Carved out of bedrock more than 10,000 years ago by glaciers, Seneca Lake is the deepest freshwater lake east of the Mississippi River outside the Great Lakes.

In the heart of the New York wine country (click for area map). Seneca Lake enjoys moderate temperatures and rainfall from April through mid-December, and turns cold with moderate snowfall through March. Because of its depth, the lake does not freeze in the winter. Weather conditions on Seneca Lake are relatively calm in comparison to the ocean or the Great Lakes. For this reason, operations may be conducted throughout the year on a 24-hour, round-the-clock basis, if the need exists.

Boat traffic on the lake is minimal throughout the year, peaking in the summer. With abundant boating marinas and recreational facilities available on the neighboring Cayuga Lake to the east of Seneca Lake, boating around the sonar test facility remains low throughout the year. Pleasure boating is also kept to a minimum in the summer by the relatively cold water.


 



Click here to view a depth diagram of Seneca Lake.

 

 

Click here to view the isothermal graph.