Cascadilla Creek Inlet at Cayuga Lake

On your way to the Cascadilla Creek inlet to Cayuga Lake along the Cayuga Waterfront trail, the Route 13 Bridge will cross Cascadilla Creek. This is where a dredging project will begin in 2020 to increase flood resilience in Ithaca and remove large concrete blocks at the bottom of the creek. Afterwards, the waterfront trail will eventually lead to where Cascadilla Creek meets the larger Cayuga Inlet. This intersection is easily viewable from the boat dock at the end of the Ithaca Farmers Market building where the seasonal Ithaca Farmers Market happens on Saturday and Sunday mornings.

Not many people would consider the Cayuga Inlet a piece of water infrastructure because of its natural look, but the inlet played an important role in connecting Ithaca with the outside world. This became possible when Cayuga Lake was connected to the Erie Canal in 1828. The inlet was transformed from a forested area to a highly populated area. The water quality suffered immensely due to this change. According to the Ithaca Times, lead and oil seeped into the water from the boatyards. Dredging projects continued to worsen the water quality and enable business to boom. Flooding was frequent, but explains how the Cayuga Inlet looks today. Eventually flooding put an end to the once booming waterfront business on the Cayuga Inlet. In 1935, a notorious flood began plans for a major flood control project. This project was eventually completed in 1970, after widening, straightening, and deepening the channel. Passenger services on the nearby railroad ended only slightly earlier in the 1960’s.

Today, the inlet continues to suffer from heavy siltation, most likely a result of the inlet’s history of abuse. In addition, the western portion of Cascadilla Creek contributes to the inlet’s murkiness and impaired condition. Sediment-laden water comes from the developed parts of the creek. Still, the inlet is an important asset for the surrounding area, allowing access to the lake for facilities such as the Ithaca Area Wastewater Treatment Facility and the Collyer Boathouse. The flow of the inlet will eventually hit the land near the lighthouse and push East before diffusing into the rest of the lake. On stormy days, sediment plumes hitting the lake can be seen from above.

The WRI thanks you for coming on this tour! We hope you learned a lot about Ithaca’s water infrastructure. You can find more information on the Year of Water Campaign on the WRI website.