Ninemile Creek (Onondaga Lake)
Encyclopedia
Nine Mile Creek, a scenic stream
noted for trout
fishing
, extends about twenty-five miles from Otisco Lake
in the Town of Marcellus, New York
. The Creek runs northward through the villages of Marcellus, New York
and Camillus, New York
in the Town of Camillus, New York, and discharges into Onondaga Lake
. The Solvay Process Company
since the late nineteenth century until the late twentieth century deposited industrial waste near the Creek and Lake. Recent reclamation has significantly restored quality in the final stretch of the creek. Farther to the south and upstream, the State of New York maintains fishing access sites.
was built around Nine Mile Creek and an appreciation of the Creek is necessary for understanding the Town’s history. The Nine Mile Creek valley was known for its very productive agricultural soils and its “deep picturesque valley” of eastern hemlocks. Since the late 1700s some 25 mills were established along Nine Mile Creek. Deacon Samuel Rice and Judge Dan Bradley built the first mill on the creek between 1795 and 1796. While the mill is no longer standing it was reportedly built south of the village. The Crown Mill, which is located in the village on State Route 174, is one of the few old mills still standing. Robert and Thomas Dyer built it in 1812. The mill has since changed hands many times.
Interest in rail transportation peaked in the late 19th century. After railroad fever took hold in the 1870s, a short-line railroad was constructed that connected Otisco Lake to Marcellus. Through incorporation of the Marcellus & Otisco Lake Railway Company, the rail line was eventually completed on May 25, 1905. The project was more difficult than anticipated, with 46 curves constructed in just 9.05 miles (14.6 km) of track. Connection with the Fontney, Otisco Lake’s ferryboat, made transportation of people and goods relatively easier. The M&OL Railway was abandoned on July 15, 1937 after roads for motorcars were constructed in the region. The short-line railroad was a unique chapter in the town’s history with only an empty railroad grade and an old station building remaining. The grade and arches nevertheless are still a prominent feature of the lower reaches of the creek within Marcellus.
. The Solvay Process Company (later acquired by Allied Corp.
) began production in 1886. Initially wastes from the process were deposited along the shore of Onondaga Lake . Starting in 1916, waste beds 1-6 were constructed on the shore of the lake in the vicinity of Nine Mile Creek, and the creek was diverted to the north around beds 5 and 6. .
The beds along Nine Mile Creek near the lakeshore were abandoned after 1944 when a waste bed dike failed, causing flooding of portions of the Village of Solvay by the waste . A series of additional waste beds (beds 9-15) were then constructed along Nine Mile Creek upstreamof the lake. A portion of the creek was rerouted to allow construction of beds 9, 10, and 11.
The creek in this section shows an increase in pH and a decrease in phosphate concentration , due to the high alkalinity of leachate
from the wastebeds.
A clean-up program is currently being conducted by Honeywell (the successor to Allied Signal) along the lower part of Nine Mile Creek and for Onondaga Lake under terms of a consent order with the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation. Documents concerning the clean-up can be found here: Onondaga Lake Cleanup
A distinct difference in the creeks character occurs north versus south of the Village of Marcellus. South of the Village, one finds a meandering shallow stream with dense bank vegetation and the occasional beaver impoundment. The dam at the north end of Otisco Lake controls the flow of the creek and strongly influences the first several kilometers of the stream. Warm surface water from the lake feeds Nine Mile Creek in summer months making it intolerable for coldwater stream fish such as trout. In this reach, however, a diverse fishery is maintained, with a wide variety of fish more closely associated with warm waters. North of the Village the stream cuts through the Alps region (a steep sided valley cut through the Onondaga Escarpment) and experiences a drop in temperature as ground water influx increases. Dissolved oxygen levels increase moving northward while pH levels remain constant. This section is indicative of a typical limestone-based freestone stream.
, comprising almost 50% of the catchment area of the Lake.
is primarily a result of glacial activity
between one million and ten thousand years ago. The last glacier to recede (starting about 19,000 years ago and leaving New York entirely approximately 11,000 years ago) deposited the Valley Heads Moraine, a prominent geological feature that separates the St. Lawrence watershed
from the Susquehanna watershed
. Before the deposition of the Valley Heads Moraine, glaciers had deepened the many north-south oriented valleys that characterize the region . These valleys originally were streams that flowed to the south. The moraine formed a series of lakes in the valleys. Drainage was still to the south over the moraine until the glacier retreated far enough to the north to allow escape of the waters along the southern edge of the glacier. At an elevation of about 900 feet, the glacial lakes filling the finger lakes valleys joined to form an interlocking system of lakes to the west (glacial Lake Warren ). At first Lake Warren continued to drain to the west, but as the ice retreated west of Rome, New York, flow shifted to the east into the Mohawk-Hudson River system. As the ice continued to retreat, a series of east-west channels were cut by the easterly flowing glacial meltwater. According to Fairchild, the westernmost of these was the gully that runs from near Mud Pond about 4 miles north-northeast of Skaneateles and 4 miles north-northwest of Marcellus and empties into Nine Mile Creek 2 miles south of the Village of Marcellus. The water was impounded in the Otisco Valley (glacial Lake Marcellus), and the delta formed where debris carried by this meltwater stream was deposited as it entered the lake can be easily seen on topographic maps. The meltwater soon continued draining to the east, carving the channel now known as Pumpkin Hollow that leads east from the Village of Marcellus . With the continuing northward retreat of the glacier, meltwater deepened the Nine Mile Creek Valley and cut the Camillus Valley that runs east from Martisco to the Village of Camillus . For a time this channel discharged to the east towards Syracuse at an elevation of about 500 feet. Eventually the glacier receded far enough north to open the channel near Rome New York that resulted in the formation of Glacial Lake Iroquois
at an elevation of about 440 feet. Lake Iroquois had a relatively long existence, but 13,400 years ago the collapse of an ice dam led to the rapid draining of Lake Iroquois, and Nine Mile Creek started to assume its present form.
geology, which is typified by a cavernous underground landscape. Through the use of water tracer dyes, Proett (1978) identified a distinct hydrologic connection between Disappearing Lake and its eventual outlet into Nine Mile Creek at Marcellus Falls. Although Disappearing Lake is a springtime phenomenon, groundwater outlets
at Marcellus Falls have been observed to be active as late as October. These groundwater flows serve as a significant input of cold, nutrient-rich waters during summer months. It is notable that water flowing through karst systems is sensitive to change. This is because water flows too quickly through such cavernous networks to allow pollutants to be removed from the system. In particular, White noted that nitrates are not broken down as they flow through karst drainages. Thus nitrate inputs into the groundwater system at Pleasant Valley may be expected to be similar to the outputs into Nine Mile Creek at Marcellus Falls. From this perspective, sources of road salt, agricultural runoff, and E. Coli
are all concerns for upland areas associated with Disappearing Lake area. This is because they may eventually alter water quality
in Nine Mile Creek below Marcellus Falls.
A similar phenomenon occurs in the watershed of Geddes Brook, the largest tributary of Ninemile Creek. The headwaters of Geddes Brook disappear into channels in the limestone at Lost Pond, at the top of the Onondaga escarpment
. The stream reappears at the foot of the escarpment as a series of springs.
, soils typical of flood plain environments. These are alluvial soil, which by nature are easily eroded and deemed unsuitable for development. From just north of Sevier Road to just south of the village line, the creek takes on a stained color due to natural siltation from the silt loam soils that comprise its bank. Obviously, extensive and chronic sources of siltation in the area could cause sediment overload that would smother stream biota
requiring clear water. Although showing a much different character, the soils bordering the creek north of the Village of Marcellus are not free from erosion hazards. The steep valley walls in this section create flash flood
potential due to rapid runoff
with little opportunity for stormwater retention.
In terms of variation in plant communities along the creek, there is a rather uniform floral composition from the outlet of Otisco Lake to Masters Road. Dense herbivorous vegetation and numerous layers of forest canopy typify it. A mix of herbaceous and woody vegetation provides robust riparian buffers. This area is home to many of the 92 commonly seen plant species observed in the Nine Mile Creek area, and is also home to protected ferns and such protected or rarely seen plants as cardinal flower
, button bush
, speckled alder, and mild water pepper
.
From Masters Road to the Village center, there is vegetation similar to that in the upper sections. However, additional species include scotch pine and butternut, both of which are occasionally seen in the area. This section includes the only regulated wetland in the town of Marcellus, MAR-11, that is located within the flood plain of Nine Mile Creek. The flora of this wetland includes blue flag
, crack willow, hardstem bulrush, numerous sedges (Carex
sp.) and dogwoods (Cornus sp.).
Due east of the DEC parking area at Marcellus Falls and along the Nine Mile Creek corridor are steep slopes and a group of important springs which drain into the creek. The area is of considerable botanical interest. In 1983, the Adirondack Wildflower Club documented the flora north of the town center by walking down the old Martisco Railroad bed. Aside from documenting all of the 92 commonly seen species in the creek corridor, the club noted the presence of the following state protected plants: large-flowered trillium
, stinking Benjamin or wake-robin
, bloodroot, fancy (toothed) wood fern
, fragile fern and bulblet fern
. Also present here were trees not observed in other sections of the creek: northern white cedar
, American sycamore, eastern hemlock and yellow birch.
creates a diverse fishery, thereby making it the most popular trout stream in Onondaga County. State and private stocking projects along with migration from Otisco and Onondaga Lakes have contributed to the creek’s impressive diversity of fishes, which totals some thirty species (DEC 1996). By comparison, most free flowing drainages in the northeast only support from 6-20 species. In the town of Marcellus, Nine Mile Creek comprises two distinct fisheries. Otisco Lake outlet to the old Crown Mill (adjacent to Marcellus Falls) contains species more tolerant of warm water and low dissolved oxygen levels. This section of creek averages thirteen species, with more species found closer to the Otisco Lake outlet. While trout numbers are low in this upper section, other stream fishes are very abundant, including an estimated 6000+ fish per acre near the Lawrence Rd. Crossing (DEC 1996). Fish diversity is much lower in this section with only an average of 7 fish species. Trout presence is quite impressive with typically more than 500 trout per acre (DEC 1996). Most of the trout captured by NYSDEC biologists in August 1996 were of wild strain indicating successful reproduction and growth in the stream. Amphipods (scuds) are extremely abundant in this area indicating both favored water quality and a quality food base for trout growth. Recent (2004-2005) Trout habitat has improved trout density.
Nine Mile Creek is subject to Onondaga County's special fishing regulation for trout of a daily limit of 5, with no more than 2 larger than 12" (the 5/2 rule). The trout season is open from 4/1 to 10/15.
of the Nine Mile Creek corridor provides a relatively narrow belt of habitat suitable for many forms of wildlife. Based on data being collected under the New York State Breeding Bird Atlas as well as field observations by SUNY ESF students, they estimate that Nine Mile Creek supports 90 species of breeding birds and many more during migration periods. During field visits to the Creek in the fall of 2002, large flocks of Neotropical migrants were observed, which suggests that the corridor serves as a migration pathway.
and brook trout
exist, thousands of 1-year and 2-year browns and 1-year brookies are stocked from Onondaga County's Carpenters Brook Fish Hatchery every year. However, NYSDEC electrofishers have found that wild brown trout are predominant after the heavy spring fishing pressure, from Marcellus Falls downstream.
, and Marcellus High School, which use the creek for various class outings and field laboratories. Students involved in the educational opportunities facilitated by these institutions see many plants, birds and other organisms that they do not see elsewhere. In the article “ESF Puts Environment in High School,” cooperation between the SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry and Marcellus High School in performing studies at Nine Mile Creek was headlined in the November 13, 2001 issue of the Post Standard. It is notable that much of the biological, hydrological and geological information gathered for this article was found in graduate theses that were written by students at Syracuse University and SUNY ESF.
Stream
A stream is a body of water with a current, confined within a bed and stream banks. Depending on its locale or certain characteristics, a stream may be referred to as a branch, brook, beck, burn, creek, "crick", gill , kill, lick, rill, river, syke, bayou, rivulet, streamage, wash, run or...
noted for trout
Trout
Trout is the name for a number of species of freshwater and saltwater fish belonging to the Salmoninae subfamily of the family Salmonidae. Salmon belong to the same family as trout. Most salmon species spend almost all their lives in salt water...
fishing
Fishing
Fishing is the activity of trying to catch wild fish. Fish are normally caught in the wild. Techniques for catching fish include hand gathering, spearing, netting, angling and trapping....
, extends about twenty-five miles from Otisco Lake
Otisco Lake
Otisco Lake is one of the minor Finger Lakes, located at the eastern end of the Finger Lake District, southwest of Syracuse, New York.Otisco Lake is approximately six miles long. The outflow enters first Onondaga Lake via Nine Mile Creek and then Lake Ontario via the Seneca and Oswego Rivers...
in the Town of Marcellus, New York
Marcellus, New York
Marcellus, New York may refer to:*Marcellus , New York in Onondaga County*Marcellus , New York, located within the Town of Marcellus...
. The Creek runs northward through the villages of Marcellus, New York
Marcellus, New York
Marcellus, New York may refer to:*Marcellus , New York in Onondaga County*Marcellus , New York, located within the Town of Marcellus...
and Camillus, New York
Camillus, New York
Camillus, New York is located in Onondaga County. There are two parts to Camillus, New York:*Camillus, New York *Camillus, New York...
in the Town of Camillus, New York, and discharges into Onondaga Lake
Onondaga Lake
Onondaga Lake is a lake in Central New York located northwest of Syracuse, New York. The southeastern end of the lake and the southwestern shore abut industrial areas and expressways; the northeastern shore and northwestern end border a series of parks and museums. Although it is near the Finger...
. The Solvay Process Company
Solvay Process Company
The Solvay Process Company was a pioneer chemical industry of the United States in the manufacture of soda ash and a major employer in Central New York...
since the late nineteenth century until the late twentieth century deposited industrial waste near the Creek and Lake. Recent reclamation has significantly restored quality in the final stretch of the creek. Farther to the south and upstream, the State of New York maintains fishing access sites.
History
The Town of MarcellusMarcellus
-In Christianity:* Marcellus of Ancyra , bishop* Pope Marcellus I, saint* Pope Marcellus II, Italian pope* Marcellus of Tangier , martyr* Pseudo-Marcellus, author of the Passio sanctorum Petri et Pauli...
was built around Nine Mile Creek and an appreciation of the Creek is necessary for understanding the Town’s history. The Nine Mile Creek valley was known for its very productive agricultural soils and its “deep picturesque valley” of eastern hemlocks. Since the late 1700s some 25 mills were established along Nine Mile Creek. Deacon Samuel Rice and Judge Dan Bradley built the first mill on the creek between 1795 and 1796. While the mill is no longer standing it was reportedly built south of the village. The Crown Mill, which is located in the village on State Route 174, is one of the few old mills still standing. Robert and Thomas Dyer built it in 1812. The mill has since changed hands many times.
Interest in rail transportation peaked in the late 19th century. After railroad fever took hold in the 1870s, a short-line railroad was constructed that connected Otisco Lake to Marcellus. Through incorporation of the Marcellus & Otisco Lake Railway Company, the rail line was eventually completed on May 25, 1905. The project was more difficult than anticipated, with 46 curves constructed in just 9.05 miles (14.6 km) of track. Connection with the Fontney, Otisco Lake’s ferryboat, made transportation of people and goods relatively easier. The M&OL Railway was abandoned on July 15, 1937 after roads for motorcars were constructed in the region. The short-line railroad was a unique chapter in the town’s history with only an empty railroad grade and an old station building remaining. The grade and arches nevertheless are still a prominent feature of the lower reaches of the creek within Marcellus.
Waste Beds
The lower part of Nine Mile Creek (from Route 173 to Onondaga Lake) has been significantly affected by the construction and operation of waste beds containing byproducts from the production of sodium carbonate by the Solvay ProcessSolvay process
The Solvay process, also referred to as the ammonia-soda process, is the major industrial process for the production of soda ash . The ammonia-soda process was developed into its modern form by Ernest Solvay during the 1860s...
. The Solvay Process Company (later acquired by Allied Corp.
Allied Corp.
Allied Chemical Corporation was a major American company with operations in the aerospace, automotive, oil and gas industries. It evolved from the Allied Chemical and Dye Corporation....
) began production in 1886. Initially wastes from the process were deposited along the shore of Onondaga Lake . Starting in 1916, waste beds 1-6 were constructed on the shore of the lake in the vicinity of Nine Mile Creek, and the creek was diverted to the north around beds 5 and 6. .
The beds along Nine Mile Creek near the lakeshore were abandoned after 1944 when a waste bed dike failed, causing flooding of portions of the Village of Solvay by the waste . A series of additional waste beds (beds 9-15) were then constructed along Nine Mile Creek upstreamof the lake. A portion of the creek was rerouted to allow construction of beds 9, 10, and 11.
The creek in this section shows an increase in pH and a decrease in phosphate concentration , due to the high alkalinity of leachate
Leachate
Leachate is any liquid that, in passing through matter, extracts solutes, suspended solids or any other component of the material through which it has passed....
from the wastebeds.
A clean-up program is currently being conducted by Honeywell (the successor to Allied Signal) along the lower part of Nine Mile Creek and for Onondaga Lake under terms of a consent order with the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation. Documents concerning the clean-up can be found here: Onondaga Lake Cleanup
Physical Characteristics
Nine Mile Creek transforms itself several times throughout its approximately 10 miles (16.1 km)-long course through the Town of Marcellus. Nine Mile Creek drops in elevation between the Otisco Lake outlet and the Camillus-Marcellus town line by 360 feet (109.7 m) making the average stream velocity about 0.8 ft/s. The maximum depth is 5.5 feet (1.7 m) and average depth is 1.0 feet. (Update for entire creek )A distinct difference in the creeks character occurs north versus south of the Village of Marcellus. South of the Village, one finds a meandering shallow stream with dense bank vegetation and the occasional beaver impoundment. The dam at the north end of Otisco Lake controls the flow of the creek and strongly influences the first several kilometers of the stream. Warm surface water from the lake feeds Nine Mile Creek in summer months making it intolerable for coldwater stream fish such as trout. In this reach, however, a diverse fishery is maintained, with a wide variety of fish more closely associated with warm waters. North of the Village the stream cuts through the Alps region (a steep sided valley cut through the Onondaga Escarpment) and experiences a drop in temperature as ground water influx increases. Dissolved oxygen levels increase moving northward while pH levels remain constant. This section is indicative of a typical limestone-based freestone stream.
Watershed
Overall, the Nine Mile Creek watershed covers 115 square miles (297.8 km²) and includes portions of ten towns within Onondaga County and two towns in Cortland County. Nine Mile Creek is the major tributary of Onondaga LakeOnondaga Lake
Onondaga Lake is a lake in Central New York located northwest of Syracuse, New York. The southeastern end of the lake and the southwestern shore abut industrial areas and expressways; the northeastern shore and northwestern end border a series of parks and museums. Although it is near the Finger...
, comprising almost 50% of the catchment area of the Lake.
Geology
The contemporary landscape of central New YorkCentral New York
Central New York is a term used to broadly describe the central region of New York State, roughly including the following counties and cities:...
is primarily a result of glacial activity
Glacial period
A glacial period is an interval of time within an ice age that is marked by colder temperatures and glacier advances. Interglacials, on the other hand, are periods of warmer climate within an ice age...
between one million and ten thousand years ago. The last glacier to recede (starting about 19,000 years ago and leaving New York entirely approximately 11,000 years ago) deposited the Valley Heads Moraine, a prominent geological feature that separates the St. Lawrence watershed
Saint Lawrence River
The Saint Lawrence is a large river flowing approximately from southwest to northeast in the middle latitudes of North America, connecting the Great Lakes with the Atlantic Ocean. It is the primary drainage conveyor of the Great Lakes Basin...
from the Susquehanna watershed
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...
. Before the deposition of the Valley Heads Moraine, glaciers had deepened the many north-south oriented valleys that characterize the region . These valleys originally were streams that flowed to the south. The moraine formed a series of lakes in the valleys. Drainage was still to the south over the moraine until the glacier retreated far enough to the north to allow escape of the waters along the southern edge of the glacier. At an elevation of about 900 feet, the glacial lakes filling the finger lakes valleys joined to form an interlocking system of lakes to the west (glacial Lake Warren ). At first Lake Warren continued to drain to the west, but as the ice retreated west of Rome, New York, flow shifted to the east into the Mohawk-Hudson River system. As the ice continued to retreat, a series of east-west channels were cut by the easterly flowing glacial meltwater. According to Fairchild, the westernmost of these was the gully that runs from near Mud Pond about 4 miles north-northeast of Skaneateles and 4 miles north-northwest of Marcellus and empties into Nine Mile Creek 2 miles south of the Village of Marcellus. The water was impounded in the Otisco Valley (glacial Lake Marcellus), and the delta formed where debris carried by this meltwater stream was deposited as it entered the lake can be easily seen on topographic maps. The meltwater soon continued draining to the east, carving the channel now known as Pumpkin Hollow that leads east from the Village of Marcellus . With the continuing northward retreat of the glacier, meltwater deepened the Nine Mile Creek Valley and cut the Camillus Valley that runs east from Martisco to the Village of Camillus . For a time this channel discharged to the east towards Syracuse at an elevation of about 500 feet. Eventually the glacier receded far enough north to open the channel near Rome New York that resulted in the formation of Glacial Lake Iroquois
Glacial Lake Iroquois
Glacial Lake Iroquois was a prehistoric proglacial lake that existed at the end of the last ice age approximately 13,000 years ago.The lake was essentially an enlargement of the present Lake Ontario that formed because the St. Lawrence River downstream from the lake was blocked by the ice sheet...
at an elevation of about 440 feet. Lake Iroquois had a relatively long existence, but 13,400 years ago the collapse of an ice dam led to the rapid draining of Lake Iroquois, and Nine Mile Creek started to assume its present form.
Disappearing Lake
The Disappearing Lake area in Pleasant valley area is a geologically significant feature of the area. This lake is located on an area of karstKARST
Kilometer-square Area Radio Synthesis Telescope is a Chinese telescope project to which FAST is a forerunner. KARST is a set of large spherical reflectors on karst landforms, which are bowlshaped limestone sinkholes named after the Kras region in Slovenia and Northern Italy. It will consist of...
geology, which is typified by a cavernous underground landscape. Through the use of water tracer dyes, Proett (1978) identified a distinct hydrologic connection between Disappearing Lake and its eventual outlet into Nine Mile Creek at Marcellus Falls. Although Disappearing Lake is a springtime phenomenon, groundwater outlets
Aquifer
An aquifer is a wet underground layer of water-bearing permeable rock or unconsolidated materials from which groundwater can be usefully extracted using a water well. The study of water flow in aquifers and the characterization of aquifers is called hydrogeology...
at Marcellus Falls have been observed to be active as late as October. These groundwater flows serve as a significant input of cold, nutrient-rich waters during summer months. It is notable that water flowing through karst systems is sensitive to change. This is because water flows too quickly through such cavernous networks to allow pollutants to be removed from the system. In particular, White noted that nitrates are not broken down as they flow through karst drainages. Thus nitrate inputs into the groundwater system at Pleasant Valley may be expected to be similar to the outputs into Nine Mile Creek at Marcellus Falls. From this perspective, sources of road salt, agricultural runoff, and E. Coli
Escherichia coli
Escherichia coli is a Gram-negative, rod-shaped bacterium that is commonly found in the lower intestine of warm-blooded organisms . Most E. coli strains are harmless, but some serotypes can cause serious food poisoning in humans, and are occasionally responsible for product recalls...
are all concerns for upland areas associated with Disappearing Lake area. This is because they may eventually alter water quality
Water quality
Water quality is the physical, chemical and biological characteristics of water. It is a measure of the condition of water relative to the requirements of one or more biotic species and or to any human need or purpose. It is most frequently used by reference to a set of standards against which...
in Nine Mile Creek below Marcellus Falls.
A similar phenomenon occurs in the watershed of Geddes Brook, the largest tributary of Ninemile Creek. The headwaters of Geddes Brook disappear into channels in the limestone at Lost Pond, at the top of the Onondaga escarpment
Escarpment
An escarpment is a steep slope or long cliff that occurs from erosion or faulting and separates two relatively level areas of differing elevations.-Description and variants:...
. The stream reappears at the foot of the escarpment as a series of springs.
Soils
The predominant soil types associated with the Nine Mile Creek corridor are Teel and Wayland silt loamLoam
Loam is soil composed of sand, silt, and clay in relatively even concentration . Loam soils generally contain more nutrients and humus than sandy soils, have better infiltration and drainage than silty soils, and are easier to till than clay soils...
, soils typical of flood plain environments. These are alluvial soil, which by nature are easily eroded and deemed unsuitable for development. From just north of Sevier Road to just south of the village line, the creek takes on a stained color due to natural siltation from the silt loam soils that comprise its bank. Obviously, extensive and chronic sources of siltation in the area could cause sediment overload that would smother stream biota
Lotic ecosystem
A lotic ecosystem is the ecosystem of a river, stream or spring. Included in the environment are the biotic interactions as well as the abiotic interactions ....
requiring clear water. Although showing a much different character, the soils bordering the creek north of the Village of Marcellus are not free from erosion hazards. The steep valley walls in this section create flash flood
Flash flood
A flash flood is a rapid flooding of geomorphic low-lying areas—washes, rivers, dry lakes and basins. It may be caused by heavy rain associated with a storm, hurricane, or tropical storm or meltwater from ice or snow flowing over ice sheets or snowfields...
potential due to rapid runoff
Runoff
Run-off or runoff may refer to:* Surface runoff, the flow of water, from rain, snow melt, or other sources, over land* Runoff model , a mathematical model describing the rainfall-runoff relations of a rainfall catchment area or watershed...
with little opportunity for stormwater retention.
Flora
The Nine Mile Creek corridor supports a high diversity of plants due to a temperate climate, wide range of wetland and terrestrial habitats, nutritious limestone bedrock, and floodplain soils. In total, some 142 different species of plants have been documented in the Nine Mile Creek corridor and its associated wetlands. Ninety-two of these species are commonly occurring throughout the Nine Mile Creek corridor, whereas the other 49 occur in specific locations along the creek.In terms of variation in plant communities along the creek, there is a rather uniform floral composition from the outlet of Otisco Lake to Masters Road. Dense herbivorous vegetation and numerous layers of forest canopy typify it. A mix of herbaceous and woody vegetation provides robust riparian buffers. This area is home to many of the 92 commonly seen plant species observed in the Nine Mile Creek area, and is also home to protected ferns and such protected or rarely seen plants as cardinal flower
Lobelia cardinalis
Lobelia cardinalis is a species of Lobelia native to the Americas, from southeastern Canada south through the eastern and southwestern United States, Mexico and Central America to northern Colombia...
, button bush
Cephalanthus occidentalis
Cephalanthus occidentalis is a species of flowering plant in the coffee family, Rubiaceae, that is native to eastern and southern North America. Common names include Buttonbush, Common Buttonbush, Button-willow and Honey-bells....
, speckled alder, and mild water pepper
Polygonum hydropiperoides
Polygonum hydropiperoides is a species of flowering plant in the knotweed family known by the common name swamp smartweed. It is native to much of North America where it grows in moist and wet habitats, and is sometimes semi-aquatic....
.
From Masters Road to the Village center, there is vegetation similar to that in the upper sections. However, additional species include scotch pine and butternut, both of which are occasionally seen in the area. This section includes the only regulated wetland in the town of Marcellus, MAR-11, that is located within the flood plain of Nine Mile Creek. The flora of this wetland includes blue flag
Iris versicolor
Iris versicolor, also commonly known as the Harlequin Blueflag, Larger Blue Flag, Northern Blue Flag, and other variations of those names, is a species of Iris native to North America where it is common in sedge meadows, marshes, and along streambanks and shores.-Growth:I. versicolor is a perennial...
, crack willow, hardstem bulrush, numerous sedges (Carex
Carex
Carex is a genus of plants in the family Cyperaceae, commonly known as sedges. Other members of the Cyperaceae family are also called sedges, however those of genus Carex may be called "true" sedges, and it is the most species-rich genus in the family. The study of Carex is known as...
sp.) and dogwoods (Cornus sp.).
Due east of the DEC parking area at Marcellus Falls and along the Nine Mile Creek corridor are steep slopes and a group of important springs which drain into the creek. The area is of considerable botanical interest. In 1983, the Adirondack Wildflower Club documented the flora north of the town center by walking down the old Martisco Railroad bed. Aside from documenting all of the 92 commonly seen species in the creek corridor, the club noted the presence of the following state protected plants: large-flowered trillium
Trillium grandiflorum
Trillium grandiflorum, commonly known as white trillium, great white trillium, white wake-robin, or in French as trille blanc, is a perennial monocotyledonous plant in the lily family...
, stinking Benjamin or wake-robin
Trillium erectum
Trillium erectum, also known as Wake-robin, red trillium, purple trillium, Beth root or Stinking Benjamin, is a spring-flowering perennial plant native to the east and north-eastern areas of North America. The flowers are a deep red colour, and the plant takes its name Wake-robin by analogy with...
, bloodroot, fancy (toothed) wood fern
Dryopteris intermedia
Dryopteris intermedia A. Gray, the intermediate wood fern, is an evergreen eastern North American species also occasionally found in Europe. It is a diploid species, and is the parent of several species of hybrid origin, including Dryopteris carthusiana.This fern is often confused with several...
, fragile fern and bulblet fern
Cystopteris bulbifera
Cystopteris bulbifera ' is a low-growing rock fern with creeping stems and narrow elongate deltate fronds which grow to 75 cm , native to eastern North America with two disjunct populations in the west. It is found only on calcareous substrates such as limestone. It commonly festoons limestone cave...
. Also present here were trees not observed in other sections of the creek: northern white cedar
Thuja occidentalis
Thuja occidentalis is an evergreen coniferous tree, in the cypress family Cupressaceae, which is widely cultivated for use as an ornamental plant known as American Arbor Vitae. The endemic occurrence of this species is a northeastern distribution in North America...
, American sycamore, eastern hemlock and yellow birch.
Fishery
Nine Mile Creek’s geomorphologyGeomorphology
Geomorphology is the scientific study of landforms and the processes that shape them...
creates a diverse fishery, thereby making it the most popular trout stream in Onondaga County. State and private stocking projects along with migration from Otisco and Onondaga Lakes have contributed to the creek’s impressive diversity of fishes, which totals some thirty species (DEC 1996). By comparison, most free flowing drainages in the northeast only support from 6-20 species. In the town of Marcellus, Nine Mile Creek comprises two distinct fisheries. Otisco Lake outlet to the old Crown Mill (adjacent to Marcellus Falls) contains species more tolerant of warm water and low dissolved oxygen levels. This section of creek averages thirteen species, with more species found closer to the Otisco Lake outlet. While trout numbers are low in this upper section, other stream fishes are very abundant, including an estimated 6000+ fish per acre near the Lawrence Rd. Crossing (DEC 1996). Fish diversity is much lower in this section with only an average of 7 fish species. Trout presence is quite impressive with typically more than 500 trout per acre (DEC 1996). Most of the trout captured by NYSDEC biologists in August 1996 were of wild strain indicating successful reproduction and growth in the stream. Amphipods (scuds) are extremely abundant in this area indicating both favored water quality and a quality food base for trout growth. Recent (2004-2005) Trout habitat has improved trout density.
Nine Mile Creek is subject to Onondaga County's special fishing regulation for trout of a daily limit of 5, with no more than 2 larger than 12" (the 5/2 rule). The trout season is open from 4/1 to 10/15.
Wildlife
The riparian zoneRiparian zone
A riparian zone or riparian area is the interface between land and a river or stream. Riparian is also the proper nomenclature for one of the fifteen terrestrial biomes of the earth. Plant habitats and communities along the river margins and banks are called riparian vegetation, characterized by...
of the Nine Mile Creek corridor provides a relatively narrow belt of habitat suitable for many forms of wildlife. Based on data being collected under the New York State Breeding Bird Atlas as well as field observations by SUNY ESF students, they estimate that Nine Mile Creek supports 90 species of breeding birds and many more during migration periods. During field visits to the Creek in the fall of 2002, large flocks of Neotropical migrants were observed, which suggests that the corridor serves as a migration pathway.
Recreation
Nine Mile Creek receives a variety of recreational usage, both on the water and off. In addition to fishing and boating, there are many publicly and privately held green spaces such as at Marcellus Falls and Baltimore Woods.Fishing
Fishing is the main form of recreation along Nine Mile Creek. The Creek is notable as an outdoor classroom for the seasoned angler as well as for the parent and child. From Crown Mill downstream to the Marcellus town boundary, cooler and highly oxygenated water supports a healthy trout fishery, which receives the most fishing hours. While a self-sustaining population of brown troutBrown trout
The brown trout and the sea trout are fish of the same species....
and brook trout
Brook trout
The brook trout, Salvelinus fontinalis, is a species of fish in the salmon family of order Salmoniformes. In many parts of its range, it is known as the speckled trout or squaretail. A potamodromous population in Lake Superior are known as coaster trout or, simply, as coasters...
exist, thousands of 1-year and 2-year browns and 1-year brookies are stocked from Onondaga County's Carpenters Brook Fish Hatchery every year. However, NYSDEC electrofishers have found that wild brown trout are predominant after the heavy spring fishing pressure, from Marcellus Falls downstream.
Paddling
Public access and some docks exist along Nine Mile Creek, but the Creek is generally only deep enough to boat in from Munro Park in the Village of Camillus downstream to the mouth at Onondaga Lake. While some sections of fast moving water exist, as well as hazards such as low dams (at Warners Rd) and low overhangs (at Route 5 Culvert and Erie Canal Aqueduct), paddling in Nine Mile Creek is accessible to both experienced and inexperienced paddlers.Education
A number of educational institutions directly benefit from Nine Mile Creek. These include SUNY ESF, Syracuse UniversitySyracuse University
Syracuse University is a private research university located in Syracuse, New York, United States. Its roots can be traced back to Genesee Wesleyan Seminary, founded by the Methodist Episcopal Church in 1832, which also later founded Genesee College...
, and Marcellus High School, which use the creek for various class outings and field laboratories. Students involved in the educational opportunities facilitated by these institutions see many plants, birds and other organisms that they do not see elsewhere. In the article “ESF Puts Environment in High School,” cooperation between the SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry and Marcellus High School in performing studies at Nine Mile Creek was headlined in the November 13, 2001 issue of the Post Standard. It is notable that much of the biological, hydrological and geological information gathered for this article was found in graduate theses that were written by students at Syracuse University and SUNY ESF.
NGO / Non-Profit Activity
Many grass-root and national groups do work on behalf of Nine Mile Creek. A partial list:- Nine Mile Creek Conservation Council has worked to create an officially-designated water trail, and conducts an annual fish stocking event by canoe.
- Project Watershed utilizes two locations on Nine Mile Creek in the Town of Marcellus to collect water quality data.
- Izaak Walton LeagueIzaak Walton LeagueThe Izaak Walton League is an American environmental organization founded in 1922 that promotes natural resource protection and outdoor recreation. The organization was founded in Chicago, Illinois by a group of sportsmen who wished to protect fishing opportunities for future generations...
has worked to foster angling resources and events. - Trout UnlimitedTrout UnlimitedTrout Unlimited is an international non-profit organization dedicated to the conservation of freshwater streams, rivers, and associated upland habitats for trout, salmon, other aquatic species, and people. Often contracted as "TU," the organization began in 1959 in Michigan...
conducts stream cleanup events. - Onondaga Soil and Water has done stream stabilization and riparian ecosystem improvement projects.
- CNY Land Trust owns a large parcel along Nine Mile Creek south of the Village of Camillus and allows public fishing access