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Finger Lakes

The Finger Lakes Basin, located in Central New York State, encompasses the area drained by the Oswego, Oneida, Seneca and Clyde Rivers. The basin is one of the largest in the state, draining 5070 square miles. There are about 8,896 miles of rivers and streams (and canals) in the basin and over 400 lakes and ponds. The Oswego River/Finger Lakes Basin is largely rural, with considerable agricultural lands as well as tracts of forest and woodland. The basin supports a wide variety of agricultural activities including dairy and row crops as well as a renowned wine industry in the Finger Lakes Region.

Water Quality Issues and Problems

The primary water quality impacts in the Finger Lakes Drainage Basin are typically the result of one of two sources. In the more populated urban centers - namely the Syracuse Metropolitan Area - municipal discharges and industrial activities (including the legacy of past industrial activities) are the primary source of impacts. These impacts restrict uses of Onondaga Lake and its urban tributary waters. Through considerable investments in wastewater treatment upgrades and hazardous waste remediation, water quality in Onondaga Lake has experienced notable improvement in recent years, though impacts remain.

In other more rural areas of the drainage basin, elevated nutrient and sediment loads from heavy agricultural use and other nonpoint sources are the cause of less severe but frequently occurring impacts. Though less severe, these nonpoint sources pose a significant threat to maintaining and protecting the highly valued water resources of the basin. In particular, many of the Finger Lakes - which provide drinking water supplies and support a variety of recreation activities for both residents and tourists - have been identified as experiencing minor impacts and threats to uses.

Additional Information on the Finger Lakes

Information about the physical characteristics, plant and animal life, public access and fisheries for the individual lakes can be found using the links listed at the left or at the bottom of this page. Watershed management information for individual lakes will be available under the Watershed Management page.


More about Finger Lakes:

  • Cayuga Lake - Ranks second in size among the Finger Lakes, Cayuga Lake offers a diverse fishery for both coldwater and warmwater species.
  • Otisco Lake - Most easterly of the eleven Finger Lakes, it lies wholly within Onondaga county near the city of Syracuse
  • Owasco Lake - Located in Cayuga County on the south edge of the city of Auburn, Owasco Lake is an intermediate sized lake.
  • Skaneateles Lake - The fifth largest of the Finger Lakes, it is located in Onondaga, Cortland and Cayuga counties.
  • Canadice Lake - Located in southwest Ontario County, Canadice Lake lies 30 miles south of Rochester. It is the smallest of the Finger Lakes whose shorelines are virtually undeveloped.
  • Canandaigua Lake - The fourth largest of the Finger Lakes, Canandaigua Lake is located 29 miles southeast of the city of Rochester. Called by the Indians, The Chosen Place, Canandaigua lies within Ontario and Yates counties. The lake is bordered on the north by the city of Canandaigua, and on the south by the settlement of Woodville.
  • Conesus Lake - The most westerly of the 11 Finger Lakes, Conesus Lake is located in Livingston County, 2 miles west of Livonia and 25 miles south of Rochester.
  • Hemlock Lake - Located in southeast Livingston County, Hemlock Lake lies 25 miles south of Rochester. Hemlock is one of the two Finger Lakes whose shorelines are virtually undeveloped.
  • Honeoye Lake - Tenth in size among the eleven Finger Lakes, Honeoye Lake is located 28 miles south of Rochester in southwestern Ontario County.
  • Keuka Lake - Located in the heart of central New York wine country, Keuka Lake lies 17 miles southwest of the City of Geneva. Shaped like a Y, Keuka ranks third in size among the Finger Lakes. The hamlet of Branchport is located at the tip of the lake's northwest arm and the Village of Penn Yan tips the northeast arm. At the lake's south end is the Village of Hammondsport.
  • Seneca Lake - Located within Ontario, Yates, Seneca, and Schuyler counties, Seneca Lake lies in the geographic center of the Finger Lakes. At the northern tip of the lake is the City of Geneva, and at the southern tip is the Village of Watkins Glen. Seneca lake has the largest volume of water of the Finger Lakes.
  • Water Quality Study Of The Finger Lakes - The results of a water quality study of the Finger Lakes, performed by the NYSDEC over several years.