Owasco Lake facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Owasco Lake |
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Owasco Lake, looking south.
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 Owasco Lake
Location in New York Adirondack Park
Owasco Lake
Location in the United States
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| Location | Cayuga County, New York, United States |
| Group | Finger Lakes |
| Coordinates | 42°48′54″N 76°30′30″W / 42.81500°N 76.50833°W |
| Type | Ground moraine |
| Primary inflows | Owasco Inlet |
| Primary outflows | Owasco Outlet |
| Catchment area | 208 sq mi (540 km2) |
| Basin countries | United States |
| Max. length | 11 mi (18 km) |
| Max. width | 1.3 mi (2.1 km) |
| Surface area | 6,784 acres (2,745 ha) |
| Average depth | 96 ft (29 m) |
| Max. depth | 177 ft (54 m) |
| Water volume | .193 cu mi (0.80 km3) |
| Shore length1 | 24.7 miles (39.8 km) |
| Surface elevation | 712 ft (217 m) |
| Islands | 2 (Off of Burtis Point and Deauville Island) |
| Settlements | Auburn, New York, Cascade, New York |
| 1 Shore length is not a well-defined measure. | |
Owasco Lake is one of the beautiful Finger Lakes in New York State, United States. It is the sixth largest and the third one from the east. This lake is part of the traditional land of the Cayuga people.
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The Story of Owasco Lake
The name Owasco Lake might come from an Iroquois word, dwas-co. This word means bridge on the water. Another idea is that it comes from was-co, meaning floating bridge.
The Cayuga people lived in this area long ago. Their land was between the Onondaga and Seneca tribes. In the mid-1600s, a group called Jesuit missionaries came to live among the Cayuga. Around 1660, there were about 1,500 Cayuga people.
In the 1800s, Owasco Lake became a popular place for rich people to go on vacation. There was a casino near Cascade where visitors arrived by train. The casino later burned down in the early 1900s. You can still see parts of the old railway in the water today.
A composer named Arthur Farwell camped by the lake in 1899. He later wrote piano music called "Owasco Memories" about his time there. One piece was even called "The Casino Across the Lake."
About Owasco Lake
Owasco Lake is about 11.1 miles (17.9 km) long. Its widest point is about 1.3 miles (2.1 km). The deepest part of the lake is 177 feet (54 m). The lake's surface is 712 feet (217 m) above sea level. A dam on the lake's outlet helps control this level.
The lake holds about 212 billion US gallons (800,000,000 m3) of water. It collects water from a large area of 208 square miles (540 km2). This area is called its watershed.
The city of Auburn is at the north end of the lake. Auburn uses Owasco Lake as its source for drinking water. The entire lake is located within Cayuga County. At the south end of the lake is a small community called Cascade. It has cottages, a marina, and a restaurant.
Owasco Lake's watershed is quite large compared to the lake's size. Much of the land around the lake is used for farming. This means the lake can get a lot of nitrogen from farm run-off. This can lead to more lake weeds, like milfoil, growing in the water. These weeds can affect the oxygen levels in the lake.
Water from two nearby communities also flows into Owasco Lake. The water quality here is not checked as strictly as it is for nearby Skaneateles Lake. Skaneateles Lake has the purest water among all the Finger Lakes.
Fun Activities at Owasco Lake
Owasco Lake is a great place for recreation. Since it is smaller and not as deep as some other Finger Lakes, its water warms up faster. This makes it perfect for swimming, water-skiing, and boating.
At the north end of the lake, you'll find Emerson Park. This is a county park with a beach and a place to launch boats. The private Owasco Yacht Club is located on the lake's northeastern side. It was started in 1889.
Fishing in Owasco Lake
Many different kinds of fish live in Owasco Lake. You can find lake trout, brown trout, and rainbow trout. There are also landlocked salmon, largemouth bass, and smallmouth bass. Other fish include northern pike, yellow perch, bluegill, and pumpkinseed sunfish. You might also catch rock bass, black bullhead, pickerel, and walleye.
There is a public boat launch on the north shore in Emerson Park. You can use it to access the lake for a small fee.
