Saranac River

Saranac (Sal-a-sa'-nac)
Riviere Serindac
River
Country USA
State New York
Region Adirondack Mountains
County Clinton County, Essex County, Franklin County
Source Upper Saranac Lake
 - coordinates 44°15′53″N 74°14′36″W / 44.26472°N 74.24333°W
Mouth Lake Champlain
 - location City of Plattsburgh
 - elevation 95 ft (29 m)
 - coordinates 44°41′59″N 73°26′45″W / 44.69972°N 73.44583°WCoordinates: 44°41′59″N 73°26′45″W / 44.69972°N 73.44583°W
The Saranac River flowing northeast from Saranac Lake, New York

Saranac River is an 81-mile-long (130 km)[1] river in the U.S. state of New York. In its upper reaches is a region of mostly flat water and lakes. The river has more than three dozen source lakes and ponds north of Upper Saranac Lake; the highest is Mountain Pond on Long Pond Mountain. In the last third of its length it drops two-thirds of its total drop, and is known for having navigable rapids, which make it a popular site for whitewater kayaking and canoeing.

The Saranac River empties into Lake Champlain at the City of Plattsburgh in Clinton County, New York. The river flows in a northeasterly direction from the Adirondack Mountains.

The river encompasses Upper, Middle and Lower Saranac Lakes, as well as Oseetah Lake, Lake Flower, Franklin Falls Pond and Union Falls Pond, and flows through the village of Saranac Lake; there are locks between Middle and Lower Saranac Lakes, and between Lower and Oseetah, although the drop is only a few feet. Thirty-three miles further northeast, the river flows through the village of Saranac, before winding through Plattsburgh, reaching Lake Champlain after a further 23 miles.

The Saranac River has a fairly diverse fishery, including northern pike, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, rock bass, pumpkinseed, fallfish, brown bullhead, brown trout, and landlocked atlantic salmon.

Sources

Jamieson, Paul and Morris, Donald, Adirondack Canoe Waters, North Flow, Lake George, NY: Adirondack Mountain Club, 1987. ISBN 0-935272-43-7.

References

  1. "The National Map". U.S. Geological Survey. Retrieved Feb 11, 2011.

See also