Moss Island
Moss Island is an island in Little Falls, New York, located between the Mohawk River and the New York State Barge Canal. It is composed of an igneous intrusion of syenite, and became an island when canal locks were built so boats could avoid the falls. It is known for its large deep potholes as well as being popular with local rock climbers. It was declared a National Natural Landmark in 1976. Efforts by the local community to turn Moss Island into a List of [New York state parks|New York State Park] were begun in 2008.
Description
Moss Island is long and wide. It is bordered by the Mohawk River on the north and the New York State Barge Canal to the south. It is covered in dwarf oak trees. Glacial striations are visible in some places. The southern cliff at its highest point is tall. The cliff has an adjacent road and spans about three-quarters of the island.Geology
The cliffs of Moss Island are composed of metasyenite. Syenite is an igneous rock, similar to granite, composed of crystals of quartz, alkali feldspar, and plagioclase feldspar, with small quantities of muscovite, biotitic, and hornblende. The prefix "meta-" indicates that metasyenite is a metamorphic rock. After forming as an igneous rock, the syenite was subject to massive heat and pressure, which caused the minerals to rearrange, but not melt.History
The first locks around the waterfall were created in 1793. A dry 19th century Erie Canal lock is located next to the southeastern service road. The current Lock 17 is one of the tallest locks of its type in the world and the largest in the New York State Barge Canal system. The lock uses a guillotine gate on its eastern side.In 1974, the New York State Thruway was planning to build a bridge over Moss Island, but after negative publicity, it was rerouted around the island.