Lake Michigan Water Level
June 9th, 2010 at 1:26 am by Bill Steffen under Bill's Blog, News, Weather
The water levels of the Great Lakes have dropped significantly in the past year, due to lower precipitation (mainly in the upper lake area) and higher evaporation. Marquette has had 68% of average precipitation this year and Sault Ste. Marie just 40% of normal since Jan. 1. Lakes Michigan and Huron (connected) are up one inch in the past month, but down 9″ in the last year. They are 17″ below the long-term average, but 15″ above the record low for June set in 1964. Lake Superior is down 8″ in the last year and stands at 15″ below the long-term average. Lake Erie is down 7″ in the last year, but only 3″ below average. Lake Ontario had the biggest drop at 17″ in the past year. Ontario is 11″ below the long-term average.
Does anyone remember the round building that used to be at Grand Haven beach in the 80′s? The water level used to be up to those years ago. What a change.
I remember when the round buildings were IN the water when I was a kid, in the ’60′s.
Back in the 80′s, homeowners on the lakeshore were crying about the high lake levels and having seawalls built (my husband was in marine construction). Now many of those seawalls are definitely not needed (until the cycle comes around again).
Yeah – I remember some of the marinas had built walkways on top of their permanent docks – because THOSE were underwater. And the beach erosion was awful, with homes falling into the lake every now and then….
Yep. My grandma had to get her cottage moved back from the edge of the bank. Now those expensive seawalls are buried in the sand, and there is 100 feet of beach beyond them.
We’ve had quite a bit of rain lately, hopefully it will help.
I think we need a bad winter. Not that I want one but I am sure that would help.
The drought is quite noticeable in the upper peninsula and around Mackinaw.