Eighteen Mile Creek (Erie County)

Course

From its source in the town of Concord, The creek drains an approximately 120 sqmi watershed.

Geology

The lower section of Eighteen Mile Creek has been known for its abundance of fossils since the 19th century. The faces of the creek's gorges expose bands of shale overlain by limestone which yield numerous fossils dating from the middle to late Devonian Period. These include corals such as Heliophyllum and Favosites in addition to various species of crinoids, brachiopods, bryozoans, bivalves, and trilobites.

Portions of the creek and surrounding area in the town of Hamburg have been designated as a "Critical Environmental Area" due to its abundance of fossils.

Public use

Sportfishing

Eighteen Mile Creek is utilized by anglers seeking Lake Erie steelhead during their annual spawning runs that take place from mid-October to early May. Brown trout are also sought year-round. Fishing access is facilitated by 1.4 mi of "public fishing rights" conservation easements secured along the creek and its major tributary, the creek's South Branch. An additional 2.5 mi of stream access is available within Eighteen Mile Creek County Park; the portion located along the main stem within the park is a catch and release area where only artificial lures are permitted.

Eighteen Mile Creek is stocked annually by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation. In 2014, 20,000 steelhead and 660 brown trout were stocked in the stream, and an additional 20,000 steelhead were stocked in the creek's South Branch.

Parks and forests

Eighteen Mile Creek Park, a 464 acre county park, is located at the confluence of Eighteen Mile Creek's main stem and its South Branch in the town of Hamburg. The park is largely undeveloped with the exception of hiking trails and a small parking area. It is managed by the Erie County Department of Parks, Recreation and Forestry and includes a 60 ft gorge along the creek. A small parking lot on South Creek Road provides access to 5 mi of hiking trails, as well as access for fishing along the creek.

In November 2015, the Erie County Parks Department announced that a 225 acre forested parcel at the headwaters of Eighteen Mile Creek had been purchased by the county in order to prevent commercial development. The acquisition took place in collaboration with The Nature Conservancy and the Buffalo Niagara Riverkeeper, who together with the county aimed to raise $320,000 for the purchase. The newly purchased forest in the town of Concord joins other county lands protecting the creek's headwaters, helping to provide habitat for fish and wildlife in addition to improving drinking water quality within the region. Over 1000 acre of land near the creek's headwaters are protected by the county, and are accessible to the public for passive recreation such as hiking.

References

References

1. {{cite GNIS. 970621. South Branch Eighteenmile Creek. December 15, 2015
2. {{cite GNIS. 949435. Eighteenmile Creek. December 11, 2015
3. (October 15, 1987). "Coastal Fish & Wildlife Habitat Rating Form - Eighteen Mile Creek - Lake Erie". New York State Department of State.
4. (1907). "Aboriginal Place Names of New York (New York State Museum Bulletin, Volume 108)". New York State Education Department.
5. "Public Fishing Information for Eighteen Mile Creek". NYS Department of Environmental Conservation.
6. (1898). "Geology and Palaeontology of Eighteen Mile Creek and the Lake Shore Sections of Erie County, New York: A Handbook for the Use of Students and Amateurs (Bulletin of the Buffalo Society of Natural Sciences, Volume 6)". Buffalo Society of Natural Sciences.
7. Maletz, Jörg. "Devonian Stratigraphy and Fossil Assemblages of WNY".
8. Ball, Jessica. (March 18, 2012). "Fossil interlude: Eighteen Mile Creek, New York". American Geophysical Union.
9. "Mouth of Eighteen Mile Creek at Lake Erie". NYS Department of Environmental Conservation.
10. "2014 Fish Stocking in Erie County". NYS Department of Environmental Conservation.
11. "Eighteen Mile Creek". Erie County Department of Parks, Recreation and Forestry.
12. "Erie County's 18 Mile Creek Park for Hiking, Snowshoeing, and Mountain Biking". WNY Trails.
13. (November 20, 2015). "Eighteen Mile Creek headwaters now under county control".
14. "Eighteenmile Creek headwaters to be protected". The Nature Conservancy.
15. (November 20, 2015). "Erie County Parks, Partners Collaborate to Protect, Preserve Concord Land Parcel". Erie County Executive's Office.