Watershed Conservation Plan - Destination Erie

noted "the Beaverdam Run (is) dry in many places, which was never known before by the oldest
inhabitants." Bates (1884) had noted that "all of the streams in the county were formerly much larger and
more reliable,"and he attributed the "drying up of the streams" to "the cutting off of the timber." Bates
further indicates that "the seasons of high water which were once of two or three weeks< duration now last
only a few days." He further notes "there being no forests to retain the rain, the water runs off very
rapidly, causing floods that sometimes do considerable damage."
Hydrological changes had economic consequences in the study area, since the streams had been the
primary source of power for manufacturing (Sanford 1894), and most of the important towns and
settlements developed on streams "in consequence of the early establishment of mills" (Bates, 1884).
Beates (2000) reported that reduction in stream flow led to conversion to other energy sources (notably
steam) for industry, since "streams which could supply water power before deforestation sometimes could
not do so after the land was cleared." Beates (2000) indicated that some mills tried to compensate for
reduced stream flow by "creating or enlarging their mill ponds." Mill operators that needed additional or
more consistent power found it necessary to change to steam power.
The changes in stream hydrology observed in the 1800s cannot definitely be attributed to
deforestation, since coincidental changes in climate may have also contributed to decreases in stream
flow. Climatologists have documented "widespread climatic anomalies" independent of human influence
within the last 1,000 years—including a "Medieval Warm Period" (MWP) ranging A.D. 1000–1300 AD
and the "Little Ice Age" (LIA) rangind A.D. 1400–1850 (Legates, 2003; Pederson et al. 2005). These
climate changes have been shown to have accompanied prehistoric changes in vegetation of the Hudson
River watershed in New York (Pederson et al. 2005).
Various lines of evidence indicate that more frequent drought and fire in the Hudson Valley during
the MWP led to dominance by pines and oaks and expansion of more southern temperate trees (e.g.,
hickory). The cooling period (LIA) resulted in increasing importance of tree species favored by moister
conditions, including beech and hemlock, although pine and oaks persisted (Pederson et al. 2005). The
use of fire by Native Americans to maintain fields and grasslands for berries and wild game also likely
influenced vegetation development in the Hudson River Valley during both the MWP and LIA (Williams
1989 [cited in Pederson et al. 2005]). If we assume that the end of the LIA affected the southern shore of
Lake Erie in ways similar to what was documented for the Hudson River watershed, then it is possible
that the transition from cooler, moister conditions in the early 1800s to warmer, dryer conditions by 1900
contributed to the drying of springs and reduction of stream flow in Erie noted by Bates (1884) and
Sanford (1894).
Data specific to the Pennsylvania portion of the Lake Erie watershed regarding prehistoric climate
change is not available, and local research is needed to critically evaluate the importance of anthropogenic
influence on stream flow during the historical period. The only detailed, published regional studies that
examined post-glacial plant community development (based on analysis of core samples from a bog in
northern Ohio) did not allow fine resolution of climate changes within the last 3500 years (Sears 1930,
1932 [reviewed in Kormondy 1996]). Recent work conducted in northeast Ohio confirms that
hydrological variations indicated in stream alluvial deposits (Zavar et al. 2005) and lake bog sediments
(Michaels et al. 2004) are correlated with climatic anomalies occurring within the last 3,000 years.
4.3 Non-forest Habitats and Prehistoric Disturbances
Although forests were the most prominent vegetation feature in the study area, prehistoric
disturbances and hydrological phenomena likely resulted in some areas characterized by more open (early
successional) vegetation. The presence of grass-dominated meadows was suggested by an early account
regarding the French forts in Erie County. A 1755 letter by Governor DuQuesne from Quebec indicated
that "at Presqu< isle the hay is abundant and good." Duquesne further reported that at Fort LeBoeuf "the
prairies which are extensive, furnish only bad hay, but it is easy to get rid of it" (Reed 1927).
Unverifiable accounts of certain wildlife species in the Erie area indicate a possible early presence of
relict prairie habitats. Nelson (1896) reported "there were some wild cattle or buffalo," and it has been
claimed that LeBoeuf Creek was named by the French (the "River Aux Boeufs") for the large number
buffalo apparently found grazing on the flats below Waterford. Nelson also reported there were
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