1\ T II K NO 11 Til AMEIUCAN LAKES. 



13 



FOR LAKE ONTAlUt). 



Oswego, N. Y., reckoning downward from top of west pier. 



Year. ' Place of 

 obsekvation 



EXPLANATIONS AND GENERAL REMAKKS. 



King.ston 

 iF't Niiia-ara 



181.T 



1816 

 1817 

 1818 

 1819 

 1820 

 1821 

 1822 

 1823 

 1824 

 182.T 

 1826 

 1827 



18S7 Oswego 



1838 I " 



1839 j " 

 1840 

 1841 

 1842 

 1843 

 1844 

 184.') 

 1846 

 1847 

 1848 

 1849 

 1850 

 1851 

 1852 

 1853 

 1854 

 1855 

 1856 

 1857 



Mr. Weld 



Edw. Giddinffs 



Oswego & 

 Rochester 



Ogdensburg 



Lieut. R. C. 



Smead.U. S. A. 



J. W. Judson 



J. W. .Judson & 

 H. T. Spencer 



M. P. Hatch & 

 H. T. Spencer 

 W. S. Malcolm 

 W. E. Guest 



Weld's TraveU in Canada, quoted by Major Lachlan. The lake reported to 

 be higher than during the previous thirty years, or since 1765 ; its overflow 

 destroying an orchard plimted that year. 



Mr. Giddings kept a register while he resided at Port Niagara from 1815 to 

 1827, but has published only the extremes of each year. The lowest water 

 within the year occurred in the month of March nine times out of twelve, and 

 the highest months during fourteen years are June and July, divided in equal 

 numbers between them. The Niagara zero, or line of reference, was five feet 

 below the top of the sill of the dock. To reduce his figures to the Oswego 

 standard, the data are slight, but I have preferred to make the reduction, and 

 thus exhibit all the measurements for this lake at one view. The only months 

 of the Oswego and XiuLiura rcLiisters in common are those of .July and October, 

 1838. By them, Ml'. (Iiiltliirj-'- line of reference was ten feet below the Oswego 

 zero, and the top of tlir (-iii-ill nf the dock five feet. 



Highest months of the year in parentheses. 



Mean of yearly fluctuations for twelve years at Niagara two feet three inches. 



Highest kxow.n rise. 



The Oswego zero, or line of reference, is the top of the coping of the west pier, 

 near its southern end, at the boat-house, counting downwards to the surface 

 of the water. 



Messrs. Smead, Judson, and Hatch were successively the agents of the govern- 

 ment in the construction of the harbor at Oswego. 



Up to the year 1854, there are months in the Oswego register that are wanting, 

 and these are supplied by reducing the measurements made since li<46 for the 

 Regents of the New York University at Rochester harbor by H. T. Spencer. 



By a comparison of twenty months, common to both registers. Mr. Spencer's 

 zero, or the top of the "Rochester dock, is two feet ten inches below the 

 Oswego zero. 



Prior to tlie time of Messrs. Hatch and Malcolm, the readings were made only 

 occasionally in calm weather from one to eight times a month, but those gen- 

 tlemen observed the water daily. In all cases, the mean of all the measure- 

 ments is here given. 



Dr. Guest's observations at Ogdensburg extend from February, 1851, to August. 

 1857, made from time to time with cm r;isi.iuiil vacant spaces. By a compari- 

 son of eight months, his zero beinu ilir \>ty <A' the railroad dock, is equivalent 

 to eight and seven-tenths inches 1m'1u\s tin' l (swego zero. 



The range of the fluctualious is about tlic -.mm', and thus the descent of the 

 river may be ni'irli'itcd for tin' piir|rcisrs of tlii- talile. 



Mean of yearly fluctuations at liochi'stcr and U.-wcgo for eighteen years, one 

 foot ten and a half inches. 



Highest water in the month of June eight times. July six. May twice, August 

 once, January once. 



Lowest water in November three times, Decemlier twice, January three times, 

 February t-wice, March three times. 



Greatest absolute height of all observations, July. 1838. 



(Jreatest absolute depression of all observations, March, 1824 and 1825. 



Greatest absolute difference at Niagara, six feet six inches. 



By comparing the records of both places, it is plain that for such periods as 

 are common there is a close correspondence. The two ports are about sixty miles 

 apart, situated on the same shore, and at about the broadest part of the Lake. In 

 the average of the seven last months of 1853 the greatest discrepancy occurs. The 

 difference is six and one-half inches. On both registers the year 1853 is one of 

 high and the year 1848 of low water. The year 1850, which is almost a blank in 

 the Oswego tables, shows tlie lowest month of the Rochester records. 



Mr. Edward Giddings, in a pamphlet published at Lockport, New York, in 1838, 

 explaining his views upon the causes of the rise and fall in the surface of the 



