Cayuga Lake
Encyclopedia
Cayuga Lake is the longest of central New York
's glacial Finger Lakes
, and is the second largest in surface area (marginally smaller than Seneca Lake) and second largest in volume. It is just under 40 miles (64 km) long. Its average width is 1.7 miles (2.7 km), and it is 3.5 mi (5.6 km) at its widest point near Aurora. It is approximately 435 ft (132.6 m) at its deepest point.
, site of Ithaca College
and Cornell University
, is located at the southern end of Cayuga Lake. Cornell's alma mater
or official school song makes reference to its position "Far Above Cayuga's Waters
", while that of Ithaca College references "Cayuga’s shore".
Villages and settlements along the east shore of Cayuga Lake include Myers, King Ferry, Aurora
, Levanna, Union Springs
, and Cayuga
. Settlements along the west shore of the lake include Sheldrake, Poplar Beach, and Canoga.
The lake has one small island near Union Springs, Frontenac Island. It is one of only two islands in the Finger Lakes.
.
The water level is regulated by the Mud Lock at the north end of the lake. It is connected to Lake Ontario
by the Erie Canal
and Seneca Lake by the Seneca River
. The lake is drawn down as winter approaches, to minimize ice damage and to maximize its capacity to store heavy spring runoff.
The north end is dominated by shallow mudflats. An important stopover for migratory
birds, the mudflats and marsh are the location of the Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge
.
The southern end is also shallow and often freezes during the winter.
The fish population is managed and substantial sport fishing is practiced, including smelt, lake trout
and smallmouth bass
fishing.
Cayuga Lake is very popular among recreational boaters. A large state marina and boat launch is located at the southern end of the lake in Ithaca (Allan H. Treman State Marine Park
, the largest inland marina in New York). There are two yacht clubs on the western shore: Ithaca Yacht Club a few miles north of Ithaca, and Red Jacket Yacht Club just south of Canoga. There are several other marinas and boat launches scattered along the lake shore.
Cayuga Lake is the source of drinking water for several communities, including Lansing near the southern end of the lake along the east side, which draws water through the Bolton Point Municipal Water system. There are also several lake source cooling
systems that are in operation on the lake, whereby cooler water is pumped from the depths of the lake, warmed, and circulated in a closed system back to the surface. One of these systems, which is operated by Cornell University and began operation in 2000, was controversial during the planning and building states for potential negative environmental impact. All the environmental impact reports and scientific studies have shown that the Cornell lake source cooling system has not yet had and will not likely have any measurably significant environmental impact. Furthermore, Cornell's system pumps significantly less warm water back into the lake than others further north which have been operating for decades, including the coal-fired power plant on the eastern shore.
The AES Cayuga electrical generating station operates in the Town of Lansing, on the east shore of Cayuga Lake. This coal-fired plant uses Cayuga Lake as a cooling source. In the late 1960s, citizens successfully opposed the construction of an 830-MW nuclear power plant on the shore of Cayuga Lake.
in Aurora holds that if the lake completely freezes over, classes are canceled (though for only one day). According to Wells College records, this last happened in 1979. However, other sources suggest that the only time the entire lake froze over in the 20th century was in 1912.
Cayuga Lake, like nearby Seneca Lake, is also the site of a phenomenon known as the Guns of the Seneca, mysterious cannon-like booms heard in the surrounding area. Many of these booms may be attributable to bird-scarers, automated cannon-like devices used by farmers to scare birds away from the many vineyards, orchards and crops. There is however no proof of this.
Rod Serling
named his production company Cayuga Productions during the years of his TV series, The Twilight Zone
. Serling and his family had a summer home at Cayuga Lake.
with which it shares its name. Established in 1988, the AVA now boasts over a dozen wineries
, four distilleries, a cidery
, and a meadery
.
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
's glacial Finger Lakes
Finger Lakes
The Finger Lakes are a pattern of lakes in the west-central section of Upstate New York in the United States. They are a popular tourist destination. The lakes are long and thin , each oriented roughly on a north-south axis. The two longest, Cayuga Lake and Seneca Lake, are among the deepest in...
, and is the second largest in surface area (marginally smaller than Seneca Lake) and second largest in volume. It is just under 40 miles (64 km) long. Its average width is 1.7 miles (2.7 km), and it is 3.5 mi (5.6 km) at its widest point near Aurora. It is approximately 435 ft (132.6 m) at its deepest point.
Location
The city of Ithaca, New YorkIthaca, New York
The city of Ithaca, is a city in upstate New York and the county seat of Tompkins County, as well as the largest community in the Ithaca-Tompkins County metropolitan area...
, site of Ithaca College
Ithaca College
Ithaca College is a private college located on the South Hill of Ithaca, New York. The school was founded by William Egbert in 1892 as a conservatory of music. The college has a strong liberal arts core, but also offers several pre-professional programs and some graduate programs. The college is...
and Cornell University
Cornell University
Cornell University is an Ivy League university located in Ithaca, New York, United States. It is a private land-grant university, receiving annual funding from the State of New York for certain educational missions...
, is located at the southern end of Cayuga Lake. Cornell's alma mater
Alma mater
Alma mater , pronounced ), was used in ancient Rome as a title for various mother goddesses, especially Ceres or Cybele, and in Christianity for the Virgin Mary.-General term:...
or official school song makes reference to its position "Far Above Cayuga's Waters
Far Above Cayuga's Waters
"Far Above Cayuga's Waters" is Cornell University's alma mater. The lyrics were composed circa 1870 by roommates Archibald Croswell Weeks, 1872, and Wilmot Moses Smith, 1874, and set to the tune of "Annie Lisle", a popular 1857 ballad by H. S. Thompson about a heroine dying of...
", while that of Ithaca College references "Cayuga’s shore".
Villages and settlements along the east shore of Cayuga Lake include Myers, King Ferry, Aurora
Aurora, Cayuga County, New York
Aurora is a village and college town in Cayuga County, in the Town of Ledyard, north of Ithaca, New York, United States. The village had a population of 720 at the 2000 census, of which more than 400 were college students....
, Levanna, Union Springs
Union Springs, New York
Union Springs is a village in Cayuga County, New York, United States. The population was at 1,074 people at the 2000 census. The name is derived from the mineral springs near the village....
, and Cayuga
Cayuga, New York
Cayuga is a village in Cayuga County, New York, United States. The population was 509 at the 2000 census. The village derives its name from the local Cayuga tribe and the lake named after them....
. Settlements along the west shore of the lake include Sheldrake, Poplar Beach, and Canoga.
The lake has one small island near Union Springs, Frontenac Island. It is one of only two islands in the Finger Lakes.
Geographical characteristics
Cayuga Lake is located at 42°41′00"N 76°41′46"W; 116.4 metres (381.9 ft) above sea level. Its depth, steep east and west sides with shallow north and south ends is typical of the Finger Lakes, as they were carved by glaciers during the last ice ageIce age
An ice age or, more precisely, glacial age, is a generic geological period of long-term reduction in the temperature of the Earth's surface and atmosphere, resulting in the presence or expansion of continental ice sheets, polar ice sheets and alpine glaciers...
.
- Length: 61.4 km (38.2 mi)
- Average width: 2.8 km (1.7 mi)
- Maximum depth: 132 m (433.1 ft)
- Surface area: 172 km² (66.4 sq mi)
- Mean depth: 54.5 m (178.8 ft)
- CatchmentDrainage basinA drainage basin is an extent or an area of land where surface water from rain and melting snow or ice converges to a single point, usually the exit of the basin, where the waters join another waterbody, such as a river, lake, reservoir, estuary, wetland, sea, or ocean...
area: 2,033 km² (37.1% natural forest, 58% active agricultural) - Main islands: 1, Frontenac
- Main outflows: 1
The water level is regulated by the Mud Lock at the north end of the lake. It is connected to Lake Ontario
Lake Ontario
Lake Ontario is one of the five Great Lakes of North America. It is bounded on the north and southwest by the Canadian province of Ontario, and on the south by the American state of New York. Ontario, Canada's most populous province, was named for the lake. In the Wyandot language, ontarío means...
by the Erie Canal
Erie Canal
The Erie Canal is a waterway in New York that runs about from Albany, New York, on the Hudson River to Buffalo, New York, at Lake Erie, completing a navigable water route from the Atlantic Ocean to the Great Lakes. The canal contains 36 locks and encompasses a total elevation differential of...
and Seneca Lake by the Seneca River
Seneca River (New York)
The Seneca River in central New York flows from west to east, from Seneca Lake, through the Montezuma Marsh at the north end of Cayuga Lake to the Seneca's confluence with the Oneida and Oswego rivers at the Three Rivers area north of Syracuse. Much of the river has been channelized to form part...
. The lake is drawn down as winter approaches, to minimize ice damage and to maximize its capacity to store heavy spring runoff.
The north end is dominated by shallow mudflats. An important stopover for migratory
Bird migration
Bird migration is the regular seasonal journey undertaken by many species of birds. Bird movements include those made in response to changes in food availability, habitat or weather. Sometimes, journeys are not termed "true migration" because they are irregular or in only one direction...
birds, the mudflats and marsh are the location of the Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge
Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge
Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge is a wildlife preserve operated by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, encompassing part of the Montezuma Swamp at the north end of Cayuga Lake...
.
The southern end is also shallow and often freezes during the winter.
Human impact
Lake trout
Lake trout is a freshwater char living mainly in lakes in northern North America. Other names for it include mackinaw, lake char , touladi, togue, and grey trout. In Lake Superior, they can also be variously known as siscowet, paperbellies and leans...
and smallmouth bass
Smallmouth bass
The smallmouth bass is a species of freshwater fish in the sunfish family of the order Perciformes. It is the type species of its genus...
fishing.
Cayuga Lake is very popular among recreational boaters. A large state marina and boat launch is located at the southern end of the lake in Ithaca (Allan H. Treman State Marine Park
Allan H. Treman State Marine Park
Allan H. Treman State Marine Park is located in the City of Ithaca in Tompkins County, New York in the USA. The park is at the south end of Cayuga Lake, one of the Finger Lakes....
, the largest inland marina in New York). There are two yacht clubs on the western shore: Ithaca Yacht Club a few miles north of Ithaca, and Red Jacket Yacht Club just south of Canoga. There are several other marinas and boat launches scattered along the lake shore.
Cayuga Lake is the source of drinking water for several communities, including Lansing near the southern end of the lake along the east side, which draws water through the Bolton Point Municipal Water system. There are also several lake source cooling
Deep lake water cooling
Deep lake water cooling uses cold water pumped from the bottom of a lake as a heat sink for climate control systems. Because heat pump efficiency improves as the heat sink gets colder, deep lake water cooling can reduce the electrical demands of large cooling systems where it is available...
systems that are in operation on the lake, whereby cooler water is pumped from the depths of the lake, warmed, and circulated in a closed system back to the surface. One of these systems, which is operated by Cornell University and began operation in 2000, was controversial during the planning and building states for potential negative environmental impact. All the environmental impact reports and scientific studies have shown that the Cornell lake source cooling system has not yet had and will not likely have any measurably significant environmental impact. Furthermore, Cornell's system pumps significantly less warm water back into the lake than others further north which have been operating for decades, including the coal-fired power plant on the eastern shore.
The AES Cayuga electrical generating station operates in the Town of Lansing, on the east shore of Cayuga Lake. This coal-fired plant uses Cayuga Lake as a cooling source. In the late 1960s, citizens successfully opposed the construction of an 830-MW nuclear power plant on the shore of Cayuga Lake.
Folklore
The lake is the subject of local folklore; a tradition at Wells CollegeWells College
Wells College is a private coeducational liberal arts college located in Aurora, Cayuga County, New York, on the eastern shore of Cayuga Lake. Initially an all-women's institution, Wells became a co-ed college in Fall 2005....
in Aurora holds that if the lake completely freezes over, classes are canceled (though for only one day). According to Wells College records, this last happened in 1979. However, other sources suggest that the only time the entire lake froze over in the 20th century was in 1912.
Cayuga Lake, like nearby Seneca Lake, is also the site of a phenomenon known as the Guns of the Seneca, mysterious cannon-like booms heard in the surrounding area. Many of these booms may be attributable to bird-scarers, automated cannon-like devices used by farmers to scare birds away from the many vineyards, orchards and crops. There is however no proof of this.
Rod Serling
Rod Serling
Rodman Edward "Rod" Serling was an American screenwriter, novelist, television producer, and narrator best known for his live television dramas of the 1950s and his science fiction anthology TV series, The Twilight Zone. Serling was active in politics, both on and off the screen and helped form...
named his production company Cayuga Productions during the years of his TV series, The Twilight Zone
The Twilight Zone
The Twilight Zone is an American television anthology series created by Rod Serling. Each episode is a mixture of self-contained drama, psychological thriller, fantasy, science fiction, suspense, or horror, often concluding with a macabre or unexpected twist...
. Serling and his family had a summer home at Cayuga Lake.
Wine
Cayuga lake is included in the American Viticultural AreaAmerican Viticultural Area
An American Viticultural Area is a designated wine grape-growing region in the United States distinguishable by geographic features, with boundaries defined by the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau , United States Department of the Treasury....
with which it shares its name. Established in 1988, the AVA now boasts over a dozen wineries
Winery
A winery is a building or property that produces wine, or a business involved in the production of wine, such as a wine company. Some wine companies own many wineries. Besides wine making equipment, larger wineries may also feature warehouses, bottling lines, laboratories, and large expanses of...
, four distilleries, a cidery
Cider
Cider or cyder is a fermented alcoholic beverage made from apple juice. Cider varies in alcohol content from 2% abv to 8.5% abv or more in traditional English ciders. In some regions, such as Germany and America, cider may be termed "apple wine"...
, and a meadery
Meadery
A meadery is a winery that produces honey wines or meads.Particularly in Cornwall, a meadery can also refer to a tourist-attraction type of restaurant that serves mead and food with a medieval ambience. A meadery would typically be in the style of a banquet hall, having wooden flooring, heavy...
.