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Erie Canal The Erie Canal is an historic 332-mile connection from Waterford, opposite Troy on the Hudson River, to Tonawanda on the Niagara River, between Lakes Ontario and Erie. For the first 88 miles, between Waterford and Frankfort, it follows the canalized Mohawk River. From Frankfort to Sylvan Beach, where it joins Lake Oneida, it follows a dug canal (36 miles). After crossing the 21-mile long Lake Oneida, it follows canalized portions of several rivers for 70 miles to Lyons. The junctions to the Oswego Canal and the Cayuga-Seneca Canal are located in this section between Lake Oneida and Lyons. The Oswego Canal, with 7 locks, descends the canalized Oswego River for 23 miles north to Lake Ontario. The Cayuga-Seneca Canal connects south to Cayuga and Seneca Lakes. From Lyons west to Tonawanda Creek the Erie Canal follows a dug canal for 105 miles until it joins Tonawanda Creek for the remaining 13 miles to Tonawanda and the Niagara River. The Erie Canal is comprised of 34 locks, 15 lift bridges, guard gates, and numerous dams. It climbs 405 feet to Utica, descends 50 feet to Lake Oneida, climbs again to Rochester (150 feet), stays on the level between Rochester and Lockport (59 miles) and finally climbs 49 feet to reach the Tonawanda River. |
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