The Dredge became a man-made ditch to control flooding

By Deb Everts CONEWANGO

— As the town of Conewango observes its 200th birthday, it’s a good time to look back on the construction of the Conewango Dredge, an important waterway that runs through the town to this day.

“The Dredge,” as it became known, was an idea of the New York State Legislature in 1839 to extend the Erie Canal southward from Buffalo through western Cattaraugus County to the Allegheny River via Conewango Creek. It was one of the largest projects of its kind attempted in Western New York.

Although the canal never materialized, part of the legislature’s plan was resurrected in 1896 to protect areas along the meandering Conewango Creek from constant flooding. When the creek was straightened and cleared 127 years ago, the manmade ditch opened up approximately 20,000 acres of farmland on both sides of the northsouth waterway. This nine-mile drainage ditch runs northerly along the CattaraugusChautauqua County line from Goodwins Landing near Randolph to the Dredge Road by the village of

South Dayton.

In her article submitted to “Historic Path of Cattaraugus County,” local historian Marlynn McNallie Olson Ray said some of the best farmland was along the route planned to be taken by the Dredge, but every year it flooded and was unusable.

“It served its purpose for a considerable time, but no maintenance was ever provided. The shores eroded and trees fell over into the Dredge, and that dammed up the water,” she said.

“Flooding began again, canceling out all the hard work and money that had been spent to prevent flooding. The land was once again covered with water.”

Ray said the situation got so bad that something had to be done. She said a group of interested citizens formed to clean out the Dredge and shore up the banks from Cherry Creek to Waterboro in the mid1990s. The midsection of that effort lies in the town of Conewango. With donated money, the laborers began to clean out the original Dredge and shore up the banks, finally completing the task in 2003.

“Brush and undergrowth was cut away and hauled out,” she said. “The bottom of the Dredge was cleaned of 103 years’ worth of accumulation.”

Many people have commented how wonderful it would be if the original creek bed could be restored and put back the way nature intended. Built for drainage, the Dredge has become a prime recreational feature attracting fishermen, canoeists and kayakers.

According to the Cattaraugus County

Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan of 2006, there are nine floodwater impoundments located in the headwaters of Conewango Creek. They are maintained by the Conewango Watershed Association and have greatly reduced the severity of flooding since their construction in the 1960s and ’70s.

Typically, the loss of protective riparian vegetation – wetlands adjacent to rivers and streams – primarily due to agricultural pursuits is the major contributor to stream bank erosion

People choose pets for various reasons, including the size or appearance of an animal or even a natural affinity for a certain type or breed. Cats and dogs are wildly popular pets, and many households even have both.

When it comes to selecting a breed of kitty or pup, certain options seem to be more popular than others. Acrosss the globe, these breeds of canine and feline have recently been listed as top breeds, courtesy of The Cat Fancier’s Association and Highland K-9 Training.

Dog

1. Bulldog: Most popular in the United Kingdom, Puerto Rico and Serbia, this muscular, medium-sized dog once was bred for fighting. Selective breeding has transformed bulldogs into calmer, more loveable companion animals.

2. German Shepherd: The German Shepherd’s popularity shows no signs of waning. It’s the third-most registered breed in the United States and its high trainability, speed, agility, and other traits make it a popular family pet.

3. Labrador Retriever:

Whether they’re chocolate, black or yellow, labs have been loved for decades. Canadians, Americans and people from all over flock to the affectionate Labs. Originally called the St. John’s Water Dog, Labs originated in Newfoundland, but have since loved their ways into homes across the globe.

Cat

1. Ragdoll: This longhaired cat with a soft, plush coat has gained popularity in recent years. It was recognized as an official breed in 1998, and its mellow disposition and bright blue eyes have made it a favorite. trimmed to the approval of the cemetery board, maintaining grass height of no more than 3 inches and trimmed as close to the grave stones as possible Bidder is to furnish mowing and trimming equipment as necessary and provide a certificate of insurance Bids to be a single price for the entire season of May through October for the year 2023 Bids to be submitted prior to April 20th 2023 in a sealed envelope and mailed or delivered to Becky Kruszynski, 5739 Humphrey Road, Great Valley New York 14741

2. Maine Coon: This is the largest of all pedigree cat breeds, and is considered the “gentle giant” of the feline world. Shaggy-coated and attractive, these cats are quite popular around the world.

3. Exotic: The Exotic was developed as a more easily maintained alternative to the Persian (also a top breed). A short, dense coat with a variety of patterns has inspired the admiration of cat lovers across the globe.

Please contact Becky Kruszynski, secretary with any questions by order of the Green Cemetery Association