Onondaga Creek facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Onondaga Creek |
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Onondaga Creek about 1900
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Onondaga Creek watershed
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 Location of the mouth in New York
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| Country | United States |
| State | New York |
| County | Onondaga County, New York |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Main source | Vesper, New York, Onondaga County, New York |
| River mouth | Onondaga Lake, Syracuse, Onondaga County, New York 43°4′4″N 76°10′41″W / 43.06778°N 76.17806°W |
| Length | 27.2 mi (43.8 km) |
| Basin features | |
| Basin size | 111 sq mi (290 km2) |
Onondaga Creek is a stream in New York State. It is a main stream that flows into Onondaga Lake. The creek starts about 27 miles (43 km) south of the city of Syracuse. This area is near a small place called Vesper, in the town of Tully, New York.
The creek flows north through the Tully Valley. It then goes through the city of Syracuse before emptying into Onondaga Lake. Other smaller streams, called tributaries, flow into Onondaga Creek. These include the West Branch of Onondaga Creek, Hemlock Creek, and Rattlesnake Gulf.
History of Onondaga Creek
In the late 1940s, a special dam and reservoir were built on Onondaga Creek. This project was done by the Army Corps of Engineers. The main goal was to control floods in the city of Syracuse.
How the Dam Helps with Floods
The dam helps by holding back a lot of water when there is heavy rain. This stops too much water from rushing into Syracuse all at once. Later, when the water levels go down, the stored water is slowly released back into the creek. This helps protect homes and businesses in the city from flooding.
