Oneida Lake has always been a significant factor in Central New York's development. In the colonial era and up to the Erie Canal's opening, the lake was a part of the great water transportation route that crossed New York State. Later, two short canals connected Oneida with the Erie and, when that canal was enlarged to become the Barge Canal, the lake was incorporated into it. Throughout recorded history, Oneida Lake has provided Central New Yorkers with life's sustenance. Commercial and recreational fishing, boating, sailing and tourism all become synonymous with the Oneida Lake experience. The lake is one of the most biologically productive bodies of water in the United States and, as such, has enriched its surrounding region.