Lake Ontario and Minor Tributaries Watershed
Published Water Quality Monitoring and Assessment Reports
Biological Assessment Reports
Oak Orchard Creek (leaves DEC website)
Other Reports
Toxics Chemicals in NYS Tributaries to Lake Ontario (Litten, 2009) (links to PDF at NYS Library)
Watershed Management Plans
Eighteenmile Creek Watershed Management Plans (leaves DEC website)
Facts about this Watershed
Click to view a detailed map of this watershed
The Lake Ontario and Minor Tributaries Watershed is comprised of the smaller drainage that lie between the larger rivers that empty into Lake Ontario. The larger rivers include the Niagara, Genesee, Oswego and Black River which are discussed as separate watersheds. The Lake Ontario Minor Tribs Watershed is divided into western, central and eastern sections that stretch all along the Lake Ontario Shoreline.
Location: Northwestern New York State
- Most of Jefferson and Orleans Counties,
- Much of Oswego, Wayne, Monroe and Niagara Counties, and
- Portions of northern Cayuga and western Lewis Counties.
Size: 2,460 square miles of land area within New York State, excluding the larger/separate watersheds.
Rivers and Streams: 5,891 miles of freshwater rivers and streams. Major tributary watersheds to Lake Ontario (excluding the Niagara, Genesee, Oswego and Black Rivers, which are addressed as separate watersheds):
- Salmon River (639 river miles)
- Oak Orchard Creek (523 miles)
- Irondequoit Creek (316 miles)
- Sandy Creek (303 miles)
Lakes, Ponds (Embayments) and Reservoirs: 60 significant freshwater lakes, ponds, and reservoirs (18,042 acres):
- Salmon River Reservoir (3,380 acres)
- Sodus Bay (3,360 acres)
- North Pond (2,400 acres)
- Irondequoit Bay (1,720 acres)
- Perch Lake (1,480 acres)
Great Lakes Shoreline: 326 miles of Great Lakes (Lake Ontario) shoreline.
What You Can Do
Each of us lives in a watershed. On our Watershed Stewardship page are some tips on actions that you and your friends can take to help your watershed.
More about Lake Ontario and Minor Tributaries Watershed:
- Lake Ontario Watershed Map - Detailed map of the Lake Ontario Watershed
- Salmon River Corridor - The Salmon River Corridor is located in Oswego County, NY is famous for salmon fishing world wide
