Oswego Canal
Encyclopedia
Canal
Canals are man-made channels for water. There are two types of canal:#Waterways: navigable transportation canals used for carrying ships and boats shipping goods and conveying people, further subdivided into two kinds:...
in the New York State Canal System
New York State Canal System
The New York State Canal System is a successor to the Erie Canal and other canals within New York...
located in New York
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...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Opened in 1828, it is 23.7 miles (38.1 km) in length, and connects 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...
at Three Rivers
Clay, New York
Clay is a town in Onondaga County, New York, USA. As of the 2000 census, the town had a total population of 58,805, making it Syracuse's largest suburb. The town was named after Henry Clay, statesman....
(near Liverpool
Liverpool, New York
Liverpool is a village located in Onondaga County, New York, United States. The population was 2,505 at the 2000 census. The name was adopted from the city of Liverpool in the United Kingdom...
) 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...
at Oswego
Oswego, New York
Oswego is a city in Oswego County, New York, United States. The population was 18,142 at the 2010 census. Oswego is located on Lake Ontario in north-central New York and promotes itself as "The Port City of Central New York"...
. The canal has a depth of 14 ft (4.2 m), with seven locks spanning the 118 ft (36 m) change in elevation.
The modern canal essentially follows the route of the Oswego River
Oswego River (New York)
The Oswego River is a river in upstate New York in the United States. This river is the second-largest river flowing into Lake Ontario. James Fenimore Cooper’s novel The Pathfinder, or The Inland Sea is set in the Oswego River valley...
, canalized with locks & dams. Three locks, with a total lift of 45.6 feet (13.9m) take boats over what had been a steep rapids at the city of Oswego. This is the only route from the Atlantic/Hudson River system to Lake Ontario fully within the US.
Locks
The following list of locks are provided for the current canal, from upstream (south) to downstream (north):Note: There is no Lock 4 on the canal.
| Lock # | Location | Lift | Distance to Next Lock (upstream / west) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Phoenix Phoenix, New York Phoenix is a village in Oswego County, New York, United States, about north of Syracuse. The population was 2,251 at the 2000 census. The name is derived from Alexander Phoenix... |
10.2 feet (3.1 m) | 10 miles (16 km) |
| 2 | Fulton Fulton, Oswego County, New York Fulton is a small city in Oswego County, New York, United States. The population was 11,855 at the 2000 census. The city is named after Robert Fulton, inventor of the steamboat.The city of Fulton is located in the western part of the county.... |
17.8 feet (5.4 m) | .5 miles (.8 km) |
| 3 | Fulton Fulton, Oswego County, New York Fulton is a small city in Oswego County, New York, United States. The population was 11,855 at the 2000 census. The city is named after Robert Fulton, inventor of the steamboat.The city of Fulton is located in the western part of the county.... |
27 feet (8.2 m) | 6 miles (9.6 km) |
| 5 | Minetto Minetto (town), New York Minetto is a town in Oswego County, New York, United States. The population was 1,663 at the 2000 census.The Town of Minetto is located south of the City of Oswego, which it borders.... |
18 feet (5.5 m) | 3.5 miles (5.6 km) |
| 6 | Oswego Oswego, New York Oswego is a city in Oswego County, New York, United States. The population was 18,142 at the 2010 census. Oswego is located on Lake Ontario in north-central New York and promotes itself as "The Port City of Central New York"... |
20 feet (6.1 m) | .5 miles (.8 km) |
| 7 | Oswego Oswego, New York Oswego is a city in Oswego County, New York, United States. The population was 18,142 at the 2010 census. Oswego is located on Lake Ontario in north-central New York and promotes itself as "The Port City of Central New York"... |
14.5 feet (4.4 m) | .5 miles (.8 km) |
| 8 | Oswego Oswego, New York Oswego is a city in Oswego County, New York, United States. The population was 18,142 at the 2010 census. Oswego is located on Lake Ontario in north-central New York and promotes itself as "The Port City of Central New York"... |
11.1 feet (3.4 m) | N/A |