Reclaiming Ohi:yo'- Restoring the Altered Landscape of the Beautiful River Main MenuWelcomingFront page for this Digital Exhibit.The Seneca Nation of IndiansWe call ourselves Onödowá'ga:' (oh-non-doh-wah!-gawh!), which means "People of the Great Hill". We are one of six other nations that collectively call ourselves Hodinöhsö:ní (hoh-dee-nonh-sonh-neeh!), meaning "People of the Longhouse".Ohi:yo'Ohi:yo', our Beautiful River, has always been our home and source of nourishment.The Kinzua Dam ProjectOur elders fought for our land and sovereignty in the 1950s and 1960s. They fought to stop the construction of Kinzua Dam.The Allegheny ReservoirThe reservoir has altered the landscape, ecosystem, and our interactions with Ohi:yo.The Significance of Kinzua to our Seneca PeopleThe U.S. Army Corps of EngineersThe U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in collaboration with the U.S. federal government built Kinzua Dam between 1960 and 1965.Kinzua Era TimelinesThis page provides two different temporal representations of the Kinzua Era (1956-1966).Kinzua Dam's Environmental ImpactsThe creation of Kinzua Dam has had lasting environmental impacts on our land and water. Learn more here.Ohi:yo' Restoration and Resiliency ProjectsMembers of the Seneca Nation's Watershed Resources Working Group are involved in various restoration and resiliency projects for our Ohi:yo'. The Seneca Nation's Fish and Wildlife Department in particular engages in projects related to building artificial habitat, repopulating our river's Walleye population, and building trenches to help land locked fish.Seneca Nation Fish and Wildlife DepartmentThe Nation's Fish and Wildlife Department engages in restoration and resiliency projects related to Ohi:yo'.Fighting for the Water: Fracking Wastewater in Ohi:yo'In 2016 the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (PA DEP) began deliberating a 1,000-barrel/day of unconventional gas drilling wastewater (Frack Wastewater) disposal facility in Potter County proposed by Epiphany Allegheny LLC. In response to the news of these fracking plans, our Seneca people again fought for our people, our communities, and our Ohi:yo'.A Legacy of ResilienceWe will continue on.Access and Use RightsFor our full statement on rights and use of our exhibit contents see this page.Additional ResourcesThis page contains additional resources that can provide more in-depth information that is perhaps not included within our exhibit.About this ExhibitThis page contains information about our intra-Nation departmental collaborations and exhibit acknowledgements.The Seneca-Iroquois National Museum663b8929f7a99e6bad2d94d8e2c4f4c0dbfcfc0fDana Reijerkerk3c44fb85ab096c2290175e81dd4f16f0002a41e0This exhibit was published by the Seneca-Iroquois National Museum, 2018.
The Allegany Reservoir: A Visual Depiction of Water Levels
1media/NAD-011.jpg2018-08-16T16:14:59-07:00Dana Reijerkerk3c44fb85ab096c2290175e81dd4f16f0002a41e0308612At times of water storage the water depth of the river channel is approximately 26 feet, with as little as 6 to 8 feet of water during the winter months.image_header2018-08-16T16:21:36-07:00Dana Reijerkerk3c44fb85ab096c2290175e81dd4f16f0002a41e0
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12018-08-14T17:52:26-07:00A modern view of Ohi:yo' in Winter2During the winter, Ohi:yo' returns to its natural boundaries (seen here). In places, Ohi:yo' is not naturally a very wide river. In springtime, the areas seen here covered in snow extending to the hills will be covered in water as the reservoir fills.media/SNHS-002.jpgplain2018-08-14T17:57:10-07:00Seneca Nation Health System- Environmental Health Unit2018-08-11stillimageSNHS-002independent sovereign nations, native peoples reservations, rivers, riverbanks, banks (landform), hills, mountain rangesSeneca-Iroquois National MuseumengDuring the winter, Ohi:yo' returns to its natural boundaries (seen here). In places, Ohi:yo' is not naturally a very wide river. In springtime, the areas seen here covered in snow extending to the hills will be covered in water as the reservoir fills.42.052887333333,-78.89609875electronicimage/jpegborn digitalRecord has been transformed into MODS from the original accession record. Metadata originally created in a locally modified version of qualified Dublin Core.languageOfCataloging authority = "iso639-2b"; dcTerm:languagerecordCreation Date encoding = "w3cdtf"; dcTerm:datesubject authority = "aat"; dcTerm:subjectsubject authority = "tgn"; dcTerm:coveragedateCreated encoding= "w3cdtf"; dcTerm:temporalNew York (state), Cattaraugus (county), Allegany Reservation, Allegany (county), Allegany River, Kinzua Reservoir (reservoir),Watershed Resources Working Group (publisher)Seneca Nation Health SystemShannon Seneca (photographer)This record was created by Dana Reijerkerk.1 photograph2017-10-10
12018-08-16T15:29:15-07:00Highbanks Campground with Sign2Photograph of Highbanks Campground during the winter draw down. The water levels of Ohi:yo' have lowered, exposing part of the shoreline across the river.media/SNHS-022.jpgplain2018-08-16T15:40:41-07:00Seneca Nation Health System- Environmental Health Unit2018-08-16stillimageSNHS-022rivers, erosion, topography (attribute), independent sovereign nationsSeneca-Iroquois National MuseumengPhotograph of Highbanks Campground during the winter draw down. The water levels of Ohi:yo' have lowered, exposing part of the shoreline across the river.42.052822305556,-78.896227277778born digitalelectronicimage/jpegRecord has been transformed into MODS from the original accession record. Metadata originally created in a locally modified version of qualified Dublin Core.languageOfCataloging authority = "iso639-2b"; dcTerm:languagerecordCreation Date encoding = "w3cdtf"; dcTerm:datesubject authority = "aat"; dcTerm:subjectsubject authority = "tgn"; dcTerm:coveragedateCreated encoding= "w3cdtf"; dcTerm:temporalNew York (state), Cattaraugus (county), Allegany Reservation, Allegany River, Kinzua Reservoir (reservoir)This record was created by Dana Reijerkerk.Watershed Resources Working Group (publisher)Shannon Seneca (photographer)1 photograph2017-10-10
12018-07-26T18:03:50-07:00The Reservoir During Winter Draw down2As part of the many restoration projects the Nation is involved in, the Nation's Fish and Wildlife Department creates artificial habitat to provide the needed environment for fry and young of year fish, such as the Walleye, shelter and food come summer when this portion of the Allegany Reservoir is once again underwater. The artificial habitat shown here is made from recycled vinyl siding ranging from one and a half (1.5) feet to three (3) feet in height, which is done to provide a more diverse artificial environment.media/FWD-003v2.jpgmeta2018-08-03T16:31:49-07:00Seneca Nation Fish & Wildlife Department2018-07-17stillimageFWD-003banks (landforms), rivers, erosion, independent sovereign nations, native peoples reservations, flood dams, gravity dams, rolled-fill damsSeneca-Iroquois National MuseumengSeneca Nation of Indian land within the Allegany Territory that was inundated with the construction of the Allegany Reservoir is only underwater for part of the year. Come Fall of every year, much of the bottom of the Reservoir has begun to dry up as the water reserves are lowered at the discretion of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. This seasonal lowering and emptying of the water reserves held within the Reservoir leaves the land exposed and unprotected to weather elements, which in combination with the water fluctuations throughout the year, expediates the erosion of the shorelines and banks of Ohi:yo'. In addition, this annual exposure to the weather makes it difficult for natural vegetation to grow, which acts as a barrier to erosion, which creates an aesthetically barren landscape during low and no water seasons. As part of the many restoration projects the Nation is involved in, the Nation's Fish and Wildlife Department creates artificial habitat to provide the needed environment for fry and young of year fish, such as the Walleye, shelter and food come summer when this portion of the Allegany Reservoir is once again underwater. The artificial habitat shown here is made from recycled vinyl siding ranging from one and a half (1.5) feet to three (3) feet in height, which is done to provide a more diverse artificial environment.electronicimage/jpegborn digitalRecord has been transformed into MODS from the original accession record. Metadata originally created in a locally modified version of qualified Dublin Core.dateCreated encoding= "w3cdtf"; dcTerm:temporalsubject authority = "tgn"; dcTerm:coveragesubject authority = "aat"; dcTerm:subjectrecordCreation Date encoding = "w3cdtf"; dcTerm:datelanguageOfCataloging authority = "iso639-2b"; dcTerm:languageAllegany Reservation, Allegany (county), Kinzua Reservoir (reservoir)This record was created by Dana Reijerkerk.Shane Titus1 photograph2016-03-21
12018-08-15T13:16:15-07:00The Altered Shoreline Affects Vegetation Along Ohi:yo'1The Allegany Reservoir placed water where it was not naturally made to be. Seen in the photograph is the man-made "shoreline" of the reservoir. The water levels in some areas come up to the trunks of trees and threaten to cover the natural vegetation that is still there.media/SNHS-009.jpgplain2018-08-15T13:16:29-07:00Seneca Nation Health System- Environmental Health Unit2018-08-11stillimageSNHS-009independent sovereign nations, native peoples reservations, rivers, riverbanks, banks (landforms)Seneca-Iroquois National MuseumengThe Allegany Reservoir placed water where it was not naturally made to be. Seen in the photograph is the man-made "shoreline" of the reservoir. The water levels in some areas come up to the trunks of trees and threaten to cover the natural vegetation that is still there.42.103323277778,-78.806583888889born digitalimage/jpegelectronicRecord has been transformed into MODS from the original accession record. Metadata originally created in a locally modified version of qualified Dublin Core.languageOfCataloging authority = "iso639-2b"; dcTerm:languagerecordCreation Date encoding = "w3cdtf"; dcTerm:datesubject authority = "aat"; dcTerm:subjectsubject authority = "tgn"; dcTerm:coveragedateCreated encoding= "w3cdtf"; dcTerm:temporalNew York (state), Cattaraugus (county), Allegany Reservation, Allegany (county), Allegany River, Kinzua Reservoir (reservoir),This record was created by Dana Reijerkerk.Watershed Resources Working Group (publisher)Shannon Seneca (photographer)Seneca Nation Health System1 photograph2017-05-03
12018-08-15T13:42:42-07:00View of the Reservoir's Shoreline1Sediment that has been accumulating along the bottom of the reservoir can been seen to the right.media/SNHS-015.jpgplain2018-08-15T13:42:43-07:0042.052671666667,-78.8958105
12018-08-15T14:02:41-07:00Lowbanks1Evidence of our communities that were inundated can still be seen within the reservoir. In some areas of the reservoir our roads and house foundations can still be seen in times of low water levels and in Winter when the reservoir on our land is empty. Pictured in this photo is a washed-out road (center) and Japanese knot weed, an invasive plant species (bottom left).media/SNHS-017-v3.jpgplain2018-08-15T14:02:44-07:00