Irondequoit Bay

{{Short description|Bay on south shore of Lake Ontario}}

{{Infobox body of water

| name = Irondequoit Bay

| native_name ={{native name|see|O-nyiu-da-on-da-gwat}}{{cite book|last1=Peck|first1=William|year=1884|title=Semi-centennial History of the City of Rochester With Illustrations and Biographical Sketches of Some of Its Prominent Men and Pioneers|url=http://www.libraryweb.org/~digitized/books/Semi-centennial_History_of_the_City_of_Rochester.pdf|series=Library of American civilization|location=Syracuse, New York|publisher=D. Mason|page=35|oclc=12540107|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090106001516/http://libraryweb.org/~digitized/books/Semi-centennial_History_of_the_City_of_Rochester.pdf|archivedate=2009-01-06|accessdate=2014-11-30}} [https://archive.org/details/semicentennialhi00peck Alt URL]

| image = IrondequoitBayViewedFromLucienMorinPark.JPG

| alt =

| caption = View from Lucien Morin Park in Penfield, New York

| image_bathymetry =

| alt_bathymetry =

|pushpin_map=New York

| caption_bathymetry =

| location =

| coords = {{coord|43.205|-77.531|region:US_type:waterbody|display=inline,title}}

| type = Bay

| etymology = "It turns out"/"It goes aside"

| inflow = Densmore Creek, Irondequoit Creek

| rivers =

| outflow = Lake Ontario

| catchment =

| basin_countries =

| agency = New York State Department of Environmental Conservation

| designation =

| length = {{convert|4|mi|km}}

| width = {{convert|0.5|mi|km}}

| area = {{convert|1660|acre}}{{cite web|url = http://www.dec.ny.gov/outdoor/88359.html|title = Irondequoit Bay|website=dec.ny.gov|publisher = New York State Department of Environmental Conservation|location = Albany, New York|accessdate = 2014-11-30}}

| depth =

| max-depth = {{convert|73|feet|m}}

| volume =

| residence_time =

| salinity =

| shore = {{convert|17.7|mi|km}}

| elevation = {{convert|250|ft|m}}

| frozen =

| islands = Fish Island, Held Island, Snider Island

| sections =

| trenches =

| benches =

| cities = Irondequoit, Penfield, Webster

| website =

| reference =

}}

Irondequoit Bay is a large body of water located in northeastern Monroe County, New York. The bay, roughly {{convert|0.5|mi|km}} wide and {{convert|4|mi|km}} in length, is fed by Irondequoit Creek to the south and flows into Lake Ontario at its northern end. On average, the surface of Irondequoit Bay rests at {{convert|245|ft|m}} above sea level and is {{convert|80|ft|m}} deep at its deepest point a short distance north of the Irondequoit Bay Bridge carrying the six-lane New York State Route 104 over the bay.{{cite map |url=http://msrmaps.com/imageinfo.aspx?T=2&S=12&Z=18&X=368&Y=5985&W=3 |publisher=United States Geological Survey |title=Rochester East, NY Quadrangle |accessdate=2008-07-11}}

The center of the bay acts as the eastern border for the town of Irondequoit and the western border of the towns of Penfield and Webster. The Irondequoit–Penfield boundary continues along the center of Irondequoit Creek south of the New York State Route 404 float bridge.

During the past million years there were four glacial ages that covered the Rochester area with ice and impacted the geography of the area. The most recent glacier that left evidence here was about 100,000 years ago and it caused compression of the earth by as much as {{convert|2500|ft|m}}.{{cite web|url=http://www.vintageviews.org/vv-tl/timeline/geology.html#100,000|title=Geology: 100,000 years ago|work=Rochester's History: An Illustrated Timeline|accessdate=2008-07-11|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080603092054/http://www.vintageviews.org/vv-tl/timeline/geology.html#100,000|archive-date=2008-06-03|url-status=dead}} About 12,000 years ago, the area underwent massive changes, which included the rerouting of the Genesee River and other water bodies. Since the earth rebounded from the melting glaciers more rapidly in Canada than in New York, water from Lake Ontario was spilled over New York due to its lower elevation. During this time, the original outlet of the Genesee River was flooded out, creating Irondequoit Bay.{{cite web|url=http://www.vintageviews.org/vv-tl/timeline/geology.html#12,000|title=Geology: 12,000 years ago|work=Rochester's History: An Illustrated Timeline|accessdate=2008-07-11|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080603092054/http://www.vintageviews.org/vv-tl/timeline/geology.html#12,000|archive-date=2008-06-03|url-status=dead}}

On a French map of the area from 1688 titled "Le Lac Ontario"{{cite web |url=http://www.sunysb.edu/libmap/coordinates/seriesa/no1/Ontario88.htm |title=1688 Map of Lake Ontario |accessdate=2008-07-11}} Irondequoit Bay was referred to as the "swamp of the Senecas".{{cite web |url=http://www.sunysb.edu/libmap/coordinates/seriesa/no1/a1.htm |title=French Mapping of New York and New England, 1604-1760 |author=David Y. Allen |publisher=Stony Brook University |accessdate=2008-07-11}} Prior to the 1840s, the bay was known as "Teoronto Bay."{{cite web |url=http://www.davidrumsey.com/luna/servlet/detail/RUMSEY~8~1~20048~510044:Map-of-the-County-of-Monroe--By-Dav?qvq=q:monroe;lc:RUMSEY~8~1&mi=9&trs=87|title=1829 Map of Monroe County, New York |accessdate=2008-07-11}}

Seven parks abut the bay:

• Devil's Cove Park, Webster{{cite web | url = http://www.monroecounty.gov/Image/GIS/Town%20Maps/Webster%202012.pdf | title = Map of the Town of Webster, Monroe County | date = 2012-01-04 | website = www.monroecounty.gov | publisher = GIS Services Division, Department of Environmental Services | location = Rochester, New York | accessdate = 2013-02-03}}
• Ellison Park, Penfield{{cite web | url = http://www.monroecounty.gov/Image/GIS/Town%20Maps/Penfield%202012.pdf | title = Map of the Town of Penfield, Monroe County | date = 2012-01-04 | website = www.monroecounty.gov| publisher = GIS Services Division, Department of Environmental Services | location = Rochester, New York | accessdate = 2013-02-03}}
• Irondequoit Bay Marine Park, Irondequoit{{cite web | url = http://www.monroecounty.gov/Image/GIS/Town%20Maps/Irondequoit%202012.pdf | title = Map of the Town of Irondequoit, Monroe County | date = 2012-01-04 | website = www.monroecounty.gov | publisher = GIS Services Division, Department of Environmental Services | location = Rochester, New York | accessdate = 2013-02-03}}
• Abraham Lincoln Park (formerly Irondequoit Bay Park East), Penfield{{cite web | url = http://www2.monroecounty.gov/files/parks/Lincoln%20Park%20Renaming.pdf | title = Brooks dedicates park in honor of President Lincoln's 200th birthday | date = 2008-02-12 | publisher = Town of Penfield | accessdate = 2013-12-23}}
• Irondequoit Bay Park West, Irondequoit
• LaSalle's Landing Park, Penfield
• Sandbar Park, Webster{{cite web | url = http://websterparksandrecreation.org/facilities.aspx?search=1&CID=4&RID=29&Page=detail | title = Sandbar Park | website = websterparksandrecreation.org | publisher = Webster Parks and Recreation Department | location = Webster, New York | accessdate = 2013-02-03 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20140606222610/http://websterparksandrecreation.org/facilities.aspx?search=1&CID=4&RID=29&Page=detail | archive-date = 2014-06-06 | url-status = dead }}