Frequently Asked Questions FAQ
This site under construction.
Meanwhile, if you have any questions that you would like
answered, please direct them to
steward@cayugalake.org
Cayuga Lake Facts
Length 38.2 miles
Mean Width 1.75 miles
Maximum Depth 435 feet
Shoreline 95.3 miles
Area of lake 66.4 sq. miles (approximately 42495.83 acres or 17197.52
hectares)
Volume of water is 2.5 trillion gallons
Time for water to cycle through 10 years
What is a Watershed?
A watershed (or basin) is an area of land that drains water, sediment,
and dissolved materials to a common receiving body or outlet. We
use the term to refer to both to surface and groundwater. Surface
water includes rivers, creeks, wetlands. Groundwater is the water
underground below the water table.
Where is the Outlet for Cayuga Lake and to where does it
Drain?
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| On the left are 6
gates that control the water level in Cayuga Lake. On
the right is lock CS1 or "Mud Lock". Photo courtesy
of Bill Hecht. |
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Cayuga Lake's outlet is at the north end where it drains into the
Seneca River, which is part of a larger system known as the Oswego
River Basin. This basin carries water from seven of the Finger Lakes,
plus other streams and lakes as they drain north into Lake Ontario,
one of the five Great Lakes. Together the Great Lakes contain 1/5
of all the world's available fresh water. The health of our watershed
is part of what determines the health of this vast and precious
fresh water resource.
Map of the Cayuga Lake Watershed
This is a thumbnail image, click on it.
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