130 



VARIATIONS IN THE LEVEL OF THE LAKES. 



[185-1 



very soon to cause a marked difference in the levels of lakes em- 

 bracing an area of upwards of 50,000 square miles, and draining 

 a country more than four times as large agair. 



A glance at the seasons preceding tlie high water of 1830 

 and 1852, which differed only by 8 inches in Lake Ontario, will 

 perhaps enable us to recognize the influence of climatic changes 

 upon our lake levels. 



The winter of 1835-6 may be said to have commenced on 

 Nov. 23rd. On Dee. 1, the Bay was frozen over, being about a 

 fortnight earlier than usual. The temperature of December was 

 as follows:— 3 days below zero; 9 between 10 ° and 20 ° ; 15 

 between 20 ° and 32 ° ; and 4 between 32 ° and 40 ° . Ja- 

 nuary, 1S36, was not remarkable for severity, the minimum 

 being only 2 ° and the maximum 45 ° . This mildness was 

 compensated by the rigour of the succeeding month, in which 

 there were no less than seven days below zero, and only one- 

 above the freezing point at 8 A. M. March was likewise unusu- 

 ally severe, and the Bay was not clear of ice until the 25th of 

 April. This winter may be said to have continued 155 days. 

 During the whole period there fell no more than If inches of 

 rain ; the number of days of snow w 7 as thirty -four' 1 ' In an ad- 

 mirable papier on the winter of 1851-2, Capt. Lefroy states that, 

 " The winter of 1835-6, which is said, however, to have been the 

 most severe in North America since 1779-80, was deciedly more 

 severe than that of 1S51-2. But the winter of 1851-2, was the 

 most severe of any since 1835-6." 



" So far, therefore, that winter, taken in its popular extent 

 maintains its character for severity, but this results chiefly from 

 our having excluded October, and included April. October, 

 1851, was unusually warm and genial, having had a mean tem- 

 perature of 47 ° .8, which is 3 ° .3 higher than the mean for the 

 same series of years, while April, 1852, has been one of the cold- 

 est in it." 



It seems remarkable that during the year 1S52, the quan- 

 tity of rain which fell at Albany, was less in that year than 

 since 1820. The greatest fall in any one year was in 1850, 

 which amounted to 50.97 inches. The least fall during a period 

 of 26 years was in 1852, which amouuted to 31.79 inches, or 

 not less than 8.85 inches lelow the mean of 26 years.f At To- 

 ronto, the rainfall in 1852 was also below the mean by rather 

 more than one inch. 



In continuation of the tables given on pages 26 and 53 we add 

 the following;: 



Observations 



made at Gcrrie T s Wharf, by Mr. 



G. A. Stewait. 







1853. 







OCTOBER. 





Day. 



Hour. 



Height of Water. 



Wind. 



15 



3 P.M. 



2.98 







18 



10 A. M. 



2.90 





20 



10 A. M. 



2.93 





26 



2 P.M. 



2.90 



West. 



28 



12 Noon. 



2.90 





30 



12 Noon. 



2.93 







NOVEMBER. 





Day. 



Hour. 



Height of Water. 



Wind. 



1 



2 P.M. 



2.88 





2 



4 P.M. 



2.78 





4 



4 P.M. 



2.72 





5 



11 A.M. 



2.72 





7 



4 P.M. 



2.70 







• From observations by ihe Rev. C. Dade.— Vidt Scebie's Almanac, for 

 1851. 



\ B*genl'a Report tor 1808, _ 



Day. Hour. Height of Water. Wind. 



10 10 A.M. 2.79 



12 10£A.M. 2.76 



14 3 P.M. 2.68 



15 2 P.M. 2.77 



19 2 P.M. 2.75 



21 10 A.M. 2.82 



22 9 A.M. 2.81 



25 12 Noon. 2.76 



29 11 A.M. 2.82 



DECEMBER. 



Day. Hour. Height of Water. Wind. 



1 1 P.M. 2.58 



5 11 A.M. 2.62 



8 12 Noon. 2.65 



13 11 A. M. 2.60 



15 11 A.M. 2.60 



16 11^ A.M. 2.62 



17 ll|- A.M. 2.58 



The maximum altitude registered by Mr. Stewart occurred on 

 the first day of June, 1853. The difference between the water 

 level on that day and on December 17th is 2 feet 1 inch, which 

 represents the fall of the water during a period of six and a half 

 months. During the last two months, it has fallen only five 

 inches, and the probability is that its minimum for this winter has 

 already very nearly been attained. 



It is, perhaps, worthy of note that Mr. Murray, the Assistant 

 Provincial Geologist, in his report for 1 848, states that there were 

 indications in the water marks of both Lake Huron and Lake 

 Nipissing that they have " sunk considerably below their_ 

 ancient levels," and that a corresponding fall could be traced in 

 each successive lake of the chain between them. Lake Nipissing 

 is 69 feet above Lake Huron, into which it empties itself. The 

 difference between the level of Lake Huron in 1848 and the 

 " ancient level," as indicated by water marks on the beach and 

 rocks, was 4.10 feet. In Lake Ontario, the low water mark of 

 1848 was 3 feet 6£ inches below the maximum level of 1852, 

 and 4 feet 2i inches below the minimum level of 1853, as will 

 be seen by comparing the data given in the September number 

 of the Journal. ~- It will also be remembered that the maximum 

 level of Ontario in 1853, was exactly equal to the maximum level 

 in 1836, may not therefore the "ancient level" which Mr. Mur- 

 ray observed registered on the rocks of Lake Huron be that of 

 1836, or 1838, which appears to have been the year of maximum 

 level for Lake Michigan, as recorded by Dr. Houghton, who gives 

 the difference between the levels of 1819 and 1838, at 5 feet 3 

 inches. The level of Ontario in 1838 we have not been able to 

 ascertain, — probably it was higher than in 1836. With regard 

 to Lake Nipissing, the connection appears even more probable; 

 Mr. Murray, in 1848, made the following measurements against 

 a vertical rock : 



FT. IN. 



Spring mark of 1848, over existing summer level of 



1848 3 



Old mark, above the spring mark 3 9 



Old mark above existing level 5 9 



The difference between the maximum level of Lake Michigan 

 in 1838, and the old water-mark of Lake Nipissing, being 

 only 6 inches, renders it highly probable that the height of 

 the water of the year 1838 is registered on the rocks of Lake 

 Nipissing — as it is not to be supposed that so easily obliterated 

 an object as a natural water-mark, on a perpendicular rock form- 

 ing the shore of a lake would be of very ancient date, — Tritb.oi.it ' 



