A paddlers’ wish list

By PHIL BROWN

In 1989 and 1990, the state Department of Environmental Conservation drafted a preliminary list of navigable waterways, taking suggestions from its regional staffs, the Adirondack Mountain Club’s canoe-route subcommittee, and American Whitewater, a nonprofit group devoted to protecting whitewater resources.

Since the list was only preliminary, DEC planned to hold public hearings at which paddlers and landowners would have had an opportunity to argue for adding or subtracting waterways.

Because the hearings were never held, the list was never released or subjected to public scrutiny. Thus, it cannot be assumed that every waterway on the list is, in fact, navigable or that all waterways not on the list are not navigable. Nevertheless, most are thought to be navigable under the common law.

With those caveats, here are the fifty-five Adirondack waterways (out of 253 in the state) that made the list.

…………………………………………………………

Ausable River
Ausable Forks to Lake Champlain

Ausable River, East Branch
• Between Route 73 bridges south and north of Keene Valley hamlet
• Keene to Ausable Forks

Ausable River, West Branch
• South Meadow to Monument Falls
• Wilmington Dam to Ausable Forks

Beaver River
Lake Lila to Black River

Big Brook
Stony Lake to Long Lake

Black Creek
Black Creek Reservoir to Hinckley Reservoir

Black Pond Outlet
Black Pond to Keese Mills Road

Black River
North Lake to Lake Ontario

Bog River
Adirondack Railroad tracks near Bog Lake to Round Lake Outlet

Boquet River
Beaver Meadow Brook to Lake Champlain

Cedar River
Wakely Dam to Hudson River

Chateaugay River
Middle Kiln Brook to Canadian border

Deer River
Deer River Flow to St. Regis River

East Canada Creek
Powley Place to Mohawk River

Fall Stream
Vly Lake to Piseco Lake

Follensby Pond Outlet
Follensby Pond to Raquette River

Grass River, North Branch
Gleason Road to Main Branch of Grass

Grass River, South & Main Branches
Little Mountain headwaters to St. Lawrence River

Harrington Brook
Harrington Pond to Lake Lila

Hatch Brook
Pond Road to West Branch of Salmon River

Hudson River
Henderson Lake to Troy Dam

Indian River
Indian Lake to Hudson River

Jessup River
Perkins Clearing to Indian Lake

Jordan River
St. Lawrence County line to Carry Falls Reservoir

Kunjamuk River
Kunjamuk Flow to Sacandaga River

Little River
• Route 3 east of Star Lake to Aldrich Pond
• Aldrich to Brown Falls Bridge

Little Tupper Lake
Entire lake and outlet

Marion River
Blue Mountain Lake to Forked Lake carry

Mill Creek
Near Crane Mountain to Hudson River

Moose River, Main & Middle Branches
Eighth Lake to Lyons Falls

Moose River, North Branch
Big Moose Lake to Middle Branch

Moose River, South Branch
Otter Brook Road to Middle Branch of Moose

Osgood River
• Jones Pond to Osgood River and beyond
• East of Route 30 to Meacham Lake put-in

Oswegatchie River
Cranberry Lake to Ogdensburg

Oswegatchie River, East Branch
Partlow Dam to Inlet

Oswegatchie River, Middle Branch
East of Buck Pond to West Branch of Oswegatchie

Oswegatchie River, West Branch
Long Pond to Main Branch of Oswegatchie

Piseco Outlet & Spy Lake Outlet
Big Bay to Sacandaga River

Raquette River
Raquette Lake to St. Lawrence River

Red River
Moose River Plains Road to South Branch of Moose

Round Lake Outlet
Round Lake to Tupper Lake

Sacandaga River, East Branch
Lake Pleasant outlet to Hudson River

Sacandaga River, West Branch
Route 10 bridge to Shaker Place

St. Regis River, Main Branch
St. Regis Church to St. Lawrence River

St. Regis River, East Branch
Rice Brook to Main Branch of St. Regis

St. Regis River, West Branch
Little Fish Pond to Main Branch of St. Regis

Salmon River
2.5 miles above Mountain View Pond to Fort Covington

Saranac River
• Indian Carry to High Dam at Moffitsville
• High Falls Dam to Cadyville Beach

Saranac River, North Branch
Goldsmith Road bridge to Main Branch of Saranac

Schroon River
Sharp Bridge campground to Hudson River

Shingle Shanty Brook
Shingle Shanty Pond to Lake Lila

Stony Creek Ponds Outlet
Coreys to Raquette River

West Canada Creek
Indian River junction to Mohawk River

West Canada Creek, South Branch
The Flow to West Canada Creek

Woodhull Creek
Sand Lake to Forestport Reservoir