Canadarago Lake
Encyclopedia
Canadarago Lake is the second largest lake
in Otsego County, New York
, USA, lying to the west of and parallel to the larger Otsego Lake.
The lake's name is also spelled "Candajarago Lake" or "Caniadaraga Lake".
of Richfield Springs
at the north end to the community
of Schuyler Lake
at the south end. The lake has historically also been known as Schuyler Lake, and the community mentioned earlier still bears this name.
The northern end of the lake is in the Town of Richfield
, and the southern end is in the Town of Exeter
on the west and the Town of Otsego
on the east.
The lake is surrounded by hills, used historically for agriculture.
Canadarago Lake is a dimictic lake surviving a previous glacial period.
The lake is approximately 5 miles (8 km) long and 1.5 miles (2.4 km) wide. There is a small island near the eastern shore. The surface area is 7.6 square kilometres (1,878 acre). The maximum depth is 13 meters (43 ft). The lake watershed drains 174 square kilometres (67.2 sq mi).
Ocquionis Creek feeds into the lake from the north. and Oaks Creek drains from the south through a bog, ultimately flowing into the Susquehanna River
.
The island on Canadarago was called De-O-Won-Go by the Oneidas who lived in the area. The name is said to mean, "Place of Hearing", and was given to the island because of the echo that was noticeable from that body of land. The island was purchased from the State of New York by Daniel Wormer in 1850.
Until the early part of the 19th century, there was a second island on the lake. Smaller than the island that remains on Canadarago today, the "sunken island" was only half an acre in size. Its southern shore was marshy, but the northern end of the island (toward Richfield Springs) had trees and vegetation. In 1816..."the year without a summer", there was an early spring thaw and the streams that feed Canadarago were running high. Their water flow covered the lake ice. A north wind blew the ice pack into the southern portion of the lake. Not long after that, there was a hard freeze and the winds shifted from out of the south. The ice pack, larger than before, was sent back in the opposite direction. The saw effect took off the surface soil of the island and took down the trees and vegetation. It has been under water ever since.
Incompletely treated sewage from Richfield Springs caused algae blooms, but better treatment instigated during the 1970s has abated this problem.
June 2006 saw massive flooding of its banks after record rainfall. Legislation to create a Canadarago Lake District was approved by the New York State Legislature in 2007 but was subsequently vetoed by Governor Eliot Spitzer.
Many cottages have been built around the lake.
Lake
A lake is a body of relatively still fresh or salt water of considerable size, localized in a basin, that is surrounded by land. Lakes are inland and not part of the ocean and therefore are distinct from lagoons, and are larger and deeper than ponds. Lakes can be contrasted with rivers or streams,...
in Otsego County, New York
Otsego County, New York
Otsego County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. The 2010 population was 62,259. The county seat is Cooperstown. The name Otsego is from a Mohawk word meaning "place of the rock."-History:...
, USA, lying to the west of and parallel to the larger Otsego Lake.
The lake's name is also spelled "Candajarago Lake" or "Caniadaraga Lake".
Bordering areas
Canadarago lake runs from the VillageVillage
A village is a clustered human settlement or community, larger than a hamlet with the population ranging from a few hundred to a few thousand , Though often located in rural areas, the term urban village is also applied to certain urban neighbourhoods, such as the West Village in Manhattan, New...
of Richfield Springs
Richfield Springs, New York
Richfield Springs is a village located in the Town of Richfield, on the north-central border of Otsego County, New York. The population was 1,255 at the 2000 census. The name is derived from some local sulfur springs....
at the north end to the community
Community
The term community has two distinct meanings:*a group of interacting people, possibly living in close proximity, and often refers to a group that shares some common values, and is attributed with social cohesion within a shared geographical location, generally in social units larger than a household...
of Schuyler Lake
Schuyler Lake, New York
Schuyler Lake is the name of a small hamlet in the town of Exeter in Otsego County, New York, United States. It lies at the south end of Canadarago Lake and lies south of Richfield Springs ....
at the south end. The lake has historically also been known as Schuyler Lake, and the community mentioned earlier still bears this name.
The northern end of the lake is in the Town of Richfield
Richfield, New York
Richfield is a town located in Otsego County, New York, USA. As of the 2000 census, the town had a population of 2,423.The Town of Richfield is located at the northern border of the county.-History:...
, and the southern end is in the Town of Exeter
Exeter, New York
Exeter is a town in Otsego County, New York, United States. The town is located in the norther part of the county. The population was 954 at the 2000 census...
on the west and the Town of Otsego
Otsego, New York
Otsego is a town in Otsego County, New York, United States. The population was 3,904 at the 2000 census. The town is named after a lake on its border.The Town of Otsego is in the north central part of the county.- History :...
on the east.
The lake is surrounded by hills, used historically for agriculture.
Geography
The lake is located at 42°48.9′N 75°00.4′W in central New York.Canadarago Lake is a dimictic lake surviving a previous glacial period.
The lake is approximately 5 miles (8 km) long and 1.5 miles (2.4 km) wide. There is a small island near the eastern shore. The surface area is 7.6 square kilometres (1,878 acre). The maximum depth is 13 meters (43 ft). The lake watershed drains 174 square kilometres (67.2 sq mi).
Ocquionis Creek feeds into the lake from the north. and Oaks Creek drains from the south through a bog, ultimately flowing into the Susquehanna River
Susquehanna River
The Susquehanna River is a river located in the northeastern United States. At long, it is the longest river on the American east coast that drains into the Atlantic Ocean, and with its watershed it is the 16th largest river in the United States, and the longest river in the continental United...
.
History
In 1872, a small steamboat was launched on the lake as a pleasure craft.The island on Canadarago was called De-O-Won-Go by the Oneidas who lived in the area. The name is said to mean, "Place of Hearing", and was given to the island because of the echo that was noticeable from that body of land. The island was purchased from the State of New York by Daniel Wormer in 1850.
Until the early part of the 19th century, there was a second island on the lake. Smaller than the island that remains on Canadarago today, the "sunken island" was only half an acre in size. Its southern shore was marshy, but the northern end of the island (toward Richfield Springs) had trees and vegetation. In 1816..."the year without a summer", there was an early spring thaw and the streams that feed Canadarago were running high. Their water flow covered the lake ice. A north wind blew the ice pack into the southern portion of the lake. Not long after that, there was a hard freeze and the winds shifted from out of the south. The ice pack, larger than before, was sent back in the opposite direction. The saw effect took off the surface soil of the island and took down the trees and vegetation. It has been under water ever since.
Incompletely treated sewage from Richfield Springs caused algae blooms, but better treatment instigated during the 1970s has abated this problem.
June 2006 saw massive flooding of its banks after record rainfall. Legislation to create a Canadarago Lake District was approved by the New York State Legislature in 2007 but was subsequently vetoed by Governor Eliot Spitzer.
Many cottages have been built around the lake.