Onondaga Lake history
The history and use of Onondaga Lake mirror economic
and social changes in Americans' relationship with
the natural environment. Before the American
Revolution, the hills surrounding Onondaga Lake were
the center of the Iroquois Confederacy. During the
late 17th and early 18th century, European settlers,
mostly trappers and traders, followed Jesuit
missionaries and French explorers to the area. The
Lake, its creeks, and rivers served as transportation
routes.
The Erie Canal was built in the early 1800s and opened
the interior of New York State to new settlement. Many
people were attracted to Syracuse by its developing
salt industry. In the early 19th century, Onondaga Lake's water level
was lowered by dredging its outlet to drain a swampy
area that is now the northern end of downtown
Syracuse. Eliminating the swamp effectively eliminated
malaria in the growing city.
By 1900, the shoreline of Onondaga Lake was dotted
with major tourist attractions including hotels,
restaurants, and amusement parks. Onondaga Lake fish
were served at restaurants around New York. One large
amusement area was the Iron Pier resort sited near
present-day Carousel Center-DestiNY USA. The resort's
600-ft pavilion offered steamboat service to other
resorts on the lake.
Pollution of the lake from the growing city and
diverse expanding industries reduced its use as a
resort, although Syracuse created an Interceptor Sewer
Board as far back as 1907 to address sewage problems
in Onondaga Creek and Harbor Brook, By 1940, the lake
was declared unsafe for swimming. By the 1970s,
fishing was banned.
Because of mercury contamination, the lake's bottom
was listed as a Superfund site in 1994. Additional
contaminated areas were identified around the lake's
shore. New York State and the federal government continue
to pursue remediation of these sites through the
responsible parties. The State initiated a national
resources damages claim in 1989.
Environmental regulations
have brought about improvements in the lake. Upgrades
to wastewater treatment at the Syracuse Metropolitan
Sewage Treatment Plant have reduced pollution to the
lake. Onondaga County's ban on high phosphorous
detergents in 1972 and its industrial pre-treatment
program in 1982 have also benefited the lake.
Today, Onondaga County is taking many steps to improve
water quality in partnership with New York State and the
federal government under a 1998
Amended Consent Judgment.
The County has implemented extensive improvements to
the treatment plant and is substantially reducing
the remaining effects of combined sewer overflows
(CSOs).
Learn about the projects Onondaga County is implementing.
The water quality and the overall health of Onondaga
Lake is improving. Ammonia levels have decreased
dramatically because of improvements made at Onondaga
County's Metropolitan Syracuse Sewage Treatment Plant
(Metro) which contributes 90% of the lakes's ammonia.
Slightly more than half of the phosphorus entering the
lake comes from Metro, and the other half is
contributed by runoff from urban and agricultural
areas. Phosphorus levels in the lake are declining as
well.
Dissolved oxygen levels and water clarity in Onondaga
Lake are improving, in part due to the reduction in
phosphorus levels in the lake. Bacteria levels in the
lake are still unacceptable for water contact
recreation. Thus, continuous improvements in reducing
the number of combined sewer overflows (CSOs) are
needed.
The concentration of chloride, the most important
component of salinity to Onondaga Lake has decreased
from 1600 milligrams per liter to less than 400
milligrams per liter since the closure of he Allied
soda ash facility.
The Lake's entire bottom sediments and related upland
sites are on the federal Superfund list and the New
York State Registry of Inactive Hazardous Waste
Disposal Sites. The New York State Department of
Environmental Conservation and USEPA selected a plan
to clean up the lake bottom in July 2005.
See that plan on NYSDEC's website.
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