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Ice Formation Lake Wawasee. By J. P. Dolan. 



In the season of 1890-6 there were two periods of ice formation, one begin- 

 ning December 3 and terminating December 20; the other commencing December 

 31, 1895, and ending March 29, 1896. The first was fully described by Mr. D. C. 

 Kidgley in his excellent report last year on the formation of ice, its effects on the 

 shore line, and other kindred subjects relating to it, so that there is but little left 

 to be said on these subjects in this paper. 



From December 31 the ice continued to thicken till March 13, when the maxi- 

 mum thickness of fourteen (14) inches was attained, although there were brief 

 periods of slight diminution, and, besides, the last three inches were additions 

 rather than regular growth, being made up of partly melted snows. 



After the 13th the disintegration was rapid. The rate of decrease from day 

 to day, as well as the increase, is shown in the accompanying tables. 



South and southwest winds prevailed from 24th to 29th, which, together with 

 temperature I'anging from 33° to 62°, swept the lake clear of all ice just four days 

 later than the previous year. 



March 8, 1896, the effects of the expansion of the ice were seen at their maxi- 

 mum. Ice along the shore at Pickwick, Kale Island, Epert's Vawter Park, 

 Siiarp's Bay and Wawasee a prominent ridge was pushed up, reaching in many 

 places a height of six feet. 



The force was most noticeable along the shore at Epert's, where for two 

 hundred feet riprapping had been done to protect the low sandy and gravely 

 embankments. This was all pushed back several feet and many of the largest 

 bowlders lifted clear over the top of the five-foot ridge. 



Across the entrance to the Gordonierre the effects were also marked, and again 

 at Kale Island, though in less degree. 



Photographs of these places were secured at the time. 



Prior to 1895 the largest ice cracks observed were not more than three and 

 one-half inches wide. 



On January 18, 1896, a well marked, clean cut crevice ten inches wide and 

 three hundred feet long was seen west of Blk. Stump Pt. The same day another 

 four and one-half inches wide and five hundred and fifty feet long was observed 

 northwest of the ten-inch crack just mentioned. 



There was no suggestion of conformity to shore line in either of them; neither 

 was there any similarity in their trends. 



The only instance in which the cracks bore any seeming relation to the shore 

 line was on lower Wawasee or Syracuse Lake, where a series of six wavy cracks 



