and

Land Uses in Mohawk Valley

Today we look at land use in the Mohawk Valley. Here a series of maps along the Mohawk River, showing land use as a quad color image, based on NASS/Landstat data from the region. The images below use the following colors:

  • Red – Developed areas such as cities, highways, and other industrialized or otherwise developed parts.
  • Yellow – Agricultural areas, including all farm crops such as corn, hay, alfalpha, and other truck crops
  • Green – Woodland, brush, and barren lands
  • Blue – Water bodies

These images should pick up detail up to about 300 feet in any particular direction.

Overwhelmingly, the Mohawk Valley is about agriculture, although as elevation increases and farming is no longer profitable, then farm fields revert to tree cover. And while their are certainly single family homes and other rural residents under the tree cover, by no means is development the overwhelming use of the land.

Utica Area.

Most of the farming in the Utica-area, occurs south of the city, due to the sandy soils, short growing season, and elevation making farming unprofitable north of city. This map may actually distort how much land north of city is actually farmed, as many of farm fields shown on this map have been abandoned and are slowly reverting to brush and ultimately tree cover.

While not a lot of unique birds at Montezuma out and about as it was a hot and humid day, still nice to explore nad see the wildflowers

Canajoharie Area.

As you get around Canajoharie the amount of farming activity picks up dramatically, and except for a small section right next to the Mohawk Valley, most of this area is not developed.

Grass along Teeter Pond

Albany-Schenectady Area.

Heading towards Albany-Schenectady, you see more development, but notice how you don’t have to get far from the city for forest cover to be dominant feature, and not agriculture. A lot of this is rural residents, with acreage, and hobby farms around here. Farming stops when you get up on the Rensselear Plateau, although the farm lands right around Brunswick are quite profitable, until you start heading towards Grafton where almost all farming stops.

Many Nights Sunsets

How NY State is Connected By Roads

Most times when you look at maps, they contain a lot more information then just roads. Most maps have parks, water bodies, road names and numbers. Lots of data to make the map useful. Yet, that distracts from the main purpose of roads — a circulatory system for the state’s commerce, to allow goods and people to move freely across the state.

As you will see, Highway Systems could almost be maps of human veins and arteries. Terrain plays a role in highway systems, though modern highways can blast their way through almost any barrier, climb any hill, cross any water body, to be fully connected. Highways go where people have historically chosen to engage in commerce.

Expressways, Primary Arteries.

These are the most traveled and most important arteries of NY State, that allow commerce to flow across state. Not too surprising, but shows how cities across our state are connected.

 Clear Morning

Various NY State Cities.

Many Upstate Regions have similar looking arterial systems. There is an urban street grid, then a twisty suburban street grid, with major arterial surrounding the cities, often only partially completed after 1973 when Nelson Rockefeller canceled most major urban highway projects due to the recession and increased concern about urban expressway impacts. The arterial system around Binghamton is particularly interesting, as a reflection of the deep alluvial valleys and rugged terrain that surrounds this relatively small city.

 Autumn Skies

 Dusk

 Queer Lake

Labrador Pond

 Baneberry

Morning walk

Land Uses in Mohawk Valley

How much of the Mohawk Valley is developed, how much is farmed, and how much is forested? These images give you a clear overview, with all agricultural cropland and pasture colored yellow, all forest lands colored green, waterways colored blue, and developed areas are red. This is based on LANDSTAT and USDA NASS Croplayer data.

Overwhelmingly, the Mohawk Valley is about agriculture, although as elevation increases and farming is no longer profitable, then farm fields revert to tree cover. And while their are certainly single family homes and other rural residents under the tree cover, by no means is development the overwhelming use of the land.

Most of the farming in the Utica-area, occurs south of the city, due to the sandy soils, short growing season, and elevation making farming unprofitable north of city. This map may actually distort how much land north of city is actually farmed, as many of farm fields shown on this map have been abandoned and are slowly reverting to brush and ultimately tree cover.

While not a lot of unique birds at Montezuma out and about as it was a hot and humid day, still nice to explore nad see the wildflowers

As you get around Canajoharie the amount of farming activity picks up dramatically, and except for a small section right next to the Mohawk Valley, most of this area is not developed.

Grass along Teeter Pond

Heading towards Albany-Schenectady, you see more development, but notice how you don’t have to get far from the city for forest cover to be dominant feature, and not agriculture. A lot of this is rural residents, with acreage, and hobby farms around here. Farming stops when you get up on the Rensselear Plateau, although the farm lands right around Brunswick are quite profitable, until you start heading towards Grafton where almost all farming stops.

Many Nights Sunsets

Kayaking Beaver Creek, August 2011

Where is a quiet place to kayak near Cedar Ridge and the Brookfield Horse Camp? Have you ever thought about kayaking the Beaver Creek, from Horse Trail 60 north until the end of the navigable waters?

 Cedar River-Limekiln Lake Road

You take Fairgrounds Road north from Brookfield NY, until a first parking area on the left of the road. This is Horse Trail 60. It’s a short portage (1/8 mile) until you reach the bridge crossing the Beaver Creek.

Horse Trail 60 Bridge

Put in the on the side of this bridge. I did from the east side, through the marshy ground, but you could portage over the horse bridge, then put on the west side, and avoid the marshy ground.

Heading Under Horse Trail 60 Bridge

Beaver Creek State Forest Sign

The Very Flat Water Beaver Creek

Wider But Shallow Section of Beaver Creek

Hudson River looks nice and brown

More Open Section of Beaver Creek

Heading Back

Timothy Grasses Along Shore

Another Narrow Section

Trees Along River Bank

Wind Generated Current

Claustrophobic?

Flowers

Having a good set of wheels means you won’t have to carry your kayak, but make sure not to drag it on the gravel to avoid wearing holes in your kayak, as I learned earlier this summer.

Kayak on Wheels

This is a delightful little trip. Do drive the Charles Baker Auto tour, or hike some of the many trails in the area…

 Green Lakes Elevation Psuedo Color

Pavilion

Kayaking Long Pond

Long Pond offers 8 designated roadside campsites, and a handful of other informal campsites on the other side of the lake. A large man-made lake in an agricultural landscape of Chenango County, it offers some excellent fishing and nice views, especially for Chenango County.

Reed Hill

This map below shows where each picture was taken roughly in the area.

Farm on North-West Side

Flower on Lake

Barn Along NY 41

Rain Drops

Bailed Hay Along Pond

Flowers

Dolph Pond State Forest

Great Blue Heron

Finally Starting to Clear!

Timber Planation Along Long Pond

Blue Skies

Checking the Map

Clearing

Hatch Brook Falls

Dam at End of Lake

 Fields

White Birch Planation

West from Dam

Campsite 7

Golden Rod

Golden Rod, Trees, Clouds

Evening Sun Peaking Out

Rays Hitting the Pond

Backlit

Evening Sun Peaking Out

Sunset on the Lake

Sun Rays

Reflections of Sun