Chapter Twelve
The Tributaries
Forgotten Lifeblood of the Mohawk
Valley 
The streams flowing into the Mohawk River were
once the lifeblood of the valley. In addition to providing clean, cold
water for human consumption, they were the primary source of food for the
earliest inhabitants. Freshwater fish, mussels and clams were abundant,
and in the vast forest where game was scarce, streams attracted deer, moose,
rabbit, grouse and other wildlife. Indian villages were located on high
ground peninsulas jutting out into tributary valleys, and seasonal villages
were located at the mouth of streams or near waterfalls where fish
congregated during spawning runs.
When Europeans and
their descendants settled in the Valley they used tributary water for their
farmsteads and to power mills. Prior to the introduction of steam power,
there were literally thousands of water-powered mills on the streams that
ran into the Mohawk River. Even when waterpower was no longer needed, tributary
water was used for cleaning, cooling, mixing, diluting and waste removal.
Tributaries like Sauquoit Creek and Cayadutta Creek were so polluted with
industrial and municipal waste they "stunk to high heaven."
Because
there were so many dams and mills on some streams, they became trickles
of colored water between mill ponds, especially during the summer months.
Some of the larger streams like West Canada Creek and East Canada Creek
were used to float logs to sawmills or pulp mills, and then used to dispose
of the waste. Tanneries added to the pollution by dumping hide scrapings,
hair and tanning chemicals. Cheese factories and other food processing
plants also dumped their refuse in streams. Except in the headwaters and
near milldams fish were non-existent.
By the mid 1800s most Mohawk
Valley tributaries were polluted, but in the late 1800s and early 1900s
when many mills moved to the larger streams, some of the smaller streams
recovered and fishing improved dramatically. But it wasn't until the mid
1970s when New York State enacted and enforced its Clean Water Act that
both municipalities and industries stopped dumping raw sewage into streams.
A number of industries closed their doors or moved elsewhere, but many
joined with municipal, county and state governments to fund the construction
of waste water treatment plants. In a relatively short time, most pollutants
disappeared from these streams, and fish and wildlife returned.
Streams like the Cayadutta were once so polluted they "stunk to high heaven."
Natural fish production has
returned to many of these streams. On some "trout streams" where public
fishing is permitted and natural production cannot keep up with the demand,
the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation and local sportsmen stock
fish each year.
Although some Mohawk Valley
tributaries have been impounded to provide municipal water supplies, power-generating
facilities and to feed the Erie (Barge) Canal, the importance of most of
these streams has diminished. Their waters are seldom used for household
or industry, and with so many posted roadside areas, only a few are fished,
hunted or explored.
Because these tributaries
are so much a part of the history of the Mohawk Valley and because I like
to see wonders of nature, wildlife, wildflowers and wild places . . . and
catch fish, I plan to walk and/or canoe most of them. How much of the stream
I explore will depend on its historical significance, accessibility and
how good the fishing is.
Except for the canoeing runs,
most discovery trips start at the mouth and progress upstream. When I see
posted signs along these streams, I cross to the other side or try to obtain
permission from the landowner. I carry a fishing rod on most of these outings,
but I'm also looking for flora, fauna, waterfalls, gorges, potholes, Indian
sites, old dams, mills, bridges, trails and roads.
I note the date, times
and weather for each outing because these factors so often determine water
levels and temperature, fish and wildlife activity, and the types of vegetation
along these streams. For the most part I use departure, arrival and travel
times rather than distance, because distance is often irrelevant considering
the terrain and condition of the streambed. Climbing a waterfalls, and
walking a stream criss-crossed with downed trees takes a lot longer than
walking the same distance on a flat, limestone streambed. Likewise canoeing
meandering stillwater takes a lot longer than floating a fast-flowing stream.
Although each stream and each
discovery trip is unique, some of the information is repetitive, especially
on streams in the same area of the valley. To do each stream justice, I
try to be specific as to the composition of the streambed, rock formations,
and flora and fauna. Whenever possible, I include information about the
historical significance of the stream and note unique historical or geological
sites.
On most of these trips I wear
hip boots, but switch to neoprene waders during the coldest weather and
to sneakers or wading shoes in the summer. I carry cameras, binoculars,
raingear, lunch and a few fishing lures in a daypack. My fishing tackle
and lures were pretty much the same on each stream; an ultralight spinning
rod and gold lures, usually a Phoebe spoon because it works well on trout
and bass in shallow water. I also use crayfish and minnow imitation plugs,
and on rare occasions live bait.
The tributaries are listed---left to right, top to bottom---in goegraphical order, starting near the source of the Mohawk River and progressing downstream.
