Ellicott Creek

Geobox|River
name = Ellicott Creek
native_name =
other_name =
category =
etymology = Named for Joseph Ellicott, surveyor and land agent.
nickname =

---

image_size = 300
image_caption = Ellicott Creek flooding in Bowmansville, NY.
country = United States
state = New York
region_type = County
region = Genesee County
region1 = Erie County
district =
municipality =
tributary_left =
tributary_right =
city = Tonawanda
source =
source_location =
source_region = Genesee County
source_country =
source_elevation_imperial = 1000
source_coordinates_note = Source elevation derived from Google Earth search using GNIS source coordinates.]
source_lat_d = 42
source_lat_m = 54
source_lat_s = 15
source_lat_NS = N
source_long_d = 78
source_long_m = 23
source_long_s = 49
source_long_EW = W
source_coordinates_note = GNIS|949513|Ellicott Creek]
source1 =
source1_location = | source1_region = | source1_country =
source1_elevation_imperial =
source1_lat_d =
source1_lat_m = | source1_lat_s = | source1_lat_NS =
source1_long_d = | source1_long_m = | source1_long_s = | source1_long_EW =
source_confluence =
source_confluence_location = | source_confluence_region = | source_confluence_country =
source_confluence_elevation_imperial =
source_confluence_lat_d = | source_confluence_lat_m = | source_confluence_lat_s = | source_confluence_lat_NS =
source_confluence_long_d = | source_confluence_long_m = | source_confluence_long_s = | source_confluence_long_EW =
mouth = Tonawanda Creek
mouth_location =
mouth_region = Erie County
mouth_country =
mouth_lat_d = 43
mouth_lat_m = 1
mouth_lat_s = 16
mouth_lat_NS = N
mouth_long_d = 78
mouth_long_m = 52
mouth_long_s = 37
mouth_long_EW = W
mouth_coordinates_note =
mouth_elevation_imperial = 562
mouth_elevation_note = Mouth elevation derived from Google Earth search using GNIS mouth coordinates.]
length_imperial = 45
length_note = [Calculated in Google Earth]
warershed_imperial = 81.6
watershed_note = [http://niagara.nypa.gov/ALP%20working%20documents/finalreports/html/IS23BW.htm Upper Niagara River Tributary Backwater Study] , New York Power Authority]
discharge_imperial = 100
discharge+note =
discharge_max_imperial =
discharge_min_imperial =
free = | free_type =


map_caption =
map1 = New York Locator Map.png map1_size = 300
map1_caption = Location of the mouth of Ellicott Creek in New York
map1_locator = New York
commons =

Ellicott Creek is a stream in Western New York, United States. It is a tributary of Tonawanda Creek, which in turn into the Niagara River.

Course

Ellicott Creek originates in southwest corner of Genesee County, just northeast of Darien Lakes State Park, in the Town of Darien. It flows generally west, crossing into Erie County and the Town of Alden. It crosses the northern edge of the Town of Lancaster, flowing through the community of Bowmansville in the northwest part of Lancaster.

Continuing west, Ellicott Creek enters the Town of Cheektowaga. There it passes by the toxic Pfohl Brothers Landfill and the Buffalo Niagara International Airport. The creek turns to the northwest at the airport. It flows under one of the runways via a tunnel. It then turns more directly north and enters the Village of Williamsville and the Town of Amherst.

At Williamsville's Island Park Ellicott Creek splits briefly into two channels, one of which contains floodgates. The other channel was historically used to divert water into flumes for powering mills just downstream. Below the floodgates the creek flows rapidly north, passing under State Route 5 and falling over the Onondaga Escarpment at Glen Falls in Amherst State Park.

After Glenn Falls Ellicott Creek continues flowing generally north and northwest through Amherst. It passes by several golf courses and then through the northern edge of the campus of the University at Buffalo, after which the creek turns to the west and crossing under Interstate 990 (the Lockport Expressway). It then enters the Town of Tonawanda.

Just west of I-990 the creek splits into two channels for about convert|1.25|mi|km. The northern channel is deeper and has been more thorougly channelized. and is bordered by commercial land use, while the southern channel is fairly sinuous and contains more trees in the riparian zone. [http://niagara.nypa.gov/ALP%20working%20documents/finalreports/html/IS18ETC.htm Mapping of aquatic and ripiarian habitats of Ellicott and Tonawanda Creeks] , New York Power Authority]

After these channels rejoin, Ellicott Creek passes through Ellicott Creek Park and continues west for approximately convert|3|mi|km before emptying into Tonawanda Creek in the City of Tonawanda. This portion of Tonawanda Creek is also part of the Erie Canal. Tonawanda Creek then empties into the Niagara River. The distance from the mouth of Ellicott Creek to the Niagara River is about convert|0.5|mi|km.

History

Ellicott Creek is named after Joseph Ellicott, an important agent of the Holland Land Company. Ellicott played a significant role in opening Western New York up for settlement after the Iroquois ceded their claims in the 1780s, more significantly in the Big Tree Treaty with the Seneca nation. Elicott surveyed most of Holland Purchase into townships and saleable land parcels.

Natural history

Niagara River surface fluctuations influence creek water level up to convert|7|mi|km upstream of the mouth of Ellicott Creek. [ [http://niagara.nypa.gov/ALP%20working%20documents/finalreports/html/IS23BW.htm Upper Niagara River Tributary Backwater Study] , New York Power Authority]

Recreation

A bike path follows the creek in the Town of Amherst, near the University at Buffalo and flows under Interstate 990 before leaving Amherst by passing under U.S. Route 62 (Niagara Falls Boulevard) to enter the Town of Tonawanda at Ellicott Creek Park.

ee also

*List of New York rivers

References