tompkins, Wayne, Wyoming, and Yates.". Sportsman's Connection.