Democratic Northwest and Henry County news. [volume] (Napoleon, O. [Ohio]) 1894-1905, 1897-01-07
LAKE MIcHIeAN's CURRENTS.
How They Operate to Produce the Sand
Bars Along the Shores.

Bars Along the Shores.
Lake Michigan's eccentricities, its high
tides and its low tides, its wind currents
and its wave ripples, have been the source
| of good deal of speculation among the
scientists, and many have been puzzled to
know its vagaries. The children are pleased
to hunt for round, shining stones on the
beach, without guessing why they are
found there and not half mile north OF
south, where the beach is simply packed
wet sand. Yet the experience Of practical
men for 40 years along the shore has been
that the pebbles are great travellers, at the
sport of the waves and the wind.
Some facts on tho sand bars and the
pebbles are given by gentleman who for
40 years has spent good deal of time and
thought watching the movement of bars
and sand in currents of the lake. His OBJ
servations have covered that portion of the
shore from Milwaukee to Michigan City.
1.-The currents of the lake." he said, "are
caused by the winds. On the west shore of
the lake we usually find traces of three
sand bars. The first is, on the average 150
to 1000 feet from the shore. The bar is
about 200 feet wide, and tho depth of the
water on 1t varies from 2h to feet Just
beyond is second bar, from 1000 feet to
one mile from the shore, which Is 200 feet
wide, with depth of water beginning at
6 feet on the land side and running to 12
feet on the outer edge The third sand bar
is outside of the second. 1t begins with o
depth of 10 feet and gradually deepens off.
These bars are deposited by currents run.
ming parallel with the shore during the
timc of storms, and the sand is constantly
coming from the north and gradually
working south. With northeasterly blow
1T comes along the west bank of Lake
Michigan, turns the lake at the southern
end and is carried along on the east shore
by the southwesterly gales. The same
grains Of sand are travelling around the
race track, slow but sure. will venture
to say that there are pebbles on these
beaches that have been around this lake
good many times.
"The inner bar has sand depth of
about 10 feet. If the contour of the shore
is changed by running out pier, the loca-
tion of the bar is changed The bar will
form and go round that pier about the
same distance away from it that 1t is from
the shore and then gradually turn and
come in until 1t reaches the same distance
from the shore The general line of the
bar is southeast, parallel with the shore.
1t is formed by the current on both sides
of it, The waves break there, and the sand
is held in solution by the strong currents
on either side. Naturally the water rushes
the fastest through the two deepest chan
nels on each side of the bar, producing
breakers which break into spray. In calm
weather there is no current to the water
1t has no perceptible movement except at
times when there might be heavy gale
down the lake somewhere and no wind
here. In that case there would still be
smooth water here, but you would have
current or rather movement of the water
rising and falling like the tide. This some
times results in tidal wave six or eight
fest high
'In calm weather the sand bar is per-
feetly quiet, but during storm it is con-
stantly moving in q state of solution for
two or three feet. The water dashing and
the currents striking the shore cause ero-
sion. The sand of the lake is being made
all the time and is exhaustless, in my es-
timation. Where there is rocky bottom
the rocks clash together. AS the powders
break off the slashing and clashing of the
waves rub them together Every time the
bowlder or rock strikes particles of the
corners are knocked off, and these the cur
rent gathers and carries along Just like the |
snow driving along Il fence "--Milwaukee
Sentinel.