Zoar Valley

Zoar Valley is located along the border of Erie County and Cattaraugus County in New York, roughly between the villages of Gowanda to the west and Springville to the east. Cattaraugus Creek flows through the valley. An additional gorge formed by the Cattaraugus Creek's South Branch stretches south toward the village of Cattaraugus. The cliffs along Zoar Valley's gorges are composed of Devonian silt stones and shale, and are part of the Canadaway Formation. Cliffs near the confluence of Cattaraugus Creek's South and Main branches reach heights of up to when measured to the tops of nearby hills. ==History==

Zoar Valley was named by Ahaz Allen, an early 19th-century settler of the region. The name is of biblical origin, referring to the city of Zoar from the Book of Genesis. The extent of Zoar Valley's use by Native Americans is unclear due to subsequent disturbance by farming and settlement activities; however, findings from nearby archaeological sites suggest that indigenous peoples likely made use of the area. Evidence of early use by settlers includes records of farming as early as 1842, in addition to evidence of shale mining and the establishment of two lime kilns during the early 1800s. Sawmills, gas wells, and a cheese factory were also established in the valley during the 19th century. A Boy Scout camp was formerly located near the confluence, and a cable car was used to cross Cattaraugus Creek. Foundations of several camp buildings remain visible. Additional lands were later added under the 1960 Multiple Use Bond Act. For a time in the 1960s, a hippie commune was located within the valley. By 1971, overnight use of the property was prohibited due to "irresponsible behavior on the part of some campers". ==Land management==

The state-managed Zoar Valley Multiple Use Area encompasses a area along an section of the Cattaraugus Creek's Main Branch canyon and a stretch of the smaller South Branch, centered around the confluence of the two streams. The Multiple Use Area is maintained by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation. In 2007, the state established the Zoar Valley Unique Area, a area which further protects and preserves the entire state-owned length of the gorge's cliffs and bottomlands, in addition to a buffer area along the gorge's upper rim and along several larger side creeks, where sufficient state-owned land is available. Prior to being designated as a Unique Area, the old-growth forest within the state-owned portion of Zoar Valley was at danger of being logged; the additional protection was the result of lobbying by activists and local residents. Modern timber harvests by the state are intended to encourage native species growth and improve wildlife habitat. An American chestnut plantation is also maintained as a joint venture with the American Chestnut Foundation, with the goal of developing chestnut blight-resistant trees. Additional protected lands within Zoar Valley include The Nature Conservancy's Deer Lick Nature Sanctuary, which preserves of old-growth forest and was designated as a National Natural Landmark in 1967. The sanctuary is located along the Cattaraugus Creek's South Branch, adjacent to the Zoar Valley Multiple Use Area. Two other privately owned conservation areas, the William P. Alexander Preserve and the Rodger Sweetland Memorial Preserve, are owned by the Nature Sanctuary Society of Western New York. Outside of these protected areas, old-growth forests in the valley are unprotected, and some have been clearcut in recent years. == Ecology ==

Old-growth forests Forests within Zoar Valley include some of the finest old-growth stands in the eastern United States. Throughout Zoar Valley, a total of of old-growth forest has been recorded; of this, nearly are found within the Zoar Valley Multiple Use Area, with an additional located in the adjacent Deer Lick Nature Sanctuary. which includes an area of large-tree old-growth known colloquially as "The Gallery of the Giants". Hemlock/northern hardwood stands are present and joined by additional mesophytic plant communities such as beech-maple and maple-basswood forests. Species diversity along the canyon bottom is among the highest in the Northeastern United States, with more than 20 species occurring in upper-terrace old growth and approximately 10 more largely restricted to younger floodplains and/or lower terraces. Numerous species exceed DBH, and a dozen or more represent the tallest of their kind in New York State or in the entire Northeast. The river is safe to cross at low flows but rapidly becomes treacherous as water rises. Ecological integrity and environmental health of the Cattaraugus are generally good. and the stream regularly experiences elevated turbidity due to suspended sediments. Some of this sediment load is derived from silt/clay tills common along the river, but some likely stems from agricultural activities. As is the case with many streams draining agricultural lands, fecal coliform levels can be elevated at high flows. During summer storm events, especially after a prolonged dry period, bacterial levels can exceed 10,000 colony forming units (cfu); bacterial levels are low most other times. Numerous small waterfalls cascade into the Zoar Valley canyon. Most are cascades, but there are a few straight drops of greater than . Above the falls are dozens of small headwater streams that drain the surrounding uplands. These streams and the Cattaraugus Creek were extensively disturbed by an intense flash flood in August 2009. ==Recreation==

Zoar Valley is a popular regional destination for outdoor recreation. The Zoar Valley Multiple Use Area is open to the public for activities including fishing, hunting, hiking, white-water rafting, and nature study. The area is closed between sunset and sunrise, and camping is not permitted on the property. Many injuries occur on private lands adjacent to the state-owned area; as such, neighboring landowners have become increasingly intolerant of trespassers, while the state has increased patrols and arrests for trespassing and other prohibited behavior. Native brook trout are also regularly caught. Both fish successfully spawn in the river and/or its tributaries. In 2015, Cattaraugus Creek was stocked with 30,000 steelhead and 7,840 brown trout; an additional 1,030 brown trout were stocked in the creek's South Branch that year as well. Additional fishing opportunities within the Multiple Use Area are available at Holcomb Pond and Ross Pond. A designated put-in for the Main Branch is maintained at a state fishing access site on North Otto Road; access to the South Branch requires permission from private landowners. The take out is located downstream of the Aldrich Street bridge in Gowanda. == See also ==