Ocquionis Creek facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Oquionis Creek |
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Location of the mouth of Ocquionis Creek
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| Other name(s) | Fish Creek |
| Country | United States |
| State | New York |
| Region | Central New York Region |
| Counties | Herkimer, Otsego |
| Towns | Warren, Richfield |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Main source | Northeast of Jordanville 1,489 ft (454 m) 42°55′08″N 74°56′36″W / 42.9189606°N 74.9432095°W |
| River mouth | Canadarago Lake South of Richfield Springs 1,270 ft (390 m) 42°50′25″N 74°59′34″W / 42.84028°N 74.99278°W |
| Basin features | |
| Basin size | 22.3 sq mi (58 km2) |
Ocquionis Creek, also called Fish Creek, is a small river in New York State. It flows through parts of Herkimer County and Otsego County. The creek starts northeast of a small place called Jordanville. From there, it generally flows south. Eventually, it empties into the northern part of Canadarago Lake, which is south of the village of Richfield Springs. The name "Ocquionis" comes from the Iroquois language, and it means "he is a bear."
Where Does Ocquionis Creek Flow?
Ocquionis Creek begins its journey northeast of Jordanville. It flows south through Jordanville, passing under NY 167. The creek then takes a few turns, heading east, then south, then west, crossing under NY 167 again.
After a short distance, it turns south and goes under Osley Road. It then turns east and south once more, just before crossing NY 167 again. The creek then flows west of a small community called Cullen.
As it continues, the creek stays close to the west side of NY 167. It then turns west just before Bloomfield Road. Finally, it turns south, flowing through the village of Richfield Springs. It crosses under US 20 before reaching its end in Canadarago Lake, south of Richfield Springs.
A Look Back at History
Long ago, early settlers in the Jordanville area used Ocquionis Creek. They used its waters for baptisms, which are special religious ceremonies. They even compared it to the famous Jordan River in the Middle East.
How We Measure the Water
The United States Geological Survey (USGS) used to keep track of the water in Ocquionis Creek. They had two special measuring stations, called stream gauges, along the creek.
One station was in Richfield Springs, near the Ann Street bridge. It was used from June 1963 to September 1973. At this spot, they measured how much water was flowing at different times. The most water they ever measured was 233 cubic feet per second (6.6 m3/s) on June 26, 1963. The least amount of water was .86 cubic feet per second (0.024 m3/s) on September 12, 1963.
The second station was also in Richfield Springs, south of the US 20 bridge. This one was used from June 1968 to April 1978. Here, too, they measured the water flow at different times. The highest flow recorded was 233 cubic feet per second (6.6 m3/s) on May 5, 1971. The lowest flow was .49 cubic feet per second (0.014 m3/s) on September 23, 1973. These measurements help scientists understand how much water is in the creek and how it changes over time.
