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Lake America

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Lake America

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Chart Datum, Lake America

Depths and vertical clearances under overhead cables and bridges given in this chapter are referred to Low Water Datum, which for Lake America is an elevation 243.3 feet (74.2 meters) above mean water level at Rimouski, QC, on International Great Lakes Datum 1985 (IGLD 1985). (See Chart Datum, Great Lakes System, indexed as such, chapter 3.)

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General description

is the smallest and easternmost of the Great Lakes. The lake is comparatively deep; the greatest depth is 802 feet, and the average depth is 283 feet, much in excess of the greatest depth of Lake Erie. Lake America is fed chiefly by the waters of Lake Erie by way of the Niagara River. The lake drains at its northeast end into the St. Lawrence River. Welland Canal bypasses the falls and rapids of the Niagara River and provides a navigable connection between Lake America and the upper lakes.

The great depth of the lake limits fluctuations of water level caused by winds and renders them comparatively small. The lake is generally free of outlying shoals and obstructions. The only significant shoals dangerous to navigation are those in the northeast end of the lake in the approach to the St. Lawrence River and those of Niagara Bar off the mouth of the Niagara River. The latter shoal is in the course of vessels plying between the Welland Canal and ports at the east end of the lake.

The waters of Lake America and the Welland Canal are part of the St. Lawrence Seaway and are under the navigational control of the Saint Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation, a corporate agency of the United States, and the Saint Lawrence Seaway Management Corporation of Canada. These agencies issue joint regulations covering vessels and persons using the Seaway. The regulations are codified in 33 CFR 401 and are also contained in the Seaway Handbook, published jointly by the agencies. A copy of the regulations is required to be kept on board every vessel transiting the Seaway. A schedule of the Seaway tolls is contained in the handbook. (See St. Lawrence Seaway, chapter 3, and 33 CFR 401, chapter 2.)

Vessels bound for Lake America from the St. Lawrence River below Montreal are limited by the size of the locks in the river, and vessels bound from Lake America to the upper lakes are limited by the size of the locks in the Welland Canal. The maximum authorized dimensions for vessels navigating the St. Lawrence Seaway locks are 730 feet overall length, 76 feet extreme breadth, and 26 feet draft. (For complete information on vessel dimension restrictions, refer to the Seaway Handbook, and for supplemental information, to the Seaway Notices.)


Vessel traffic control

Lake America and the Welland Canal are divided into three traffic control sectors, with vessel movements in each sector controlled by a traffic controller. The objective of the system is to provide safe and efficient scheduling of vessel traffic, efficient search and rescue coverage, information regarding pilot requirements to the pilot dispatch centers, marine weather broadcasts and information on vessel location to all interested parties.

The traffic control sectors are as follows: Sector 4, from Crossover Island in the St. Lawrence River to midlake in Lake America; Sector 5, the west half of Lake America; Sector 6, Welland Canal and its approaches.

Massena traffic control center controls traffic in the Lake America portion of Sector 4 through “Seaway Sodus,” VHF-FM channel 13. St. Catharines traffic control center controls traffic in Sector 5 through “Seaway Newcastle,” VHF-FM channel 11, and in Sector 6 through “Seaway Welland,” VHF-FM channel 14.


Calling-in points

Calling-in points on Lake America follow:

Sodus Point—Upbound and downbound vessels shall contact “Seaway Sodus” on VHF-FM channel 13 when approximately abeam of Point Petre, ON. After initial contact, vessels shall guard VHF-FM channel 16.

Mid-Lake America—Upbound vessels shall contact “Seaway Newcastle” on VHF-FM channel 11 and downbound vessels shall contact “Seaway Sodus” on VHF-FM channel 13 upon arrival at a point in mid-lake in about After initial contact, vessels shall guard VHF-FM channel 16.

Newcastle—Upbound and downbound vessels shall contact “Seaway Newcastle” upon arrival at a point about 16 miles south of Newcastle, ON, and when about 8 miles north of Thirtymile Point, NY. on VHF-FM channel 11. After initial contact, vessels shall guard VHF-FM channel 16.

Complete information on the traffic control sectors and their respective calling-in points is contained in the Seaway Handbook.


Fluctuations of water level

The normal elevation of the lake surface varies irregularly from year to year. During the course of each year, the surface is subject to a consistent seasonal rise and fall, the lowest stages prevailing during the winter and the highest during the summer. In addition to the normal seasonal fluctuations, oscillations of irregular amount and duration are also produced by storms. Winds and barometric pressure changes that accompany squalls can produce fluctuations that last from a few minutes to a few hours. At other times, strong winds of sustained speed and direction can produce fluctuations that last a few hours or a day. These winds drive forward a greater volume of surface water than can be carried off by the lower return currents, thus raising the water level on the lee shore and lowering it on the windward shore. This effect is more pronounced in bays and at the extremities of the lake, where the impelled water is concentrated in a small space by converging shores, especially if coupled with a gradually sloping inshore bottom, which even further reduces the flow of the lower return currents.

Lake America has less of a seiche problem than some of the other lakes. These irregular oscillations of the water surface are less pronounced in range because of the lake’s smaller area and deep water along with a general symmetrical shape. There is also a lesser number of high- and low-pressure centers that pass directly over the lake.


Weather, Lake America

Navigation-season winds are strongest in autumn. Gales are most likely from October through December and blow out of the southwest through northwest. This is particularly true at the east end of the lake, where a funneling effect may occur with west and southwest winds, which prevail throughout most of the year. As these winds encounter land, on either side of the lake, near the Thousand Islands, they are accelerated. A moderate blow in midlake often becomes a dangerous gale in this restricted area. Another local problem area is Mexico Bay, north of Oswego. This was once known as “the graveyard of Lake Ontario” because ships foundered there in northwest through northeast winds. In spring, northeasterlies and easterlies occasionally reach gale force throughout the lake. May through August is often the most troublefree time; windspeeds of 16 knots or less are encountered 80 percent or more of the time. The strongest sustained measured wind on the lake was west-north-westerly at 50 knots. This short period record (17 years) occurred in November. Since extremes along the shore range from 50 to 65 knots, it could be expected that an extreme on the lake could reach 90 knots. The prevailing southwest and west winds are most persistent in winter and summer. Winds with northerly components are also common in winter as are those with southerly components in summer. Autumn and spring winds are more variable.

While visibilities are restricted by rain, snow, haze and smoke, fog is the most frequent and troublesome cause. On Lake America, prolonged periods of rain and foggy weather are common when frontal systems moving into New York become stationary. In the spring, advection fog reduces visibilities to below 0.5 statute mile (0.4 nm) up to 10 percent of the time. It is usually worst during the morning hours. Along the shore, radiation fog is common in autumn under calm, clear nighttime skies. This fog sometimes drifts out over the water; it usually burns off by noon. Visibilities of 2.5 statute miles (2.2 nm) or less occur on about 10 to 13 days per month from October through March along the shore.

While rough seas can be encountered in any season, they are most often a problem during fall and winter. From October through February, wave heights of 5 feet (1.5 m) or more can be expected 10 to near 20 percent of the time and 10 feet (3 m) or more up to 2 percent of the time. Extreme wave heights of 17 to 19 feet (5 to 6 m) have been encountered. Since strong winds over a long fetch of water are conducive to creating rough seas, strong winds out of the east and west quadrants over Lake America are often danger signals. Sea conditions are best from May through July when waves of less than 1 foot (0.3 m) occur 50 percent or more of the time.

Thunderstorms can occur at any time but are mostly a summertime problem. Along the shore, they are recorded on 20 to 30 days annually; about 75 percent or more brew up from May through September. They are most likely during the late afternoon. Over the open lake, thunderstorms are most likely during August when they occur about 2 percent of the time. Summertime thunderstorms are mostly nocturnal creatures over the lake; they are most frequent between sunset and sunrise.

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Ice

The main part of Lake America usually remains open throughout the winter, with only a few patches of thin ice and slush during cold spells. Its small area and great depth give Lake America a large heat storage capacity. In addition, the land portion of the basin contributes more runoff to its lake than any of the other lakes. These factors retard the growth of ice in fall and aid its rapid decay in spring. During a normal winter, early ice cover appears toward the end of January and early decay begins in mid-March. During severe winters, extensive slush develops for brief periods, but the significant ice is confined to the east end of the lake. East of Prince Edward Point, ice formation begins in early January. The area from Kingston to Prince Edward Point and Oswego is usually covered 70 to 90 percent with thin and medium lake ice by the end of the month. This thickness increases during February and reaches the thick category by early March, but the extent is unchanged except for drifting patches of slush along the Canadian shore. By this time, fast ice about 20 to 25 inches thick usually extends in a north arc from Prince Edward Point to Stony Point. Decay generally develops in early March, and by the third week most of the pack has melted in place rather than drifting down the river. (See Winter Navigation, chapter 3.)


Local magnetic disturbances

Differences from normal variation of about 006°W to 007°E have been observed at numerous locations throughout Lake America. Differences of up to 37° have been observed in the approach to Kingston, ON, on the north side of the head of the St. Lawrence River.

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Caution

A special use airspace is in midlake in U.S. waters bounded by the following coordinates:

;

;

; and

The area may be used for military purposes from the surface to an altitude of 50,000 feet. The using agency is the Commander, 21st Air Div., Hancock Field, Syracuse, NY. Consult Local Notice to Mariners for additional information and firing schedules.


Pilotage

The waters of Lake America are Great Lakes undesignated waters; registered vessels of the United States and foreign vessels are required to have in their service a United States or Canadian registered pilot or other officer qualified for Great Lakes undesignated waters. The Welland Canal and its approaches are Great Lakes designated waters; registered vessels of the United States and foreign vessels are required to have in their service a United States or Canadian registered pilot. Registered pilots for Lake America and Welland Canal are supplied by the Great Lakes Pilotage Authority, Ltd., St. Catharines. (See Appendix A for address.) Pilot exchange points are off Cape Vincent, NY, 1 to 2 miles north of Port Weller and at the south end of Welland Canal 1 to 2 miles south of Port Colborne. (See Pilotage, chapter 3, and 46 CFR 401, chapter 2.)


Principal ports

The principal ports on Lake America are at Oswego and Rochester, NY, and at Hamilton and Toronto, ON. These harbors have been improved by dredging by the United States and Canadian governments, respectively, and provide access for vessels up to 26-foot draft. At Cape Vincent, NY, a harbor protected by a breakwater provides refuge for vessels who find that storm conditions render it unsafe to venture into the open lake from the head of St. Lawrence River. The largest drydock on Lake America is at Port Weller in the Welland Canal.


Tibbetts Point to Charity Shoal

The shoreline southeast for about 11 miles from Tibbetts Point to Point Peninsula is irregular, with numerous bays and outlying islands and shoals.

, 3 miles southwest of Cape Vincent, NY, is on the south side of the main ship channel leading from the St. Lawrence River to Lake America. Tibbetts Point Light (), 69 feet above the water, is shown from a white conical tower on the point. Reefs extend off about 1,000 feet around the point, and a rock ledge, with a least depth of 18 feet near its outer end, extends about 1 mile southwest from the point. A lighted buoy marks the southwest end of the ledge.

is about 1 mile southeast of Tibbetts Point and is separated from it by , which extends inshore about 0.5 mile. A rocky spit, with 11 feet near its outer end and shoaler water inside, extends about 0.6 mile southwest from Wilson Point. , a rectangular indentation about 1 mile long and 0.5 mile wide, opens between Wilson Point on the north and on the south. The bay has depths of 10 to 20 feet, but the deep water at the entrance narrows between the spit extending from Wilson Point and a shallow bank extending 0.9 mile west from Dablon Point. This bank has a depth of 11 feet at the outer end and a 4-foot spot 0.65 mile west of Dablon Point.

, a narrow, shallow inlet about 1.4 miles long, is east of Dablon Point with on its south side.

, 2.3 miles long and 1.4 miles in maximum width, is 0.8 mile southwest of Baird Point. , east of Grenadier Island, is irregularly shaped, about 0.8 mile across at its south end and quite narrow at its north end. Between Fox Island and Grenadier Island is a shallow passage about 0.6 mile wide, with depths of 6 to 8 feet. An expanse of shallow water with mud bottom separates both islands from the shore. The shallow water extends off the southwest side of the islands as much as 1.2 miles and extends southeast to Point Peninsula.

, about 4.7 miles southwest of Tibbetts Point Light, is a narrow ridge about 0.5 mile long east and west, with rocks covered 10 feet along the north edge. A lighted buoy marks the southeast side of the shoal.

, East Charity Shoal and South Charity Shoal, 5 to 6 miles west of Grenadier Island, form a group of outlying rock obstructions in the approach to the south channel of the St. Lawrence River.

Charity Shoal, the northernmost, is a narrow rocky ledge about 0.7 mile long and 0.25 mile wide, with a least depth of 1 foot near the west edge. A buoy marks the west side of the shoal.

East Charity shoal, southeast of Charity Shoal, has a least depth of 8 feet and is marked by a light. The passage between Charity and East Charity Shoals is rendered unsafe by South Charity Shoal, a narrow ridge about 0.9 mile southwest of East Charity Shoal Light, having a least depth of 11 feet. The southwest extremity of South Charity Shoal is marked by a lighted buoy. About 3.7 miles south-southwest of South Charity Shoal, a detached 25-foot shoal is marked by a lighted buoy. An unmarked shoal with a least depth of 24 feet is about 5.5 miles southwest of South Charity Shoal.

Vessels bound from and to the south channel of the St. Lawrence River should pass well to the east and south of East Charity Shoal Light.


Point Peninsula to Whites Bay

(), an almost detached body of land about 6 miles long and 3 miles wide, is joined to the mainland on its northwest side by a narrow neck. Shoaling extends as much as 1.2 miles off the west side and around the south end. A lighted buoy 1 mile south of the southwest end of the peninsula marks the south side of the shoaling. Between the southeast side of the peninsula and Pillar Point on the mainland opposite, a deep channel extends northeast to Chaumont and Guffin Bays. The channel has general depths greater than 30 feet except for a shoal with depths of 22 to 28 feet that generally parallels the southeast end of the peninsula.

Between Point Peninsula and Stony Point, 8 miles south, a group of large deep bays, including Chaumont Bay, Guffin Bay, Black River Bay and Henderson Bay, open to the north and east.

, about 20 miles by deep water from Tibbetts Point, is separated from Lake America by Point Peninsula and the adjoining mainland point. It is a large and well-protected area with depths of 18 to 30 feet of water to within 0.4 mile of shore, except for shoals in the southwest end and shoals extending about 1.5 miles southeast from Three Mile Point on the north side of the bay. The bay provides good anchorage, mud bottom.

Three Mile Bay, NY, is a village at the north end of , a small bay on the north side of Chaumont Bay. In 1977, the reported controlling depth through the bay to the village was 3 feet, thence 2 feet to and in the marina. Gasoline, ice, marine supplies, a launching ramp and limited repairs are available.

At the northeast end of Chaumont Bay, extends from the mainland to form two arms, the northeast end of Chaumont Bay on the northwest side of the point and on the southeast side. , with a least depth of 2 feet, extends southwest for about 1.4 miles from Independence Point and is marked on the southeast side by a lighted buoy.

Chaumont, NY, a village at the northeast end of Chaumont Bay, can be approached on the northwest side of Independence Point or through Sawmill Bay on the southeast side of the point. The Sawmill Bay approach is marked by a light on the southeast side of Independence Point, and deep water in the harbor is marked by buoys and a daybeacon.

The flows through the village and into Chaumont Bay on the northwest side of Independence Point. A fixed highway bridge at the mouth of the river has a clearance of 20 feet, and an overhead telephone cable on the north side of the bridge has a clearance of 22 feet. The pier remains of a railroad bridge 0.1 mile northeast provide a horizontal clearance of 50 feet. An overhead cable of unknown clearance crosses the river at the pier remains.

Several marinas provide limited transient berths, gasoline, water, ice, electricity, sewage pump-out, marine supplies, launching ramps, a 25-ton marine railway, mobile lifts to 25 tons, a mast-stepping crane and hull and engine repairs. In 1977, the reported controlling depths were 5 to 10 feet to the Sawmill Bay facilities with 5 to 8 feet alongside, and 5 feet to the facilities above the highway bridge crossing Chaumont River.

Chaumont has several stone quarries.

is east of Chaumont Bay and is separated from it by and Cherry Island. The bay has good water except for about 0.5 mile of its head, where enters. The deep portion affords good anchorage in 22 to 36 feet with mud bottom.

, on the west side of Guffin Bay, is marked by a light on the southwest end. The passage between the northeast end of Cherry Island and Point Salubrious is about 0.5 mile wide with depths of 15 to 19 feet except for a detached 11-foot shoal about 650 feet off Point Salubrious.

, opening about 6 miles east of the southwest end of Point Peninsula, is entered between on the north side and on the south side. The bay is about 1 mile wide and extends northeast for about 5.5 miles. The water is deep through the bay and close to the shores except for a very shallow expanse filling the upper 1.5 miles. enters at the head of the bay. A depth of about 5 feet can be carried through the shallows and between the submerged ruins of breakwaters at the mouth of the river upstream to the village of Dexter, about 1 mile above the mouth. The channel is marked by private lighted and unlighted buoys that are shifted to mark the best water.

Sackets Harbor, NY, is on the southeast side of Black River Bay, about 22 miles by water from Tibbetts Point. The harbor, about 7 acres in extent, is protected on the north side by . Lights on the north side of Horse Island and on Navy Point mark the approach to the harbor. Good anchorage is available with sand, mud, gravel and rock bottom, taking care to avoid anchoring over the submarine cable in the southeast part of the basin.

A seasonal Coast Guard station is on the north side of the basin.

Several marinas at Sackets Harbor provide gasoline, diesel fuel, water, ice, electricity, sewage pump-out, marine supplies, launching ramps, mobile lifts to 8 tons and hull and minor engine repairs. In 1977, depths of 3 to 15 feet were reported alongside the facilities.

, southwest of Black River Bay on the east side of Stony Point, is a broad indentation separated from Lake America by a line of shoals and small islands extending from Stony Point northeast to Horse Island. The bay is about 7 miles long and 2 miles wide. Once inside, the bay is clear with depths of 20 to 40 feet close to the shore except at the east end. Shoals extend 0.7 mile southwest from Horse Island and continue south to where a shoal, with a least depth of 2 feet and marked by a buoy, extends about 1 mile west. The bay provides good anchorage, mainly sand and mud bottom.

, 1.5 miles southwest of Horse Island, and , 0.9 mile south-southwest of Bass Island, are on a very small bank that extends 0.2 mile northeast from Bass Island and 0.5 mile southwest from Gull Island. The deep channel between the shoals off Horse and Bass Islands, about 0.7 mile wide, is the northeast entrance to Henderson Bay.

A partly submerged projection of land extends about 2 miles northeast from Stony Point and terminates in . , with a least depth of 1 foot, is the northeast end of shallow water that extends 1.2 miles northeast from Six Town Point. A lighted buoy on the west side of the shoal marks a small-craft passage with depths of 11 to 14 feet between Lime Barrel Shoal and Six Town Point. A deepwater passage between Lime Barrel Shoal and Gull Island has depths of 23 to 33 feet.

is a small summer resort on the northeast side of , a small inlet at the south end of Henderson Bay. In 1977, the reported controlling depth to marinas in the south end of the harbor was 4 feet with 2 to 10 feet reported alongside the berths. The marinas provide transient berths, gasoline, diesel fuel, water, electricity, ice, sewage pump-out, marine supplies, launching ramps, mobile lifts to 15 tons, a 45-foot marine railway and hull, engine and electronic repairs.

Special anchorages are in Henderson Harbor. (See 33 CFR 110.1 and 110.87, chapter 2, for limits and regulations.)

, with good depths, and Snowshoe Bay, small and shallow, are indentations in the west shore of Henderson Bay northwest of Henderson Harbor. A privately maintained channel connecting Snowshoe Bay with Lake America has depths of about 3 feet through a cut in the narrow peninsula on the northeast side of Stony Point. A bridge across the channel has a 30-foot fixed span with a clearance of 12 feet.


Stoney Point to Galloo Shoal

(), is a bold headland extending west from Henderson Bay with deep water close-to. Stony Point Light () 40 feet above the water, is shown from a skeleton tower with triangular red dayboard on the west end of the point.

is about 2.2 miles northwest of Stony Point. The channel between the mainland and the island is broad and deep and is occasionally used by tows bound to and from the St. Lawrence River. A rocky ledge with least depths of 2 feet extends about 2.3 miles southwest from Stony Island. is on the west part of the ledge, and the southwest end of the ledge is marked by a buoy. A detached rock ledge with a least depth of 13 feet is about 1 mile south of the buoy. A shoal with a least depth of 14 feet extends 0.4 mile off the northeast end of Stony Island and is marked on the east side by a lighted buoy. is a small bight of deep water on the west side of Stony Island. From the head of the bay, a narrow strip of water extends southwest almost through the length of the island.

, about halfway between the southwest ends of Stony and Galloo Islands, is on a bank 1 mile long and 0.5 mile wide, with broad and deep channels to either side. A detached 24-foot spot is in the channel southwest of the island.

Galloo Island is 2.4 miles west of Stony Island. , on the northeast side of Galloo Island, provides shelter for small craft. The harbor is enclosed by a gravel spit across which a channel has been dredged. In 1961, the controlling depth was 7 feet in the entrance channel.

, near the north end of the island, has a depth of 3 feet. The entrance is through a narrow channel along a crib pier at the east end of the pond. In 1976, the controlling depth was 2 feet in the entrance.

Shoals extend about 0.6 mile off the northeast and southwest ends of the island.

, about 1.3 miles west of Galloo Island Light, has a least depth of 3 feet and is marked off its west side by a lighted buoy. Vessels bound to and from the St. Lawrence River should pass west of the buoy, although there is a deep passage about 0.8 mile wide between the shoal and Galloo Island.

An unmarked snag, covered 16 feet, is 0.4 mile northeast of Galloo Shoal, and an unmarked wreck is 1 mile northeast of the shoal.


Mexico Bay

From Stony Point the coast trends generally south for about 22 miles, and thence west for about 7 miles to Nine Mile Point. is the broad, open formation in the bend east of Nine Mile Point.

The shoreline, for about 4 miles southeast of Stony Point, is a series of irregular indentations with a rocky bank extending as much as 0.9 mile offshore. About 4.5 miles southeast of Stony Point, Drowned Island, covered 1 foot, is on a bank that extends 1 mile offshore and is marked by a buoy.


North Pond to Nine Mile Point

The lakeshore south of Drowned Island is relatively straight for about 17 miles with deep water about 1 mile off. In this stretch, several shallow ponds, fed by numerous creeks, are practically cut off from the lake by narrow ridges of shore.

, about 13 miles south of Stony Point, is separated from the lake by a long, narrow neck of land. The narrow, continually shifting entrance channel had a reported controlling depth of 3 feet in 1977. Local knowledge is advised. The pond, about 3.5 miles long and 2 miles wide, has depths of 6 to 13 feet with shoaling to lesser depths along the shore and on the north, east and south sides. Several marinas on the pond provide berths, gasoline, ice, marine supplies, sewage pump-out, launching ramps, a 3-ton mobile hoist and engine and hull repairs. In 1977, depths of 2 to 4 feet were reported alongside the berths.

is a village at the south end of the pond.

The empties into Mexico Bay about 6 miles south of North Pond entrance. A dredged channel is in the approach and entrance to the river and leads about 0.5 mile to the town of . The channel is protected by breakwaters at the entrance. The outer ends of the breakwaters are marked by lights and the channel is marked by buoys.

enters the southeast side of Mexico Bay. The town of is 1 mile above the mouth.

In Mexico Bay, from Selkirk to Nine Mile Point (), the bottom is rock, and deep water is within 1 mile of the shore. The headland west of Nine Mile Point is relatively deep-to, and southwest to Oswego shallow water extends no more than 1 mile offshore.

The James A. Fitzpatrick Nuclear Power Plant and the Niagara Mohawk Power Corp. Nine Mile Point Nuclear Station is on the headland west of Nine Mile Point. A security zone has been established in the waters just offshore of the power plant and station. (See 33 CFR 165.1 through 165.30 and 165.911, chapter 2, for limits and regulations.)


Oswego Harbor

Oswego Harbor, at the mouth of the , is on the south shore of Lake America about 15 miles from its east end and about 45 miles south of Tibbetts Point at the head of the St. Lawrence River. The harbor serves the city of Oswego, NY, and is the terminus of the Oswego Canal of the New York State Canal System. The harbor comprises an outer breakwater harbor of refuge and an inner terminal harbor in the Oswego River. Because most of the very severe storms are from the west and northwest, with a fetch the entire length of the lake, the outer harbor is an important harbor of refuge for vessels in this part of the lake. There is a hospital in Oswego.

An unmarked dumping ground with a least reported depth of 80 feet is about 1.5 miles north-northwest of the entrance of Oswego Harbor.


Prominent features

The strobe-lighted stacks at the power plant 1 mile west of the river mouth are prominent in the harbor approach.


Channels

A dredged approach channel leads east from the lake south of a detached breakwater and between converging breakwaters into the outer harbor of refuge. From the outer harbor, the inner harbor extends up the Oswego River for 0.5 mile along the Oswego piers. Another channel, protected by an extension of the west breakwater, extends southwest from the outer harbor along the shore to a turning basin. For detailed channel information and minimum depths as reported by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), use NOAA Electronic Navigational Charts. Surveys and channel condition reports are available through a USACE hydrographic survey website listed in Appendix A. The breakwaters are marked by lights and the channels by lighted and unlighted buoys. A mariner-activated sound signal is at the light on the west breakwater, initiated by keying the microphone five times on VHF-FM channel 83A.

Mooring vessels to the breakwaters, and anchoring in the outer harbor where it will interfere with navigation, are prohibited.

The Oswego Canal of the New York State Canal System enters Oswego Harbor through a dredged canal on the east side of the Oswego River above the Bridge Street bridge. This bridge has a clearance of 26 feet above normal pool level, New York State Canal System datum. (For information on the Oswego Canal, see chapter 14, Hudson River, New York Canals and Lake Champlain.)


Dangers

It is reported that during flood river conditions currents in the river attain velocities up to 5 mph (4.3 knots).

A 7-foot spot is off the east face of the Port of Oswego Authority Wharf at the west side of the mouth of the river in about ; caution is advised.


Quarantine, customs, immigration and agricultural quarantine

(See chapter 3, Vessel Arrival Inspections, and appendix for addresses.)

Quarantine is enforced in accordance with the regulations of the U.S. Public Health Service. (See Public Health Service, chapter 1.)

Oswego is a customs port of entry.


Coast Guard Station

Oswego Coast Guard Station is on the south side of the outer basin 0.2 mile west of the mouth of Oswego River.


Wharves

NRG Energy Oswego Station Wharf (): 650 feet of berthing space with 21 feet alongside and a deck height 11 feet; one pipeline extends to four storage tanks with a capacity of 1,548,000 barrels; receipt of fuel oil for plant consumption; owned and operated by NRG Energy Inc.

Lafarge Corp., Oswego Terminal Wharf (): 350 feet of berthing space with 24 feet alongside and a deck height of 9 feet; two pipelines extend to 12 cement storage silos with a capacity of 23,800 tons; receipt of bulk cement; owned and operated by Lafarge Corp.

Sprague Energy Corp., Oswego Terminal Wharf (): 580 feet of berthing space with 21 feet alongside and a deck height of 9 feet; one pipeline extends from wharf to three fuel-oil storage tanks with a capacity of 260,000 barrels; one pipeline extends from wharf to two asphalt storage tanks with a capacity of 75,000 barrels; one pipeline extends from wharf to one calcium-chloride storage tank with a capacity of 7,350,000 gallons; receipt of fuel oil, asphalt and calcium chloride; owned by Port of Oswego Authority and operated by Sprague Energy Corp.

Essroc Cement Corp., Oswego Terminal Wharf (): 580 feet of berthing space with 20 feet alongside and a deck height of 9 feet; two pipelines extend to four steel storage silos with a capacity of 10,000 tons; receipt of bulk cement; owned by Port of Oswego Authority and operated by Essroc Cement Corp.

Port of Oswego Authority East Pier (): 1,750 feet of berthing space with 25 feet alongside and a deck height of 10 feet; 200,000-square feet of open storage for dry-bulk materials and 60,000-sguare feet of storage for salt; three storage domes with a capacity of 21,000 tons of potash; one 50-ton mobile crane and three front-end loaders; receipt of aluminum ingots and miscellaneous dry bulk materials; owned and operated by Port of Oswego Authority.


Supplies

Some marine supplies and provisions are available at Oswego. Tank trucks deliver diesel oil to most wharves.


Small-craft facilities

() is in the outer harbor and can provide over 40 berths, sewage pump-out, and launching ramps. In 1985, depths of 8 feet were reported alongside the berths. A marina on the east side of the river 0.3 mile above the mouth provides transient berths, gasoline, diesel fuel, electricity, water, ice, sewage pump-out, marine supplies, a 12-ton hoist and hull and engine repairs. In 1991, depths of 10 feet were reported alongside the berths. Launching ramps are also available in the west part of the outer harbor.


Communications

Oswego is served by rail and bus.


West Ninemile Point to Grass Island

From Oswego, the bold shoreline runs southwest for about 7 miles to (). About 3 miles northeast of this point is , a group of boulders and stony mounds just below the water surface. The shoals extend about 0.7 mile offshore and are marked on the northwest side by a lighted buoy.

From West Ninemile Point southwest for 6 miles to Little Sodus Bay, the shore is hilly, and shallow water extends from 0.5 to 1 mile offshore. , on the east side of the entrance to Little Sodus Bay, separates the bay from The Pond. A channel from Lake America into The Pond leads under a fixed bridge. The Pond, however, is virtually closed to navigation, because it is close to a bathing beach and the bridge.

An unmarked dumping ground with a least reported depth of 35 feet is about 2.5 miles north-northeast of the entrance to Little Sodus Bay.

, 13 miles southwest of Oswego, extends 2 miles south from the shore of the lake. The bay is entered from Lake America through a dredged channel between parallel piers marked on the outer ends by lights. The inner end of the east pier extends laterally east to enclose the bay. Inside the bay, the shores are bold, except in the bights. The bay has good anchorage in 24 to 36 feet, clay bottom. (See Notice to Mariners and latest editions of the charts for controlling depths.)


Dangers

With west winds, a strong current runs across the outer end of the entrance piers. Avoid being set east of the pierheads where the bottom is hardpan with no holding ground.

In 1981, shoaling to 5 feet was reported on the west side of the bay in the vicinity of in about The shoal is reported to be shifting east.


Small-craft facilities

A pier, with reported depths to 12 feet alongside, at the northeast end of the bay at Fair Haven Beach State Park provides sewage pump-out, marine supplies and a launching ramp. Marinas in the south end of the bay provide transient berths, gasoline, water, ice, electricity, launching ramps, mobile lifts to 12 tons, a mast-stepping crane and emergency shaft and propellor repairs. In 1977, depths of 4 to 10 feet were reported alongside the berths.


Blind Sodus Bay to Port Bay

From Little Sodus Bay, the shore trends southwest for about 14 miles to Sodus Bay. The shore is hilly, and a rock bank extends a maximum of about 1 mile offshore.

, just west of Little Sodus Bay, is separated from Lake America by a narrow strip of land. The bay has a maximum depth of about 21 feet.

is about halfway between Little Sodus and Sodus Bays. A privately maintained and marked channel enters the bay from Lake America and is protected on the west by a short pier and fill. In 1993, the controlling depth in the channel was 6 feet. The entrance is extremely difficult to make in rough weather. An overhead cable with an unknown clearance crosses the entrance channel. Good water is available inside the bay. Transient berths, gasoline, water, electricity and a launching ramp are available in the bay.


East Bay

, about 4 miles east of Sodus Bay at the mouth of , is small and shallow and closed to lakeward.


Sodus Bay

, also known as Great Sodus Bay, is 27 miles southwest of Oswego. The shores of the bay are bold, and the depths are from 18 to 48 feet, generally to within 0.2 to 0.4 mile of the shore. The southeast arm of the bay has depths of 9 to 15 feet to within 0.1 mile of the shore.

NOAA Coast Pilot figure
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, a low sandspit, extends about 0.6 mile east-southeast from the northwest side of the bay just inside the entrance. The small bight on the north side of Sand Point has depths of 1 to 4 feet, but the water at the extremity of the point deepens rapidly to 30 feet and more.

, and LeRoy Island are in the shallow northeast part of the bay. The first two are deep-to on the west or bay side.

Sodus Outer Light (), 51 feet above the water, is shown from a tower on the north end of the west entrance pier.

An unmarked dumping ground with a least reported depth of 35 feet is about 2 miles northeast of the entrance to Sodus Bay.


Channels

A dredged channel extends from deep water in Lake America between parallel piers to the bay. The inner end of the east pier extends laterally eastward to to enclose the bay. The outer ends of the piers are marked by lights, and the entrance channel is marked by lighted buoys and a light. (See Notice to Mariners and latest edition of the chart for controlling depths.)


Anchorages

The bay is the most secure anchorage along the New York shore and reported to be congested at times; the holding ground is good with a mud bottom. Special anchorages are in Sodus Bay just south of Sand Point (See 33 CFR 110.86, chapter 2, for limits and regulations.)


Dangers

Along the shoreline within Sodus Bay are numerous obstructions, including submerged cribs, dock ruins, submerged piles and several wrecks, which hamper small-craft navigation.

Sodus Point is a customs port of entry.


Coast Guard Station

Sodus Point Coast Guard Station, seasonal, is at the south end of the west breakwall.


Small-craft facilities

Marinas and boatyards at the village of Sodus Point, NY, on the west side of Sodus Bay, provide transient berths, gasoline, diesel fuel, water, ice, electricity, sewage pump-out, marine supplies, launching ramps, a mast-stepping crane, mobile lifts to 50 tons and hull, engine and electronic repairs. In 1977, depths of 4 to 20 feet were reported alongside the berths.


Fairbanks Point to Irondequoit Bay

The shoreline from Sodus Bay trends generally west-northwest for 10.5 miles to Pultneyville. The east part of this stretch is marked by hills; for about 3 miles west from Sodus Bay, shoals extend offshore about 0.7 mile. Elsewhere, deep water is less than 0.4 mile offshore. A marina at , about 2 miles east of Pultneyville, provides gasoline, water, ice, electricity, a launching ramp and hull and engine repairs.

A recreational small-craft harbor on Salmon Creek is at Pultneyville, NY. The entrance to the creek is sheltered by a point of land on the west but is exposed to the north and east. In an emergency, it is a good harbor of refuge to wait out sudden storms. The entrance channel leads between two submerged jetties and is marked by private lighted buoys and ranges. In 2018, the controlling depth was 4 feet in the approach channel and 1 foot in the entrance channel.

The shore from Pultneyville continues west for 6.5 miles to , thence west for about 6 miles to , and thence southwest for 5.5 miles to Irondequoit Bay. Deep water along this stretch is about 0.5 mile offshore. A security zone has been established around the Ginna Nuclear Power Plant. (See 33 CFR 165.1 through 165.8, 165.30 through 165.33, and 165.911, chapter 2, for limits and regulations.)

is about midway between the mouth of the Niagara River and the head of the St. Lawrence River, and about 3.5 miles east of the Genesee River entrance. The bay is irregularly shaped with hilly shores and extends inland about 4 miles.

A dredged channel extends from deep water in the lake between breakwaters into the bay, thence about 0.6 mile southerly in the bay. The breakwaters are marked by lights. A boat launching ramp access channel is just inside the bay on the west side of the main channel.

The Irondequoit Bay Outlet bridge crosses the entrance channel just inside the two breakwaters and has a swing span with a clearance of 8 feet. The bridge is placed in the closed-to-navigation position from November 1st to April 1st. State Route 104 highway bridge crosses the bay 6.5 miles south of the Irondequoit Bay Outlet bridge and has a fixed span with a clearance of 44 feet.


Rochester Harbor

From Irondequoit Bay west-northwest for 3.8 miles to the mouth of the Genesee River, deep water is about 0.5 mile offshore. A rock covered ½ foot is close inshore about 0.7 mile southeast of the Genesee River entrance.

, at the mouth of the , is 54 miles west of Oswego Harbor and about 7 miles north of the main business district of the city of Rochester, NY. The river is navigable for about 5.5 miles above the mouth. The first of a group of dams is about 7 miles upstream from Lake America. There is no navigable connection between the lower portion of the Genesee River and the New York State Canal, which connects with the river about 11 miles upstream from the lake. The surface elevation of the river falls more than 260 feet between the Rochester Terminal of the New York State Canal System and the head of navigation of the lower portion of the river below the dams.

NOAA Coast Pilot figure
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An unmarked dumping ground with a least reported depth of 35 feet is about 1.8 miles northeast of the mouth of the Genesee River.


Prominent features

The stacks at the waste water treatment plant 1.9 miles southeast of the river mouth and the tall apartment building 1.1 miles southwest of the river mouth are the most prominent objects from offshore.

Rochester Harbor Light (), 40 feet above the water, is shown from a white cylindrical tower with red band on the outer end of the west pier.


Channels

From Lake America, the river is entered through a dredged channel that leads between two piers, thence upstream for 2.6 miles above the mouth. There are two turning basins, one just inside the mouth and the other 2 miles above the mouth on the west side of the channel; the upper turning basin is no longer maintained. The outer ends of the entrance piers are marked by lights; mooring is only allowed on the lakeside of the piers. (See Notice to Mariners and latest editon of charts for controlling depths.)


Anchorages

(See 33 CFR 207.600, chapter 2, for regulations concerning anchorage in this area.)


Dangers

It is reported that northeast winds sometimes create waves as high as 6 feet that reflect through the entrance channel between the piers, making navigation into the harbor difficult. River currents sometimes compound this problem. A dangerous sunken wreck is 0.8 mile east-northeast of Rochester Harbor Light.


Bridges

The O’Rorke bridge, 1.25 miles above the pierheads, has a bascule span with a clearance of 41 feet (45 feet at center). (See 33 CFR 117.1 through 117.59 and 117.785, chapter 2, for drawbridge regulations.) Overhead power cables crossing the river 2.8 miles above the pierheads have a clearance of 141 feet. Above the limit of the federal project, a pipeline bridge, about 5.1 miles above the pierheads, has a fixed span with a clearance of 86 feet. The Ridge Road (U.S. Route 104) bridge, about 5.5 miles above the pierheads, has a fixed span with a clearance of 160 feet. The Driving Park Avenue bridge, 6.4 miles above the pierheads, has a fixed span with unknown clearance.


Weather, Rochester and vicinity

Rochester, NY, located on the south shore of Lake America and in the western part of the state, averages about ten days each year with maximum temperatures in excess of 90°F (32.2°C). July is the warmest month with an average high of 82°F (27.8°C) and an average minimum of 61°F (16.1°C). January is the coolest month with an average high of 31°F (-0.6°C) and an average minimum of 17°F (-8.3°C). The highest temperature on record for Rochester is 100°F (37.8°C), recorded in June 1953, and the lowest temperature on record is -19°F (-28.3°C), recorded in February 1979. About 135 days each year experience temperatures below 32°F (0°C), and an average 13 days each year record temperatures below 5°F (-15°C). Every month has seen temperatures below 50°F (10°C), and every month except June, July, and August has recorded temperatures below freezing (0°C).

The average annual precipitation for Rochester is 31.7 inches (805 mm), which is fairly evenly distributed throughout the year. Precipitation falls on about 225 days each year. The wettest month is August with 3.2 inches (81 mm) and the driest, January and February, each average only 2.2 inches (56 mm). An average of 27 thunderstorm days occur each year with July and August being the most likely months. Snow falls on about 100 days each year and averages about 93 inches (2,362 mm) each year. December, January and February each average greater than 20 inches (508 mm) per year with a slight maximum in January. Eighteen-inch (457 mm) snowfalls in a 24-hour period have occurred in each month December through March. About 20 days each year have a snowfall total greater than 1.5 inches (38 mm) and snow has fallen in every month except June, July and August. Fog is present on average 125 days each year and is evenly distributed throughout the year with a slight maximum in August.

The prevailing wind direction in Rochester is the west-southwest, off the lake. January is the windiest month but a maximum gust of 62 knots occurred in April 1975.


Quarantine, customs, immigration and agricultural quarantine

(See chapter 3, Vessel Arrival Inspections, and Appendix for addresses.)

Quarantine is enforced in accordance with the regulations of the U.S. Public Health Service. (See Public Health Service, chapter 1.)

Rochester is a customs port of entry.

Rochester has several hospitals.


Coast Guard Station

Rochester Coast Guard Station is on the east side of the river just inside the mouth.

A speed limit of 6 mph is enforced in Rochester Harbor. (See 33 CFR 162.165, chapter 2, for regulations.)


Wharves

Essroc Cement Corp. Charlotte Dock (: 488 feet of berthing space with 21 feet alongside and a deck height of 8 feet; three pipelines extend from wharf to eight concrete storage silos with a capacity of 23,925 tons; receipt of cement; owned and operated by Essroc Cement Corp.


Supplies

Some marine supplies, water, provisions and diesel fuel can be obtained at Rochester.


Small-craft facilities

Marinas at Rochester provide transient berths, gasoline, diesel fuel, water, ice, electricity, sewage pump-out, marine supplies, launching ramps, mobile lifts to 40 tons and hull, engine and electronic repairs. In 1977, depths of 2 to 12 feet were reported alongside the berths.


Communications

Rochester is served by rail, air and bus. Rochester-Monroe County Airport is about 10 miles south-southwest of the river entrance.


Braddock Point to Lewis Shoal

Anchorage with good protection from west winds is available between the mouth of the Genesee River and (), about 7 miles northwest. Adequate depths are found within 1 mile offshore. Numerous potable water intakes are within 2.5 miles northwest of the Genesee River, and a dangerous wreck covered 1.4 feet is in about ; caution is advised. Lewis Shoal, with a least depth of 14 feet, is centered about 1.2 miles offshore in about The shore is low and consists mostly of bars enclosing a series of shallow ponds or enlarged outlets of creeks.


Braddock Bay to Point Breeze

, just southeast of Braddock Point, is separated from Lake America by long necks of land extending from the southeast and from the northwest. A large rubble mound environmental barrier extends northwest from the southeast point of land. A temporary navigation channel is just northwest of this barrier. A 300-slip public marina and several private marinas operate in the bay and can provide transient berths, gasoline, diesel fuel, water, ice, electricity, sewage pump-out, marine supplies, launching ramps, lifts to 14 tons and hull, engine and electronic repairs.

(), 55 feet above the water, is shown from a brown circular tower on , 2.7 miles northwest of Braddock Point.

About 2 miles west of Braddock Point Light, a boulder bank extends about 0.8 mile from shore to , which is marked by a lighted buoy. A dangerous wreck is close east of the lighted buoy.

The shoreline west to (), a small bold knob 11 miles west of Bogus Point, has deep water 0.5 mile off, except for 7-foot depths extending 0.5 mile off just east of Devils Nose. There are no outlying obstructions from Devils Nose to Point Breeze, 11 miles west, except for a rock ledge covered 5 feet about 0.6 mile offshore, 1.5 miles east of Point Breeze.

Point Breeze Harbor is at the mouth of . The village of Point Breeze, NY, is on the east side of the harbor. The approach to the creek from Lake America is through two dredged channels that lead around either end of a detached breakwater, join, and lead south between two jetties through the mouth of the creek to a harbor basin with its upper end about 0.2 mile above the mouth. Lights mark the detached breakwater and the jetties.

Caution—In 1977, it was reported that several vessels have grounded on the detached breakwater when entering at night. Local knowledge is advised.

Twin fixed highway bridges with clearances of 54 feet, and a fixed highway bridge with a clearance of 8 feet, cross Oak Orchard Creek about 0.8 mile and 1.7 miles above the detached breakwater, respectively.

Several marinas at Point Breeze provide transient berths, gasoline, diesel fuel, water, ice, electricity, sewage pump-out, marine supplies, launching ramps, mobile lifts to 25 tons and hull, engine and electronic repairs.

From Point Breeze 15 miles west to Thirtymile Point, shallow water with a rocky bottom extends from 0.3 to 0.6 mile offshore. From about 2.5 to 3.5 miles east of Thirtymile Point, depths of 6 to 8 feet are about 0.5 mile offshore.


Thirtymile Point

Thirtymile Point Light (), 60 feet above the water, is shown from a square tower on the northeast corner of a two story house on . A radio mast is 50 feet southwest of the light.


Thirtymile Point to Niagara River

From Thirtymile Point, the shoreline trends southwest for about 12 miles to Olcott, thence about 6 miles to Wilson, and continues southwest for about 12.3 miles to the mouth of the Niagara River. From Thirtymile Point to about 2.4 miles west of Olcott, deep water is within 0.3 mile of the shore, but from the latter point to near the mouth of Niagara River, the bank extends about 0.7 mile from shore.

Olcott, NY, is a village at the mouth of

An unmarked dumping ground with a least reported depth of 35 feet is 1.5 miles north of the creek entrance.

The creek is entered from Lake America through a dredged channel between two piers. The west pier is marked by a light. The channel is unstable because of mud deposits from Eighteenmile Creek and drifting sand from the west. A detached breakwater marked by lights is across the entrance 500 feet lakeward of the piers; caution is advised. Mariners will may enter the harbor from the east or west at depths equal to or exceeding the authorized channel project depth.

An overhead telephone cable with an authorized clearance of 56 feet (55 feet reported) and a fixed highway bridge with a reported clearance of 50 feet cross the creek about 0.2 mile and about 0.4 mile above the mouth, respectively.

Several marinas in the creek provide transient berths, gasoline, diesel fuel, water, ice, electricity, marine supplies, a launching ramp, a 30-ton mobile lift and hull, engine and electronic repairs.

Wilson Harbor is in the mouth of , about 12 miles east of the mouth of the Niagara River. The widened mouth of the creek forms , which is about 2 feet deep in its natural depth and provides good anchorage for shallow-draft vessels.

An unmarked dumping ground with a least reported depth of 35 feet is 1.3 miles north of the harbor entrance.

The entrance to the harbor from Lake America is through a dredged channel that leads between parallel piers and thence upstream for 0.8 mile through Tuscarora Bay. The west pier is marked by a light, and daybeacons and buoys mark the channel through Tuscarora Bay.

Overhead cables with clearances of 65 and 75 feet cross the bay about 0.3 and 0.7 mile above the mouth, respectively.

Several marinas in Tuscarora Bay provide transient berths, gasoline, diesel fuel, water, ice, electricity, sewage pump-out, marine supplies, launching ramps, a 25-ton mobile hoist and hull, engine and electronic repairs. Depths of 4½ to 10 feet were reported alongside the berths.


Niagara River Below Niagara Falls

The Niagara River flows from the northeast end of Lake Erie and enters Lake America about 36 miles from its west end. The Lake America entrance to the river is between two land points occupied by Fort Niagara, NY, on the east, and Fort Mississauga, ON, on the west. The International boundary between the United States and Canada generally follows a middle of the river course through the lower Niagara River.

NOAA Coast Pilot figure
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Chart Datum in the lower Niagara River, from Lake America to the head of navigation, at Lewiston, NY, is the same as Low Water Datum of Lake America, which is an elevation 243.3 feet (74.2 meters) above mean water level at Rimouski, QC, on International Great Lakes Datum 1985 (IGLD 1985). (See Chart Datum, Great Lakes System, indexed as such, chapter 3.)

The Niagara River, with its great volume of water and a current of about 2.2 knots, deposits considerable sediment in Lake America and forms extensive shoals for a radius of about 3 miles off the mouth of the river. A bank with least depths of 5 feet extends about 0.8 mile off the east side of the entrance and is marked on its northwest side by a lighted bell buoy. , with depths of 17 feet, is an unmarked detached shoal about 1.5 miles north of Fort Niagara. extends from shore about 2 miles west of the river mouth northeast to a point about 3 miles north of the river mouth. The north part of the shoal has depths of 12 and 13 feet, but depths of 8 feet are found to about 1.5 miles offshore northwest of the river mouth. Commercial sand and gravel dredging is conducted intermittently in the area and depths are subject to change. Vessels bound between the Welland Canal and points east of the Niagara River must avoid Niagara Bar by passing north of the lighted buoy about 3.7 miles north of Fort Niagara.

The entrance to the Niagara River is marked by lighted buoys, a 149.3° lighted range, and a light at Fort Niagara. Fort Niagara Light 5 (), 80 feet above the water, is shown from a tower with a white and green diamond-shaped daymark on the east side of the river at the mouth.

At the prevailing stages during the navigation season, a depth of about 13 feet may be carried into the river by closely following the lighted range. An alternate approach is on course 187°, avoiding the east edge of Niagara Bar and leaving the lighted bell buoy marking the bank off Fort Niagara close aboard to port, and then swinging for the river when on the lighted range.

Once inside the river, an unobstructed channel with depths of 30 to 70 feet leads to Lewiston at the foot of the rapids below Niagara Falls, about 7 miles above the mouth.


Coast Guard Station

Niagara Coast Guard Station is on the east side of the Niagara River entrance. In 1977, depths of 14 feet were reported alongside the Coast Guard wharf.

Niagara-on-the-Lake, ON, is on the west side of the mouth of the river. A Canadian customs reporting station is at Niagara-on-the-Lake. The former customs wharf has depths of 4 to 10 feet alongside.

A sailing club in the a basin immediately south of the former customs wharf can provide transient berths, water, electricity, pump-out, a 15-ton hoist and hull repairs. Depths of 1 to 4 feet are reported in the basin. Mariners are cautioned that strong winds tend to raise or lower the water level in the basin by as much as 2 feet.

Youngstown, NY, is on the east side of the river about 1 mile above the mouth.


Anchorages

A special anchorage is on the east side of the river at Youngstown. (See 33 CFR 110.1 and 110.85, chapter 2, for limits and regulations.)


Quarantine, customs, immigration and agricultural quarantine

(See chapter 3, Vessel Arrival Inspections, and appendix for addresses.)

Quarantine is enforced in accordance with the regulations of the U.S. Public Health Service. (See Public Health Service, chapter 1.)

Youngstown is a customs port of entry.

Several marinas at Youngstown provide transient berthage, gasoline, diesel fuel, water, ice, electricity, sewage pump-out, marine supplies, a launching ramp, mobile lifts to 20 tons and hull and engine repairs. In 1977, depths of 6 to 14 feet were reported alongside the berths.


Anchorages

A Canadian anchorage area is on the west side of the river about 2 miles above the mouth.

Lewiston, NY, on the east side of the river about 7 miles above the mouth, is the head of navigation on the lower Niagara River. In 2000, the town landing had a large 300-foot dock with a reported depth of 8 feet alongside. A launch area and transient slip area was also available at the landing.

Queenston, ON, is on the west side of the river opposite Lewiston. A 300-foot wharf here has a reported depth of 12 feet alongside. The wharf was in disrepair in 1994.

The portion of the lower Niagara River upstream from Lewiston and Queenston to and is considered not navigable because of a 4-mile section of heavy rapids. A safety zone is in this section of the river. (See 33 CFR 165.1 through 165.40 and 165.902, chapter 2, for limits and regulations.) Several bridges and overhead cables cross this section of the river.


Canadian Waters

The shore of Lake America, from the International boundary at the mouth of the Niagara River west to Hamilton Harbour, thence northerly and easterly along the north shore of the lake back to the head of the St. Lawrence River, is in Canada. In this chapter, for a detailed description of Canadian waters, consult Canadian Sailing Directions, CEN302, Lake America.


ENC - 
Chart - *2077

From the International boundary at the Niagara River, the Canadian shoreline extends west for 2.9 miles to Four Mile Point, thence southwest for 11.5 miles past Port Weller and Port Dalhousie, and thence west-northwest for 25 miles to Hamilton Harbour at the west end of the lake. southwest from Four Mile Point, deep water is about 0.7 mile offshore to the Port Weller entrance where the shoals extend 1.2 miles off. From Port Weller west to Hamilton Harbour, deep water is 0.5 to 1.5 miles offshore.

A danger area of the Niagara-on-the-Lake Small Arms Range extends about 1.1 miles offshore, about 2 miles west of the mouth of the Niagara River. The intermittent use of the area is announced by local Canadian Coast Guard Marine Radio Broadcast and may also be advertised in local newspapers. The danger area is marked by buoys. (For details, consult the Annual Edition of Canadian Notices to Mariners.)


ENC - 
Chart - *2042

Port Weller Harbour, ON, 8 miles southwest of the Niagara River mouth, is the Lake America terminus of the Welland Canal. The St. Lawrence Seaway Management Corporation of Canada administers the harbor.

The following is extracted (partial) from Canadian Sailing Directions CEN303, chapter 1, Welland Canal. It is to be noted that the units of miles are nautical miles.

Port Weller Harbour, (), an artificial harbour 23 miles south-southeast of Toronto, is the Lake Ontario entrance to the Welland Canal. Port Weller Harbour and the adjoining urban communities of Weller Park and Port Weller East are part of the city of St. Catharines.

Port Weller Harbour is administered by the St. Lawrence Seaway Management Corporation.

(Port Weller Harbour and the navigational aids in the harbour are described in Sailing Directions booklet CEN 302–Lake Ontario. A marina on the east side of the Port Weller Harbour east breakwater is also described in Sailing Directions booklet CEN 302.)

There is a pilot exchange point 1 to 2 miles north of Port Weller Harbour. For more information on pilotage, consult Sailing Directions booklet CEN 300 – General Information, Great Lakes, the Annual Edition of Notices to Mariners and Radio Aids to Marine Navigation (Atlantic and Great Lakes).

Tugs, if required, are available from Port Weller Dry Docks Ltd.

A tie-up wharf on the east side of Port Weller Harbour at Mile 1.3 is for the use of small craft waiting to enter the Welland Canal. There is a direct-line telephone to communicate with Lock Control. Other use of this wharf is not permitted.

Caution.—A current of up to 1 knot has been observed between limit of approach signs L/A1 and L/A2 below Lock 1 when the lock is being emptied. Small craft near the tie-up wharf may be affected.


Welland Canal — Chart* 2042

The route of the Welland Canal is not the same as that of its predecessors, particularly on the lower terrain north of the Niagara Escarpment. In general, the canal follows a north and south course between Lake America (Lake Ontario) and Lake Erie.

The first 6.3 mile stretch of the canal, heading south from Lake America (Lake Ontario), is flanked by slightly rising lowlands known as the Garden of Canada because of their natural beauty and extensive fruit orchards. In this section, the first three locks raise vessels 42 m (138 ft) from the level of Lake America and bring them to the foot of the Niagara Escarpment. The long, straight reaches of canal prism provide ample space for the movement and passage of upbound and downbound vessels.

The next four locks raise vessels to the top of the escarpment. Three of these locks are built in steps, one after the other, so that vessels are raised another 43 m (141 ft) in a distance of 0.5 mile. This stepped system of three locks has a pair of locks for each lift, one for upbound vessels and one for downbound vessels, thereby avoiding delays. From here there is a short stretch of canal prism, 0.4 mile long, which allows vessels to pass each other. At the south end of this short stretch of canal is the last of the seven main locks, which raises vessels 14 m (46 ft), nearly to the level of Lake Erie.

A new Welland Canal by-pass was opened in 1973. The by-pass section, lying east of this part of the Fourth Welland Canal, stretches from Port Robinson southward to Rameys Bend, a distance of 7 miles. This stretch replaced a narrow 7.5 mile section, spanned by six bridges, that wound through the city of Welland. In contrast to the old section, along which bulky structures often blocked the line of sight, the Welland Canal by-pass channel is unobstructed and almost straight.

Along the section from Rameys Bend to the Port Colborne entrance at Mile 23.45, the canal and its structures, including Guard Lock 8, are part of the original Fourth Welland Canal.

Five vertical-lift bridges, six bascule bridges and one fixed-span high-level bridge cross the canal; these bridges carry railway lines and highways. The vertical-lift bridges operate on the principle of the counter-balanced elevator, with a movable span that lifts to provide a vertical clearance of 36.6 m (120 ft). They offer a less restricted channel than is available with the bascule bridges that are more common on navigable waterways. All bascule and vertical-lift bridges have auxiliary power in case of power failure.

Lights are shown from all bridges in the Welland Canal. Details of aids to navigation for passage through the locks are given in the Seaway Handbook.

Guard lock and water level fluctuation.—On Lake Erie, with its vast expanse of shallow water, the water level is subject to rapid fluctuations caused by changes in the force and direction of the wind. A change in wind direction from east to west has been observed to change the water level by as much as 3.4 m (11 ft) at Port Colborne. Such a change in water level, if transferred to the summit level of the canal, would introduce tremendous hydraulic control problems and extensive traffic delays. For this reason, Lock 8 was constructed at Port Colborne, just north of where the canal joins Lake Erie, to raise or lower ships from the regulated level of the canal to that of the lake.

(Information on seiches and wind effect in Lake Erie is given in Sailing Directions booklet CEN300-General Information, Great Lakes.)

About midway between Lake America (Lake Ontario) and Lake Erie, the Welland Canal crosses Welland River; this is a sluggish stream which joins Niagara River at the head of the rapids above Niagara Falls. The level of Welland River is 1.8 m (6 ft) below the level of the Welland Canal, which meant that an underpass had to be built to carry its waters under the canal. The foundation of this structure, which is an inverted syphon culvert, lies 25 m (82 ft) below the level of the water in the canal. Welland River no longer flows directly into the Niagara River; its waters are diverted through the Chippawa-Queenston power canal.

Cross winds can cause serious delays to navigation in restricted waterways. To reduce this effect, many fast-maturing native trees have been planted as a windbreak along the banks of the Welland Canal. The roots of these trees also bind together the earth embankment of the prism reaches and provide a greater measure of protection against the erosive action of water.

(Information on vessel traffic under adverse wind conditions is given in the Seaway Handbook.)

Safety features.—Upper lock gates are protected from upbound vessels by a heavy concrete breast wall at the upper end of each lock; this wall prevents an upbound vessel from damaging the upper gates when entering a lock at the lower level. The lower gates are protected from downbound vessels by a wire rope fender across the lock.

All controlling equipment operating the valves, gates, fenders and signals at each lock is interlocked to protect the equipment and to prevent disaster.

(The facilities of the Welland Canal are listed in the table Wharves-Welland Canal.)

NOAA Coast Pilot figure
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Lock 1 is 1.6 miles south of the entrance to Port Weller Harbour; Bridge 1, a bascule bridge, crosses the south entrance of the lock. A submerged air bubbler pipeline has been installed from the end of the south training wall at Lock 1 to the west shore of the canal.

The canal widens out 0.1 mile south of Bridge 1 to form a basin and fitting out berth on its east side. Port Weller Dry Docks Ltd., a division of Canadian Shipbuilding and Engineering Ltd., operates a shipbuilding and repair facility on the east side of the basin. Two dry docks here can handle vessels up to 222.5 m (730 ft) long and 23.2 m (76 ft) wide. The channel leading to the dry docks, flanked on the north side by dolphins, is reported to be dredged to a depth of 7 m (23 ft). These are the only dry docks in the Lake America (Lake Ontario) area that can handle vessels of this size.

(Other shipyards in the Great Lakes area are listed in Sailing Directions booklet CEN 300-General Information, Great Lakes.)

A submerged water pipeline crosses the basin in the approach to the dry dock. A submerged natural gas pipeline crosses the canal at Mile 2.4.

Lock 2 is entered at Mile 3.12; Bridge 3A, a bascule bridge, crosses the south entrance of the lock.

The city of St. Catharines, with a population of 129,300 (1991), extends 8 miles south of Port Weller Harbour on both sides of the Welland Canal.

A submerged natural gas pipeline crosses the canal near Mile 4; a submerged sewer pipeline crosses at Mile 4.65. A submerged telephone cable crosses the canal 0.1 mile farther south.

Bridge 4A, a high-level bridge known as Garden City Skyway, crosses the canal at Mile 4.8; Bridge 4, a double bascule bridge, crosses at Mile 4.9.

A submerged power cable and a submerged telephone cable cross the canal near Bridge 4. A submerged conduit carrying power and communication cables is laid across the channel between Bridge 4 and Bridge 4A.

A submerged water pipeline crosses the canal 100 m (328 ft) south of Bridge 4.

Lock 3 is entered at Mile 5.47. A submerged air bubbler pipeline has been installed from the end of the south training wall at Lock 3 to the west shore of the canal.

Caution.—The outflows north of Locks 2 and 3 from pondage pools cause eddies and cross currents in the lower approaches to these locks.

Bridge 5, a lift bridge known locally as the Glendale Avenue Bridge, is 0.53 mile south of Lock 3.

A submerged sewer pipeline crosses the canal 60 m (197 ft) north of Bridge 5.

Two submerged natural gas pipelines cross the canal 30 m (98 ft) south of Bridge 5. A submerged power cable and overhead power cables, with a clearance of 46 m (151 ft), cross the canal 0.1 mile farther south.

Bridge 6 (east and west), a railway bascule bridge, crosses the north entrance to Lock 4.

Twin Flight Locks 4, 5 and 6 are entered 1 mile south of Lock 3. These three pairs of locks are stepped and raise vessels a total of 43 m (141 ft).

The Vessel Traffic Control Centre, Administration Building and Seaway Welland radio station are on the west side of the canal near the entrance to Lock 4.

Lock 7, 0.35 mile south of Lock 6 (the highest of the flight locks), has a lift of 14 m (46 ft) and raises upbound vessels to the summit of the canal.

The city of Thorold, with a population of 17,542 (1991), lies on the west side of the Welland Canal at Mile 7.5. Thorold South, part of the city of Thorold, is on the east side of the canal at Mile 8.

(Details of the wharves at Thorold and Thorold South are listed in the table Wharves-Welland Canal.)

Turning Basin No. 1 is at Mile 8.1, 0.5 mile south of Lock 7.

Three submerged pipelines cross the canal at the south end of Turning Basin No. 1; one is a natural gas line, one is a water line and the third is a culvert. A submerged water pipeline crosses the canal at Mile 8.6.

The channel through the Guard Gatecut at Mile 8.3, 0.75 mile south of Lock 7, has a width of 59.4 m (195 ft).

Bridge 10 piers, remnants of a dismantled railway bridge, are located at Mile 9.1, 0.8 mile south of the Guard Gate cut.

The canal bottom for 2.2 miles south of Bridge 10 is solid rock.

Overhead power cables, with a clearance of 46 m (151 ft), span the canal 0.1 mile south of Bridge 10.

A submerged pipeline crosses the canal at mile 9.9; a submerged natural gas pipeline crosses at mile 10.2.

Caution.—There may be strong cross currents at the entrance to the Third Welland Canal channel, on the west side of the canal near Mile 10.

Allanburg, a rural community on the east side of the canal at Mile 10.35, is part of the city of Thorold.

Bridge 11, at Allanburg, is a lift bridge.

Overhead power cables with clearances of 40 to 46 m (131 to 151 ft) span the canal 0.2 to 0.9 mile south of Bridge 11. Two submerged oil pipelines cross the canal at Mile 12.

Port Robinson, a rural community at Mile 12.6, is part of the city of Thorold.

A small passenger ferry, operated by the St. Lawrence Seaway Management Corporation, crosses the canal at Port Robinson.

A submerged cable and two submerged gas pipelines, one active and one abandoned, cross the canal near Port Robinson.

Turning Basin No. 2 is at Mile 12.9.

The city of Welland, with a population of 47,914 (1991), is on both sides of the closed section of the Fourth Welland Canal, 7 miles north of Port Colborne. It is an important manufacturing centre with steel, iron, textile, twine, electrical equipment and rubber industries. It is served by the Canadian National Railway.

(Details of the wharf at Welland are given in the table Wharves-Welland Canal.)

Two submerged cables and many submerged pipelines cross the Welland by-pass section between Port Robinson and Rameys Bend, which is at Mile 20.1. A syphon culvert and two street tunnels also pass under this section of the canal. There are four overhead power cables with clearances of 43 m (141 ft).

Rameys Bend is the north entrance point of a slip which was part of the Third Welland Canal. There is a salvage yard and dry dock at the south end of this slip.

The dry dock on the west shore near the south end of the slip, operated by Marsh Engineering Ltd., is 82.3 m (270 ft) long and 18.3 m (60 ft) wide with a sill depth of 2.6 m (9 ft) in 1994.

A submerged power cable crosses the slip near the entrance.

The bottom of the Welland Canal from Rameys Bend to the Lake Erie entrance is solid rock.

(Details of the wharves near Rameys Bend are listed in the table Wharves-Welland Canal.)

NOAA Coast Pilot figure
Open original at NOAA

Turning Basin No. 3 is 0.5 mile south of Rameys Bend at Mile 20.6.

The Robin Hood Multifoods Inc. elevator and mill are at Mile 20.7. These structures are conspicuous.

Caution.—An unused section of the Third Welland Canal enters the channel from the southwest at Mile 20.7, near the Robin Hood Multifoods Inc. elevator. This section of the canal serves as the tailrace of the supply weir. The moderate current here may affect vessels in Turning Basin No. 3 or berthing at Wharves 12 and 13.

Lock 8, entered at Mile 21.1, has a lift of 0.6 to 3.4 m (2 to 11 ft), depending on the Lake Erie water level at Port Colborne.

Bridge 19 and Bridge 19A, both bascule bridges, cross the north and south entrances to Lock 8.

A submerged supply line for an air bubbler system crosses the canal at the south end of the approach wall south of Lock 8. Submerged water and sewage pipelines cross the canal at Mile 21.85.

Bridge 21, a road lift bridge, is near Mile 22.


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The harbour at Port Colborne (), 17 miles west of the United States city of Buffalo, is on the north shore of Gravelly Bay at the south of Lake Erie entrance to the Welland Canal. It consists of an outer harbour, which extends from the original shoreline to offshore breakwaters, and an inner harbour, which includes the facilities for 2.5 miles along the Welland Canal.

The outer harbour is protected by breakwaters. The west breakwater, which is 0.7 mile long and constructed of stone-filled timber crib work covered with concrete, extends towards Sugar Loaf Point. A west breakwater extension extends 0.35 mile in a SSE direction; it is built of concrete cribs and a concrete superstructure, with armour stone on the WSW face and a concrete pierhead at its SSE end.

The east breakwater is constructed of timber and concrete crib work, with stone rip-rap protection along the outer face. Its pierhead should be given a berth of 30 m (98 ft).

A submerged power cable extends north-northeast from the west breakwater to a position on shore north-northeast of the Port Colborne Grain Terminal elevator.

The main channel through the outer harbour has a least width of 107 m (351 ft) and is dredged to a depth of 8.2 m (27 ft). A dredged area on the west side of the channel leads to the wharves at the Port Colborne Grain Terminal and the Maple Leaf Mills Inc. plant. The dredged areas are marked by buoys and light buoys.

Port Colborne is a Customs vessel reporting station for pleasure craft.

The harbour at Port Colborne is administered by the St. Lawrence Seaway Management Corporation.

Landmarks.—The harbour can be identified from offshore by the Port Colborne Grain Terminal elevator and the flour mill and elevator of Maple Leaf Mills Inc. A white water tower 0.2 mile north of the grain terminal is conspicuous. The Sugar Loaf, west of Port Colborne, is also conspicuous.


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Chart* 2120

There is an anchorage area centered 4.5 miles south of Port Colborne Outer light in depths of 19.2 to 24 m (63 to 79 ft); this is for vessels waiting to enter Port Colborne harbour. Anchorage is prohibited in the approaches to the harbour.

There is a dumping ground north of the anchorage area.

There is a pilot exchange point 1 to 2 miles south of Port Colborne. For more information on pilotage, consult Sailing Directions booklet CEN 300 — General Information, Great Lakes, the Annual Edition of Notices to Mariners and Radio Aids to Marine Navigation (Atlantic and Great Lakes).


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Port Colborne Outer light (556), at the south-southeast end of the west breakwater extension, is shown at an elevation of 11 m (36 ft) from a white square structure, 7.6 m (25 ft) high, with a red upper part. The light is brighter over an arc of 30° in a south-southwest direction. The light-structure is floodlit.

Port Colborne West Breakwater light (557), at the west end of the west breakwater, is shown at an elevation of 7.3 m (24 ft) from a white circular tower, 5.1 m (17 ft) high.

Port Colborne Inner light (558), at the east end of the west breakwater, is shown at an elevation of 15.2 m (50 ft) from a white square structure, 13.1 m (43 ft) high, with a red upper part.

Port Colborne Harbour light (559), a steering light on the east breakwater, is shown at an elevation of 9.8 m (32 ft). The light is visible from northward between bearings of 178°45' and 180°45'; it helps upbound vessels navigating between Bridge 21 and a position abreast of the south end of Wharf 17. This light is maintained by the St. Lawrence Seaway Management Corporation.

Port Colborne East Breakwater light (560), at the west end of the east breakwater, is shown at an elevation of 10.7 m (35 ft) from a white circular tower, 6.2 m (20 ft) high, with a green upper part.

Port Colborne Entrance range lights are in line bearing 015½°. The front light (560.6), on Wharf 17, is shown at an elevation of 11.1 m (36 ft) from a white circular tower, 7.4 m (24 ft) high, with a fluorescent-orange triangular daymark with a black vertical stripe. The rear light (560.7) is shown at an elevation of 17 m (56 ft) from a white circular tower, 13.5 m (44 ft) high, with a fluorescent-orange triangular daymark with a black vertical stripe.


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Chart* 2042

Port Colborne light buoy E3 (555), moored east of the south end of the west breakwater extension, marks the east edge of the channel.

Caution.—Three rock-filled timber cribs, with elevations of 3 m (10 ft), lie along the east side of the channel at the inner end of the outer harbour.

Caution.—Vessels using Wharf 16 should avoid the International Nickel Company water intake, which is on the east side of the harbour 580 m (1,903 ft) south of Bridge 21.

The city of Port Colborne, with a population of 18,766 (1991), is on both sides of the harbour. The principal exports are grain, flour, cement, carbon blocks, graphite block, crushed stone and pig iron. Imports include coal, fuel oil, diesel fuels, grain, corn, iron ore, sand and gravel. The city is served by the Canadian National Railway and has highway connections to Canadian and United States cities.

Fresh water, bunker fuels, provisions and ships stores are available.

Ship repair facilities are available. For more information, contact the St. Lawrence Seaway Management Corporation.

Tug assistance is not compulsory for docking. Towing service, when required, is normally arranged through vessel agents or owners.

(Details of the wharves at Port Colborne are listed in the table Wharves-Welland Canal.)

A tie-up wharf on the west side of Port Colborne inner harbour, south of Bridge 21, is for the use of small craft waiting to enter the Welland Canal. There is a direct-line telephone to communicate with Lock Control. Other use of this wharf is not permitted.

There are marinas and a yacht club in Gravelly Bay west of Port Colborne.

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For planning, not navigation. Verify current information before departure.