BobbieswaterfallsJefferson County
Part 6- Jefferson County and the Waterfalls on the tributaries to Sandy Creek
By Bobbieswaterfalls
Continues from Part 2- Jefferson County and the Waterfalls on Sandy Creek
Towns that are within the Tug Hill Region
Adams, Champion, Lorraine, Rodman, Rutland, Watertown, Worth
Region: Northern Region
NYS Tourism Region: Thousand Island-Seaway
NYDEC Region: Western Adirondacks/Eastern Lake Ontario
Please Note: Some of the waterfall locations listed in this write up have been included in the previous ones. This is only focused on the Sandy Creeks and tributaries along them. I did not include the Black River as there is a future write up devoted to it.
Coverage of the waterfalls on tributaries within the Tug Hill Region
Sandy Creek and Tributaries to Sandy Creek
The following information is obtained from this resource: http://www.tughill.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/Pages-from-SandyCreeksFinalReportCompleteWithoutAppendices.pdf
Overview of the Sandy Creeks Watershed
Location
This watershed is located in New York State north of the cities of Utica, Rome, and Syracuse and south of the Saint Lawrence Seaway and the Canadian border. It is bordered by Lake Ontario to the west and it extends eastward toward the Tug Hill Plateau to just over the Lewis County line into the town of Pinckney. To the south, the watershed extends just into Oswego County near East Boylston and the towns of Sandy Sandy Creek and Richland. The largest population center is the community of Adams Center nearly in the center in the Watershed. The Sandy Creeks Watershed encompasses a series of smaller streams that drain into Lake Ontario including Stony Creek, Sandy Creek, South Sandy Creek, Skinner Creek, Little Sandy Creek, and Deer Creek.
Dry Hill Falls Watertown Twn, Rodman Stony Creek
Salisburys Mills Falls aka Eureka Mills Dam Henderson, Henderson Harbor Stony Creek
Talcott Falls Adams Twn Stony Creek
Talcott Lower Falls Adams Twn Stony Creek
Deer Creek falls on, Mooney Gulf/ Raystone Creek Lorraine Twn Deer Creek/Raystone Creek
Inman, Shingle, and Bear Gulfs sub-watershed cluster
Description
This cluster of sub-watersheds includes Inman, Shingle, and Bear Gulfs. There are seven sub-watersheds here totaling 8,205 acres in two different HUC 12 watersheds (Gulf Stream and Fish Creek). For the most part, these sub-watersheds have high quality streams, few dams, low point-source pollution, and few roads. This area also has high biodiversity. The gulfs in and around the Tug Hill have long been known for their unique habitat and relatively high number of rare species. Many of these gulfs have been well sur Earlier studies (Muench et al. 1974) have noted the unstable shale cliffs and the forested slopes. Shingle Gulf had excellent habitat for bird’s eye primrose an yellow mountain saxifrage but there are no historical records for either species there and they were not found during this survey. Field work by NY Natural Heritage Program staff and THC/THTLT p noted that this group of smaller gulfs is relatively free of invasive species.
Inman Gulf Oak Rim South Falls, aka Unseen Falls, Rodman, Gulf Stream
Inman Gulf Cascade Falls, aka Gulf Stream Falls, Rodman, Gulf Stream Tributary
Inman Gulf North Rim Falls, Rodman, Gulf Stream tributary
Inman Gulf Rainbow Falls, aka Oak Rim North falls, Pinckney Twn, Barnes Corners Unnamed Stream (Lewis County)
Shingle Gulf Falls, Rodman, Shingle Gulf
Bear Gulf Falls, Pinckney Twn, Barnes Corners, Unnamed Stream (Lewis County)
Lorraine and Totman Gulf sub-watershed cluster
Description
Although separated by a lower quality sub-watershed, these two gulfs were clustered together because of their proximity to one another. The streams flowing through these two gulfs ultimately join downstream from the gulf areas. All together, the six sub-watersheds here occupy about 2,780 acres in two different HUC 12 Watersheds (South Sandy Creeks and Raystone Creeks). Similar to the other cluster of gulfs described above, this group of sub-watersheds has good Land cover values. Indices for stream buffers, roads, and dams also indicate a high-quality landscape. In addition, these gulfs also have a high biodiversity. Lorraine Gulf, in particular, has been well surveyed and documented over the years with the first documented rare plant occurrence in 1927. Unfortunately, a substantial amount of invasive species were noted in these gulfs. In particular, Japanese knot weed (Polygonum cuspidatum) has become the dominant stream side vegetation in many places. Rocky islands midstream as well as the cliff walls are seeing an increase in coverage of this species. It has spread far up of the steep riversides until the instability of the rock and talus make further advances impossible.
Lorraine Falls, Lorraine, Fox Creek
Totman Gulf Falls, Lorraine Twn, Fox Creek, tributary to
Towle Gulf Falls, Lorraine, Towle Gulf
Informational
South Sandy Creek is a small tributary to Lake Ontario in Jefferson and Lewis counties. South Sandy Creek flows from its source in the Tug Hill region westward through the village of Ellisburg before emptying into Lake Ontario.
History
During the War of 1812 the “Battle Of Big Sandy” was fought along the banks of the lower end of the stream. A public parking lot on New York State Route 3 has a memorial dedicated to the Americans who fought and died here.
Little Sandy Creek, located north of the Salmon River, flows through the little towns of Lacona and Sandy Creek. It is the smallest of the three Sandy Creeks and is strictly dependent on rain for its water. Little Sandy Creek averages only twenty feet wide in most places. Access to Little Sandy Creek is provided from and off routes #81, #11 and #3. Route #120 runs alongside the stream. Route #15 runs alongside the streams.
South Sandy Creek, located north of Little Sandy Creek near Ellisburg, is much larger, but it too, is strictly dependent on rain for its water level. It averages as much as 50 feet wide. South Sandy Creek can be accessed from South Landing Road near Ellisburg. Roads leading off Route #193 also provide access. South Landing Road near the lake probably has the best access. There are other access roads to South Sandy Creek.
North Sandy Creek, located north of South Sandy. It can be accessed from Route #3, route #75 and #193 which crosses the stream.
Sandy Creek, Ellisburg, Ellisburg town
Sandy Creek Falls (Adams) Mcds, Adams, Sandy Creek
Sandy Creek Falls (Adams) Near RR, Adams, Sandy Creek
Sandy Creek falls on Bisig Rd, Rodman Town, Sandy Creek
South Park Street, (falls on), Adams Town, Sandy Creek
Sandy Creek, falls on Zoar Rd, Rodman Town, Sandy Creek
Sandy Creek Falls, East Rodman Falls, Rodman Town, Sandy Creek (PRIVATE)
Tributaries to Sandy Creek
Fish Creek, Adams, Adams Town, Sandy Creek, tributary to
Gulf Stream, Rodman, Rodman Town, Sandy Creek, tributary to
Shingle Gulf, Rodman, Sandy Creek, tributary to
Fish Creek, Rodman, Adams Town, Sandy Creek, tributary to
South Sandy Creek, Ellisburg, Ellisburg town
South Sandy Creek, falls on, Worth Town
Unnamed Falls, Lorraine Town, South Sandy Creek, tributary to
Tributaries to South Sandy Creek
Abijah Creek, Rodman, Lorraine town, South Sandy Creek, tributary to
Fox Creek, Adams, Ellisburg town, South Sandy Creek, tributary to
Fox Creek falls on, Lorraine Twn Lorraine Twn Fox Creek
Big Brook/Fox Creek/Little Fox Creek Lorraine Twn Big Brook/Fox Creek/Little Fox Creek(PRIVATE)
Big Brook, Falls on, Lorraine
Pigeon Creek, Barnes Corners, Worth town, South Sandy Creek, tributary to
Taylor Brook, Adams, Ellisburg town, South Sandy Creek, tributary to
Bear Creek, Ellisburg, Ellisburg town, South Sandy Creek, tributary to
Kibling Brook, Ellisburg, Ellisburg town, South Sandy Creek, tributary to
Little Deerlick Creek, Ellisburg, Ellisburg town, South Sandy Creek, tributary to
Stebbins Creek, Rutland Center, Rutland town, South Sandy Creek, tributary to
Clora Creek, Rodman, Worth town, South Sandy Creek, tributary to
Grunley Creek, Rodman, Worth town, South Sandy Creek, tributary to
North Branch Sandy Creek, Rodman, Adams Town
Staplin Creek, Rutland Center, Watertown town, Sandy Creek, North Branch, tributary to
Helsinki Falls, Staplin Creek tributary to North Branch Sandy Creek
Jacobs Creek, Rutland Center, Watertown town, Sandy Creek, North Branch, tributary to
Jacobs Creek Falls, Watertown Twn, Jacobs Creek(PRIVATE)
Jacobs Creek Lower Falls, aka Boynton Creek Lower Falls, Watertown Twn, Jacobs Creek(PRIVATE)
Jacobs Creek, Falls on #2, aka Cook Rd Falls, Rutland Twn, Jacobs Creek
Boynton Creek, Rutland Center, Watertown town, Sandy Creek, North Branch, tributary to
Boynton Creek Falls, aka Boynton Creek Upper Falls, Watertown Twn, Boynton Creek(PRIVATE)
Burrville Falls
Freeman Creek, Watertown, Watertown town, Sandy Creek, North Branch, tributary to
Additional Waterfall Locations, that are on Sandy Creek, But outside of the Tug Hill Region
Woodville Falls, Ellisburg Twn, Sandy Creek
Monitor Mill Falls, Ellisburg Twn, Sandy Creek, South
South Sandy Creek Falls, Lower, Ellisburg Twn, Sandy Creek, South
South Sandy Creek Falls, Upper aka Wardwell Falls, Ellisburg Twn, Pierrepont Manor, Sandy Creek, South
Sandy Creek Falls, aka Really Cool Walking Place, Ellisburg, Henderson, Sandy Creek
Sandy Creek Falls, Upper, Ellisburg Twn, Belleville, Sandy Creek
Belleville Falls, Sandy Creek Lower Falls, Ellisburg, Sandy Creek
