<P> The entire canal was officially completed on October 26, 1825 . The event was marked by a statewide "Grand Celebration," culminating in a series of cannon shots along the length of the canal and the Hudson, a 90 - minute cannonade from Buffalo to New York City . A flotilla of boats, led by Governor Dewitt Clinton aboard Seneca Chief, sailed from Buffalo to New York City over ten days . Clinton then ceremonially poured Lake Erie water into New York Harbor to mark the "Wedding of the Waters ." On its return trip, Seneca Chief brought back a keg of Atlantic Ocean water, which was poured into Lake Erie by Buffalo's Judge Samuel Wilkeson, who would later become mayor . </P> <P> The Erie Canal was thus completed in eight years at a cost of $7,143,000 (equivalent to $109,000,000 in 2017). It was acclaimed as an engineering marvel that united the country and helped New York City become a financial capital . </P> <P> The canal began on the west side of the Hudson River at Albany, and ran north to Watervliet, where the Champlain Canal branched off . At Cohoes, it climbed the escarpment on the west side of the Hudson River and then turned west along the south shore of the Mohawk River, crossing to the north side at Crescent and again to the south at Rexford . The canal continued west near the south shore of the Mohawk River all the way to Rome, where the Mohawk turns north . </P> <P> At Rome, the canal continued west parallel to Wood Creek, which flows westward into Oneida Lake, and turned southwest and west cross-country to avoid the lake . From Canastota west, it ran roughly along the north (lower) edge of the Onondaga Escarpment, passing through Syracuse, Onondaga Lake, and Rochester . Before reaching Rochester, the canal uses a series of natural ridges to cross the deep valley of Irondequoit Creek . At Lockport the canal turned southwest to rise to the top of the Niagara Escarpment, using the ravine of Eighteen Mile Creek . </P>

Where does the erie canal meet the hudson river