10 CoXSEKVATION 1 )i;i'Ain\M EXT 



county entire, Niagara, Genesee, Wyoming, Cattaraugus and Chau- 

 tauqua. Three of the largest stream systems, Cattaraugus, Tona- 

 wanda and Buffalo creeks, have their sources in the plateau section 

 at the eastern and southern ends of the waters and at an elevation 

 from 1,000 to 1,900 feet above sea level. In these headwaters are 

 the chief trout waters of the region while in their lower reaches 

 are the common "pan fish" species. A vast assemblage of lesser 

 streams entering Lake Erie offer contributions of importance in 

 the economy of the lake by supi)lying suitable spawning or feeding 

 grounds for migrating lake species. 



The stream length including that of all large and lesser streams 

 together Avith their tributaries totals for the watershed about 3.300 

 miles. Of this number about 527 miles are worthy of stocking ; 

 and of this mileage 370 are suitable for trout. The acreage in small 

 lakes and ponds is 491 and that of reservoirs 276y2 acres. Barge 

 canal waters total approximately 25 miles. 



Authorization of Survey. — From the Conservation Fund there 

 was appropriated as a part of the appropriation bill from this 

 source tlie sum of $65,000 for the "Biological Survey including 

 Fish Protection." In pursuance of this provision, this survey, the 

 third of the series, Avas undertaken in the Erie-Niagara watershed 

 including also the eastern end of Lake Erie undertaken by the 

 State as a joint effort with the Federal Bureau of Fisheries and 

 with participation by the Province of Ontario, Canada. Reports 

 of the two preceding surveys of watersheds, the Genesee and 

 Oswego systems, have been distributed to the public. 



The Watershed as the Unit. — The New York plan of surveys 

 is })ased on the watershed as tlie unit. There are 19 watersheds 

 lying wholly or in part within the boundaries of the State. The 

 plan is "a waterslied a year." By doubling some of the smaller 

 ones, it will be possible to finish the survey of all the State waters 

 in about eiglit more years. The watershed as the unit area has 

 been adopted because of the nature of certain major problems im- 

 ])inging upon that of a stocking i)olicy, such as, pollution, basic 

 problems in fish ])opulation and distribution, the impounding of 

 waters in liydro-electric development, municipal water supplies, 

 the influence of canals, problems in commercial fishing and the like 

 — in all of wliich greater continuity and comprehensiveness ai'e 

 attained by attacking the watershed as a unit. 



Statistics. — According to tiic I'ccords of the Conservation 

 I)<'|)artment, the i)lantiiigs of fish in the Erie-Niagara system total 

 for Ihe ten-year period, 191S-1{)27, 612,777,930 young' fish. The 

 plantings by s])ecies and the watci' into which they ai'c placed are 

 shown in table 1. 



