DRAFT 2013
Owasco Lake
Background Information
Owasco Lake is located in Onondaga, Cayuga, and Tompkins Counties, and is in the central part of the
Oswego River Basin, between Cayuga and Skaneateles Lakes, just south of Auburn1. The watershed includes
the fifteen municipalities of the City of Auburn, Sennett, Fleming, Owasco, Skaneateles, Scipio, Niles, Venice,
Moravia, Sempronius, Genoa, Locke, Summerhill, Lansing, Groton, and Dryden.
Geographical Characteristics (approximate)
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Length2: 11 mi, 18 km
Mean Width2: 1.2 mi
Max. Depth2: 177 ft, 54 m
Volume3: 260 billion gallons
Surface Area2: 10.3 square miles, 26.7 (km)2
Watershed3: 208 square miles
Elevation2: 711 ft, 470 (km)2
Shoreline Length2: 28 mi, 45 km
Retention Time3: 3-4 years
Serves3 45,000 residents
Public Access Points
1. Emerson Park- Off Rte. 38 (Boat and Shore), private boat launch is also available on south end at South
Shore Marina in Moravia, NY off route 38.
Aquatic Invasive Species Present in Owasco Lake
Alewife (Alosa pseudoharengus)4
Eurasian watermilfoil (Myriophyllum spicatum)5
Quagga mussel (Dreissena rostriformis bugensis)5
Zebra mussel (Dreissena polymorpha)5
Curly-leaf pondweed (Potomogeton crispus)5
Asian clam (Corbicula fluminea)6
State of the Owasco Lake Watershed. 2000.
http://www.owascolake.org/joomla/images/PDF/owasco2000.pdf
2 New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, Water Quality Study of the Finger Lakes.
3 Katie Jakaub, Owasco Lake Watershed Inspector.
4 Quinlan, Karyn. 2010. Aquatic Invasive Species Inventory. Finger Lakes Institute
5 Johnson, Robert. 2011. A field guide of aquatic macrophyte species found in Owasco lake along with
potential non-native (exotic) invaders.
http://www.owla.org/Plant_ID_Booklet_Owasco_Flats_Nature_Reserve__1_31_11.pdf
6 USGS Nonindigenous Aquatic Species unit
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DRAFT 2013
Fisheries7
The south end of Owasco Lake is noted for its panfishing, northern pike, and smallmouth bass fishing. Although
Lake trout fishing is excellent year round, it is the best during May, June, and September. Gamefish present
include lake trout, brown trout, rainbow trout, smallmouth bass, largemouth bass, walleye, northern pike, and
pickerel. Panfish present include pumpkinseed, bluegills, rock bass, bullhead, and yellow perch. The two major
forage fish are alewives and yellow perch.
Information Contacts
Owasco Watershed Lake Association
Website: www.owla.org
E-mail: owlanews@gmail.com
Owasco Watershed Network
Website: www.owascolake.org
Owasco Lake Watershed Inspector, Katie Jakaub
Phone: (315) 427-5188
Email: kjakaub@swcd.org
Article Resources
Halfman, J.D., Black, E., Dionne, L., C., Ellis, C., & Hackett, P. 2011. Owasco Lake, New York: Water Quality
& Nutrient Sources, A 2012 Update. Finger Lakes Institute at Hobart and William Smith Colleges, Department
of Geoscience & Environmental Studies Program.
http://people.hws.edu/Halfman/Data/2012%20Owasco%20Report%20final.pdf
Wunderlich, Michele. 2001. Owasco Lake Watershed Management Plan. Cayuga County Soil and Water
Conservation District. http://www.co.cayuga.ny.us/wqma/finalplan.pdf
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DEC. Owasco Lake. http://www.dec.ny.gov/outdoor/36554.html