Onondaga Lake & Area Background

The water quality of Onondaga Lake has been profoundly affected by a long history of pollution, but efforts are underway to restore the lake's health.

Lake size & depth

Infrared image of Onondaga Lake

The lake covers an area of 4.6 square miles, has average depth of 35 feet and a maximum depth of 63 feet. Its volume is about 35 billion gallons. It is approximately 1 mile wide and 4.6 miles long and receives water from a land area, or drainage basin, of 285 square miles located almost entirely within Onondaga County, New York. The Maps and photos page has several maps of the lake and surrounding area and numerous photos of the lake. Onondaga Lake watershed has more information about the lake's drainage basin and the major tributaries of the lake.

Historical Background

The Onondaga Lake area was the center of the Iroquois Confederacy prior to exploration and settlement by Europeans. The completion of the Erie Canal in the early 1800s led to increased settlement of the area. Many early settlers were attracted to the Syracuse area because of the newly developing salt industry on the lake's shores. Increased population and industrialization resulted in pollution that degraded water quality and severely impacted lake use and related industries. See Lake area settlement and development for more historical information.

Lake Use

Onondaga Lake has served many uses in its history, including industrial, sanitation, and recreation uses. Usage of the lake has changed over time, and has been affected by the lake's current poor water quality. The Lake use page has more information about past and present use of Onondaga Lake.

Water Quality

Onondaga Lake is one of the most polluted lakes in the United States. The lake has a long history of domestic and industrial pollution that have severely degraded the lake's water quality. The Onondaga Lake pollution section of this web site has a great deal of information about the lake's pollution history and major pollutants of concern. The lake is not damaged beyond repair, however. Its water quality and the condition of its waterfront have improved significantly over the past 30 years. A variety of projects have been undertaken to improve the lake's water quality. More information about these projects is located in the Cleaning up Onondaga Lake section of this web site.

Plant & Animal Life

Despite the Lake's serious pollution problems, it supports a wide variety of plant and animal life, including more than fifty species of fish. More information about the plants and animals of Onondaga Lake is available on the Plants and animals and the Lake's fishery pages.