Salmon River (New York)
Encyclopedia
The Salmon River arises in north central New York State on the Tug Hill Plateau
to the east of Lake Ontario
. It flows 44 miles (70.8 km) westward off the plateau and there is a hydroelectric
dam
near Little America to create the Salmon River Reservoir. Both the Salmon River and Salmon River Reservoir are heavily visited destinations for fishermen during peak season. Below the dam it continues westward for about a mile eventually creating Salmon River Falls which is a large 100 feet (30.5 m) drop as the river continues its westward progress towards yet another dam and the Lower Salmon River Reservoir. It continues westward through the village of Altmar
through Pulaski
to Lake Ontario. The inlet is referred to as Port Ontario, though it is no longer an active commercial port. The watershed drains 285 square miles (738.1 km²).
The river is noted for its recreational salmon
fishery today. The fishery is possible due to the efforts of the New York State Hatchery that is located north of Altmar
. The hatchery stocks over 3.5 million trout and salmon each year in the surrounding areas. In early history this was Atlantic salmon, but now these have been mostly replaced by stocked coho
, chinook
, and steelhead
which make spawning runs upriver from Lake Ontario in autumn.
The river has become a popular location for kayaking and river rafting during parts of the year when the dam is released, with several companies making excursions to the river.
Tug Hill Plateau
The Tug Hill Plateau is an upland region in upstate New York in the USA, famous for heavy winter snow. The Tug Hill Region is west of the Adirondack Mountains and is separated from the Adirondacks by the Black River Valley. Although the region is and has traditionally been known as the Tug Hill...
to the east of 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...
. It flows 44 miles (70.8 km) westward off the plateau and there is a hydroelectric
Hydroelectricity
Hydroelectricity is the term referring to electricity generated by hydropower; the production of electrical power through the use of the gravitational force of falling or flowing water. It is the most widely used form of renewable energy...
dam
Dam
A dam is a barrier that impounds water or underground streams. Dams generally serve the primary purpose of retaining water, while other structures such as floodgates or levees are used to manage or prevent water flow into specific land regions. Hydropower and pumped-storage hydroelectricity are...
near Little America to create the Salmon River Reservoir. Both the Salmon River and Salmon River Reservoir are heavily visited destinations for fishermen during peak season. Below the dam it continues westward for about a mile eventually creating Salmon River Falls which is a large 100 feet (30.5 m) drop as the river continues its westward progress towards yet another dam and the Lower Salmon River Reservoir. It continues westward through the village of Altmar
Altmar, New York
Altmar is a village in Oswego County, New York, United States. The population was 351 at the 2000 census.The Village of Altmar is in northern part of the Town of Albion at State Route 13 and County Route 22...
through Pulaski
Pulaski, New York
Pulaski is a village in Oswego County, New York, United States. The population was 2,365 at the 2010 census.The Village of Pulaski is within the Town of Richland, and lies between the eastern shore of Lake Ontario and the Tug Hill region. The village is located on US Route 11 and is adjacent to...
to Lake Ontario. The inlet is referred to as Port Ontario, though it is no longer an active commercial port. The watershed drains 285 square miles (738.1 km²).
The river is noted for its recreational salmon
Salmon
Salmon is the common name for several species of fish in the family Salmonidae. Several other fish in the same family are called trout; the difference is often said to be that salmon migrate and trout are resident, but this distinction does not strictly hold true...
fishery today. The fishery is possible due to the efforts of the New York State Hatchery that is located north of Altmar
Altmar, New York
Altmar is a village in Oswego County, New York, United States. The population was 351 at the 2000 census.The Village of Altmar is in northern part of the Town of Albion at State Route 13 and County Route 22...
. The hatchery stocks over 3.5 million trout and salmon each year in the surrounding areas. In early history this was Atlantic salmon, but now these have been mostly replaced by stocked coho
Coho salmon
The Coho salmon, Oncorhynchus kisutch, is a species of anadromous fish in the salmon family. Coho salmon are also known as silver salmon or "silvers". It is the state animal of Chiba, Japan.-Description:...
, chinook
Chinook salmon
The Chinook salmon, Oncorhynchus tshawytscha, is the largest species in the pacific salmon family. Other commonly used names for the species include King salmon, Quinnat salmon, Spring salmon and Tyee salmon...
, and steelhead
Rainbow trout
The rainbow trout is a species of salmonid native to tributaries of the Pacific Ocean in Asia and North America. The steelhead is a sea run rainbow trout usually returning to freshwater to spawn after 2 to 3 years at sea. In other words, rainbow trout and steelhead trout are the same species....
which make spawning runs upriver from Lake Ontario in autumn.
The river has become a popular location for kayaking and river rafting during parts of the year when the dam is released, with several companies making excursions to the river.
External links
- http://www.fisherie.com/Library_One.asp?Article_ID=11 History of the Salmon River Fishery
- http://www.dec.ny.gov/outdoor/21663.html - Salmon River Fish Hatchery
- http://www.neffguide.com/cfs.html - Salmon River Water Levels