2021/7/5
Watershed Report
With the Flow - New York State Watershed Report for the Week of July 5 -12
By Gillian Ward
NYS flows begin at high elevation points in the Appalachians, directing snowmelt and rainfall run-off either west and north into the Great Lakes/St. Lawrence River, or generally south and east, emptying into the Atlantic via Long Island Sound or further south at Chesapeake Bay.
Just one NYS watershed runs into an entirely different basin.
Southwest Watersheds
Allegheny River – head of Ohio River System – merges with Mississippi, Gulf of Mexico
The Allegheny River System flows from the highest elevation region in NYS, transporting New York water down to the Gulf of Mexico.
Southwest NYS watersheds are critical habitat for many unique species of fish and amphibians.
Chautauqua Lake is one of the largest lakes in NYS, and has some of the highest valued lake property.
At 17 miles long by 2 miles wide at its widest point, and averaging 75 feet deep in the north basin, this lake is home to largemouth and smallmouth bass, muskellunge, walleye, yellow perch, white perch, pumpkinseed, bluegill, crappie and bullhead.The fishing report hotline at (716) 855-3474 reports good walleye conditions at 30 ft depth, largemouth bass are biting around docks, anglers are warned not to fish in hot weather after 11 am to avoid harming the resident trout population.Weather for the remainder of the week is high of 81 and nighttime lows down to 63 with chance of rain at 80% and thunderstorms in the area.
Chautauqua Lake appears to be declining in popularity with some recreational users.A June 2021 post on TripAdvisor gives two stars out of five, commenting “horrible to swimming or kayaking. All weeds and muck. Dead fish floating…”Be sure to call ahead to investigate local conditions and always be on the lookout for blue green algae.This week there are three sites off Marina Drive that have active HABs warnings; for more information see the NYS DEC HABS information posted online.
The Chautauqua Lake & Watershed Management Alliance facilitates the implementation of management plans for the region. Contact 716-661-8923 for more information.
For summer reading on this system, The Allegheny River: Watershed of the Nation, 1992 hardcover book authored by Jim Schafer and Mike Sajna details the history and geography of the area.
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