REPORT OF THE DIRECTOR I917 I4 1 



Where the divide between these two drainage systems crosses the 

 swamp south of Upper St Regis it is trivial and unstable, its present 

 position being of comparatively recent date. It is probable that 

 since the extinction of " St Germain " this swamp has been developed 

 in the waterway by vegetable filling. 1 



The writer attempted to measure the height of the " St Germain " 

 beach on the north and south sides of the present lake and was able 

 to detect a very slight tilt to the north, indicating that Lake St 

 Germain existed not long after the Saranac glacial waters drained 

 away; the relative dip northward may have caused the drainage of 

 the district to flow north. Whether it did positively do so can not 

 at the present time be stated. The outlet of the chain of the St 

 Regis lakes is a decidedly roundabout course and is through an 

 esker which was responsible for the level of Lake St Germain before 

 the present outlet was cut. 



Without much doubt the drainage of Little Clear lake (Little 

 Clear pond on the map), Grass pond, Big Clear and Upper St Regis 

 were connected, forming a single drainage system for a time, although 

 today it comprises two separate systems. 



Wave and stream action of the waters are considered responsible 

 for the sandy point on the west shore of Big Clear and the sand on 

 the northeast side, although the little unnamed brook now flowing 

 into this " corner " of the lake is adding its load to it today. 



Either upon the uplift and tilting of the land or the successful 

 cutting of a new outlet the drainage was changed and a separation 

 of the St Regis, Big Clear and Little Clear became complete. The 

 present outlet of Big Clear is comparatively recent and is over sand 

 and gravel which it was downcutting until man put a stop to this 

 natural process by erecting a dam causing a flooding of the outlet. 



Present Conditions 



The attempt has been made in the preceding pages to outline in 

 nontechnical language the geological story of the region so that the 

 summer visitor can interpret the past from the present, appreciate 

 the changes that have been wrought by the forces of nature that 

 brought about the present conditions and understand the origin 

 of Lake Clear. 



The lake is a typical Adirondack lake, lying in a rock basin sur- 

 rounded by sand. It has existed for a comparatively few thousand 



1 C. H. S.nyth, jr, " Lake Filling in the Adirondack Region," Am. Geol., 

 11:85-90. 



