Bone dry January drops some Great Lakes’ water levels more than usual
It was a very dry and cold January across the Great Lakes’ drainage basin. As a result, all of the Great Lakes had declining water levels in January. Three Great Lakes declined more than usual.
Lake Superior’s water level declined 3 inches from December to January. The 3-inch decline is right at the long-term average decline for January. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers states the inflows into Lake Superior are preliminarily estimated to be the lowest inflows on record for January. The precipitation over the Lake Superior basin was only one inch, which is 56 percent of normal. Evaporation was also high due to cold air and dry air.
Lake Michigan and Lake Huron have the same lake level since the water flows freely through the Straits of Mackinac. Lakes Michigan and Huron declined 4 inches in January, which is double the normal January water level fall. Lake Michigan-Huron is still 11 inches above the long-term January average. Lakes Michigan and Huron have fallen considerably from record high levels in 2020. The two lakes are 19 inches lower than last year at this time and 26 inches lower than the record levels in January 2020.
Read more and view graphs at this MLive link: https://www.mlive.com/weather/2022/02/bone-dry-january-drops-some-great-lakes-water-levels-more-than-usual.html
Obituary: Mary Barbara Dalby; ran Toledo’s Sandpiper cruises
Mary Barbara Dalby passed away peacefully in her daughter’s arms at her home in Ottawa Hills, Ohio, on Friday, February 11, 2022, at the age of 76, after many years with progressive lung disease. She was surrounded by love, music, flowers and her meticulous houseplants, of which she had many.
In 1992, she purchased the M/V Sandpiper, a 65-foot river boat modeled after old Erie Canal crafts. For 25 seasons, she captained cruises on the Maumee River and Lake Erie, entertaining countless passengers with her legendary sense of humor, commanding voice, and vast knowledge of Toledo and the Great Lakes. She was known by many as “The Boat Lady.”
Born on May 24, 1945, in Pittsburgh, PA, she was the only daughter and eldest child of Frederick and Barbara Dudderar. A 1963 graduate of Portage (Ind.) High School, she received her undergraduate degree in English (’67) and master’s degree in library science (’69) from Indiana University in Bloomington, where she graduated with honors.
In August 1969, she married George Dalby and they lived in the Chicago suburb of Glenview, IL, where she worked as a librarian at Glenbrook South High School. In 1976, her beloved daughter Megan was born with her same sparkling blue eyes, wit and sense of curiosity.
Job prospects in 1980 brought the family to Toledo and they settled in Ottawa Hills. Mary was involved in many civic and social groups, including the Junior League and American Association of University Women. She supported Toledo Area Metroparks and was the president of the International Park board when in 1987, it acquired the 617-foot iron ore freighter, the Willis B. Boyer, now the Col. James M. Schoonmaker Museum Ship, at the National Great Lakes Museum.
As a prominent small business owner, she was deeply invested in the city, striving to make it better. Mary was a member of the Toledo Regional Chamber of Commerce as well as the Maumee and Port Clinton area chambers. She frequently attended local government and downtown development meetings and events.
Deeply loyal and blessed with a bright and easy smile, Mary made many friends and kept them for life. She treasured one-on-one conversations, tradition, sharing stories and facts about any item of interest. If it was important to a friend, it became important to her. Through friendships she acquired varied interests including a passion for Notre Dame football, Jimmy Buffet, and Highland bagpipes.
In Mary’s memory, the family encourages each person touched by her spirit to carry out acts of service and civic engagement. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Harvesting 4 Haiti, the Great Lakes Historical Society, or the Cherry Street Mission in Toledo.
Visitation will be held at Coyle Funeral Home in Toledo on Saturday, February 19, from 1-6 p.m. A private family service is planned for the spring. Please leave a condolence message for the family at www.CoyleFuneralHome.com.
