Moss Island
Encyclopedia
Moss Island in Little Falls, New York
is an igneous intrusion
of Syenite
in the Mohawk Valley with the Little Falls at one end. It became an island when locks were built so boats could avoid the 40 ft falls. It is known for its extremely large (40-50 ft) potholes as well as being popular with local rock climbers. It was declared a National Natural Landmark
in May 1976 There are ongoing efforts by the local community to turn Moss Island into a New York State Park.
on the north and the NYS Barge Canal
to the south. It is covered in dwarf oak trees. Glacial striation, also known as glacial scrapes, are visible in some places.
The first locks around the waterfall were created in 1793 A dry 19th century Eire Canal lock (Enlarged Erie Canal Lock #36) is located next to the southeastern service road. The current Lock 17 is one of the tallest locks of its type in the world and the largest in the NYS Barge Canal system. The lock uses a guillotine gate on its eastern side.
In 1974, the New York State Thruway
was planning to build a bridge over Moss Island, but after negative publicity, it was rerouted around the island.
Little Falls (city), New York
Little Falls is a city in Herkimer County, New York, USA. The population was 5,188 at the 2000 census. The name is derived from a small cataract near the city....
is an igneous intrusion
Intrusion
An intrusion is liquid rock that forms under Earth's surface. Magma from under the surface is slowly pushed up from deep within the earth into any cracks or spaces it can find, sometimes pushing existing country rock out of the way, a process that can take millions of years. As the rock slowly...
of Syenite
Syenite
Syenite is a coarse-grained intrusive igneous rock of the same general composition as granite but with the quartz either absent or present in relatively small amounts Syenite is a coarse-grained intrusive igneous rock of the same general composition as granite but with the quartz either absent or...
in the Mohawk Valley with the Little Falls at one end. It became an island when locks were built so boats could avoid the 40 ft falls. It is known for its extremely large (40-50 ft) potholes as well as being popular with local rock climbers. It was declared a National Natural Landmark
National Natural Landmark
The National Natural Landmark program recognizes and encourages the conservation of outstanding examples of the natural history of the United States. It is the only natural areas program of national scope that identifies and recognizes the best examples of biological and geological features in...
in May 1976 There are ongoing efforts by the local community to turn Moss Island into a New York State Park.
Description
Moss Island is 1500 feet long and 625 feet wide. It is bordered by the Mohawk RiverMohawk River
The Mohawk River is a river in the U.S. state of New York. It is the largest tributary of the Hudson River. The Mohawk flows into the Hudson in the Capital District, a few miles north of the city of Albany. The river is named for the Mohawk Nation of the Iroquois Confederacy...
on the north and the NYS Barge Canal
New York State Canal System
The New York State Canal System is a successor to the Erie Canal and other canals within New York...
to the south. It is covered in dwarf oak trees. Glacial striation, also known as glacial scrapes, are visible in some places.
History
The potholes were created by huge volumes of water falling over a prehistoric cataract once located here, much like modern day Niagara Falls. At that time, perhaps 20,000-80,000 years ago, the Great Lakes drained through the Mohawk Valley / Hudson River because the St. Lawrence River was blocked by glaciers.The first locks around the waterfall were created in 1793 A dry 19th century Eire Canal lock (Enlarged Erie Canal Lock #36) is located next to the southeastern service road. The current Lock 17 is one of the tallest locks of its type in the world and the largest in the NYS Barge Canal system. The lock uses a guillotine gate on its eastern side.
In 1974, the New York State Thruway
New York State Thruway
The New York State Thruway is a system of limited-access highways located within the state of New York in the United States. The system, known officially as the Governor Thomas E. Dewey Thruway for former New York Governor Thomas E. Dewey, is operated by the New York State Thruway Authority and...
was planning to build a bridge over Moss Island, but after negative publicity, it was rerouted around the island.