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| The Marblehead Lighthouse, Ohio's most photographed location. |
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| The water on the western basin of Lake Erie is at an all time low. |
The water at the Lighthouse was disturbingly low. The local marina has but 2 foot of water in their harbor. I hear that the West Bay at Kelleys is too shallow to enter safely. What is causing these low water levels? A dry year? A seiche (low water levels due to high winds) would be in our favor on the day I photographed the shore-winds were from the north-west.
There are many factors potentially at play here -but we need to look closely- as Lake Erie is a one time gift from the Glaciers. We must protect it for the life and health of Ohio (and Ohioans). Perhaps it is time time to enact laws (like Pennsylvania) reducing the the water "harvested" from our rivers to feed the fracking frenzy.
This Columbus Dispatch article illuminates one more reason our lake level is going frighteningly low. The water is being taken from the rivers before it ever reaches Lake Erie. Is the water being regulated? Not really, regulations are so vague there is no way we will know who is taking how much. Experts have told me they have grave concerns for our rivers.
The Dispatch article states: "In Steubenville, Chesapeake took roughly 6 million gallons over a two-week period ending March 5..."
That is one town in a two week time frame. What of the other towns and the other fifty weeks? Wake up Ohio, your lake is trying to tell you something.
I hate to say it, but Lake Erie doesn't stand a chance with Bills like this.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.toledoblade.com/State/2012/04/26/Lake-Erie-water-withdrawal-bill-clears-House.html
I spent a lot of summers in Marblehead as a child with my grandparents fishing. I miss those days.
ReplyDeleteI live on Lake Ontario - I don't think we are having low level problems, but we have the Oswego River running into it and the St. Lawrence. Our lighthouse is also well photographed, I can't imagine not living near a large body of water. I hope Ohio saves its Great Lake, we need them!
ReplyDeleteOur fresh water is our most important resource. Only 3% of the water on this planet is potable. Good people simply cannot allow scoundrels to pollute and misuse our fresh water.
ReplyDeleteThanks for appreciating the lakes Lona and Bonnie- it is up to us to protect them, too.
My father and I used to launch our boat at a marina near there. Over 20 years ago, I remember one year the lake levels were so high the wind flooded over the road nearby. 10 tall foot waves were breaking on the rocks by the lighthouse filling the air with spray. It was an awe inspiring sight.
ReplyDelete