Characteristics
We begin with an overview of St. Lawrence County and its residents, nestled between the St. Lawrence River, the Thousand Islands region, and the Adirondack Mountains. This section provides information about the physical land and climate, the most recent demographics of its inhabitants, and the available housing in the County.
Location and Size
St. Lawrence County is located in Northern New York along the Canadian border. The Adirondack Mountains lie to the east, the Thousand Islands region to the south, and the St. Lawrence River to the northwest. The total land area of the County is 2,685 square miles. It comprises thirty-two towns, thirteen villages, and one city. The County Seat is in the town of Canton, which is near the geographic center of the County.
In close proximity are the Canadian cities of Ottawa and Montreal. Lake Placid, home to the 1932 and 1980 Winter Olympic Games, is a short drive through the picturesque Adirondack Mountains.
Interstates 81 and 87 are within easy reach, and access to ocean shipping routes is as close as the St. Lawrence Seaway. Highway 401 is just over the Canadian border; this roadway connects the metropolitan areas of Toronto, Montreal, and Windsor and continues across Canada.
Topography
| Physiographic Regions | |||
|---|---|---|---|
|
|
St. Lawrence Valley |
Adirondack Foothills |
Adirondack Mountains |
|
Length |
70 miles |
50 miles |
Approximately 40 miles |
|
Width |
22 miles |
5-12 miles |
Approximately 20 miles |
|
Area |
1,540 square miles |
250-600 square miles |
973 square miles |
|
Elevation |
158-600 ft. |
600-1,000 ft. |
Over 1,000 ft. |
|
Land |
Level to gently sloping; wetlands, shallow lakes, slow streams |
Hills, ponds, fewer wetlands, rapid rivers, rapid streams |
Mountains, marshes, bogs, rivers, streams, lakes, ponds |
|
Ground Water |
High quantity and quality |
High quantity and quality |
High quantity and quality |
|
Soils |
Heavy Poor drainage Marine clay |
Lighter Good drainage Sandy deposits |
Thin Rock underneath Pockets of peat Precambrian bedrock |
|
Special Notes |
50% of County excellent for agriculture, extensive hydro-power |
4 major rivers, little flooding, extensive hydro-power |
County’s highest point: Mt. Matumbla 2,688 ft |
Principal Bodies of Water
All of St. Lawrence County is within the watershed of the St. Lawrence River. Approximately 12% of the North American continent is drained by this system. There are numerous minor watersheds in the County, all of which run north to the St. Lawrence River. Approximately 93% of the County is drained by one of four major rivers: the Raquette, the Oswegatchie, the St. Regis, and the Grasse.
|
St. Lawrence County Rivers |
||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Principal Rivers | Drainage Area (sq. mi.) |
Flow (cu. ft./sec.) |
Measured at | Length* (mi.) |
| St. Lawrence | 242,800 | Massena | 76 | |
| Oswegatchie | 1,609 | 2,660 | Ogdensburg | 133 |
| Raquette | 1,204 | 2,089 | Raymondville | 163 |
| Grasse | 637 | 607 | Pyrites | 112 |
| St. Regis | 910 | 1,034 | Brasher Falls | 77 |
* Length within St. Lawrence County only
|
St. Lawrence County Major Lakes and Reservoirs |
|
|---|---|
| Black Lake |
17.2 |
| Cranberry Lake |
10.7 |
| Carry Falls Reservoir |
10.1 |
| Rainbow Falls Reservoir |
1.1 |
| Blake Reservoir |
1.0 |
Climate
The delightful four-season weather of the North Country is an endless source of pleasure to its residents and visitors. Cold winters are offset by the gradual transition to spring, warm, sunny summers, and breathtaking autumn days. The following information describes the year-round climate found in St. Lawrence County.
|
Growing Season |
||
|---|---|---|
| Annual Average |
163 Days |
|
| Last Spring Frost |
April 30 – May 10 |
|
| First Fall Frost |
September 30 – October 10 |
|
| Temperature | ||
| July mean | 70° F | 21.1°C |
| July maximum | 100° F | 37.8°C |
| January mean | 18°F |
-7.8°C |
| Annual mean | 46°F | 7.8°C |
| Precipitation | ||
| Annual mean | 32 in. | 81 cm. |
| Growing season | 8-16 in. | 20-40 cm. |
| Annual mean snowfall | 66 in. | 168 cm. |
Source: St. Lawrence County Planning Department
The following table compares the weather in Massena, a St. Lawrence County village, with representative communities in North America. The first table, comparing temperature, is measured in degrees Fahrenheit (° F), and a dash (-) indicates that information was unavailable.
| Temperature | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
|
Massena New York |
Montreal Quebec |
Rochester New York |
Chicago Illinois |
Stockton California |
|
WINTER Maximum
Minimum
Mean |
27.8
9.1
18.5 |
-
-
16.4 |
33.1
20.9
47.0 |
-
-
26.7 |
55.4
38.5
47.0 |
|
SPRING Maximum
Minimum
Mean |
55.9
33.8
44.8 |
-
-
42.2 |
58.4
38.0
48.2 |
-
-
49.0 |
72.9
46.4
59.7 |
|
SUMMER Maximum
Minimum
Mean |
74.4
53.4
63.9 |
-
-
68.0 |
76.6
55.8
66.3 |
-
-
73.3 |
92.4
59.5
76.0 |
|
AUTUMN Maximum
Minimum
Mean |
54.6
36.0
45.3 |
-
-
47.6 |
57.8
39.9
48.9 |
-
-
53.7 |
77.1
50.1
63.7 |
Source: St. Lawrence County Planning Department
Precipitation includes sleet, hail, etc., but the most common forms are rain and snow. The figures in the table below represent precipitation in inches and a dash (-) indicates that information was unavailable.
| Precipitation | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
|
Massena New York |
Montreal Quebec |
Rochester New York |
Chicago Illinois |
Stockton California |
|
WINTER Rain Snow |
2.33 12.00 |
2.45 N/A |
2.55 14.20 |
1.90 N/A |
2.49 N/A |
|
SPRING Rain Snow |
1.55 4.00 |
2.45 N/A |
2.45 3.80 |
3.30 N/A |
2.45 N/A |
|
SUMMER Rain
|
3.88
|
5.50
|
1.04
|
3.73
|
0.07
|
|
AUTUMN Rain Snow |
3.95 3.00 |
3.17 N/A |
3.53 2.50 |
2.60 N/A |
0.87 N/A |
Source: St. Lawrence County Planning Department