<Table> <Tr> <Th_colspan="2"> Erie Canal </Th> </Tr> <Tr> <Td_colspan="2"> Current Route of the Erie Canal </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th_colspan="2"> Specifications </Th> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Length </Th> <Td> 363 miles (584 km) </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Locks </Th> <Td> 36 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Maximum height above sea level </Th> <Td> 571 ft (174 m) </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Status </Th> <Td> open </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Navigation authority </Th> <Td> New York State Canal Corporation </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th_colspan="2"> History </Th> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Original owner </Th> <Td> New York State </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Principal engineer </Th> <Td> Benjamin Wright </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Other engineer (s) </Th> <Td> Canvass White, Amos Eaton </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Construction began </Th> <Td> July 4, 1817 (at Rome, New York) </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Date of first use </Th> <Td> May 17, 1821 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Date completed </Th> <Td> October 26, 1825 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Date restored </Th> <Td> September 3, 1999 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th_colspan="2"> Geography </Th> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Start point </Th> <Td> Hudson River near Albany, New York (42 ° 47 ′ 00" N 73 ° 40 ′ 36" W ﻿ / ﻿ 42.7834 ° N 73.6767 ° W ﻿ / 42.7834; - 73.6767) </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> End point </Th> <Td> Niagara River near Buffalo, New York (43 ° 01 ′ 25" N 78 ° 53 ′ 24" W ﻿ / ﻿ 43.0237 ° N 78.8901 ° W ﻿ / 43.0237; - 78.8901) </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Branch (es) </Th> <Td> Oswego Canal, Cayuga--Seneca Canal </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Branch of </Th> <Td> New York State Canal System </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Connects to </Th> <Td> Champlain Canal, Welland Canal </Td> </Tr> </Table> <Tr> <Th_colspan="2"> Erie Canal </Th> </Tr>

What two bodies of water does the erie canal link together