Lake huron is separated from lake michigan, which lies at the same level, by. With ocean levels rising, many other bodies of water are affecting cities, too. Monthly mean level long term annual average the monthly average levels are based on a network of water level gages located around the lakes. In fact the geologic history of the great lakes region covers almost the entire. Including its history, lake huron, port sanilac light, sanilac shores underwater preserve, and more by tipper, june and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. A portion of a documentary explaining part of why great lakes water levels are declining. The great lakes water levels have both seasonal changes and long term changes. Aside from secular variations associated with the atlantic. This book tells more of the background of the great lakes. Clair, lake erie and lake ontario set record high monthly mean water levels in june, the u. Lake ontarios withering wetlands with a plan to periodically hold back more water to raise lake levels, but the. Elevations are referenced to the international great lakes datum 1985.
Shortterm water levels and meteorology are also available for other lakes and the huronerie corridor, in their current experimental form, here. Fluctuations are important and necessary to our native plants and animals that have. During january 20, water levels on lake michigan and lake huron fell to their alltime lowest values since record keeping began in 1918, said the u. Forecasted water levels for march 6th are well above their longterm average march levels and above levels of last year by 1 to 14 inches. The reflectors representing these erosional surfaces, and their conformable equivalents in the deep lake basins, are caused by intervals of coarser grain size in the sediments and are thought to represent lowering of lake levels prior to, and following, the main algonquin highstand about 10. However, superior, michigan, huron, erie, and ontario all have at least one water level gauge that has been in operation since 1860. Over recorded history, the great lakes have fluctuated between high and low levels. Monitoring great lakes water levels is an important part of noaas mission to understand and predict changes in climate, weather, oceans, and coasts. Georgian bay, lake huron and lake michigan are connected hydrologically. Lake huron has the largest watershed area and the longest shoreline of all the great lakes. The water levels on lake michigan tied a 33yearold record high this july.
Historic, current, and future water levels tip of the. The green line is the most likely water level for lakes. Clair are 2 to 3 inches above their highest monthly average water level record for may. This sixmonth forecast is a sharp contrast to just two years ago, when lakes michigan and huron levels were the lowest since the government first began keeping records in 1818. Already, some of the daily lake michigan levels this month have exceeded the monthly mean record high from 1986. Click this box to view historical monthly mean lakewide average water levels, daily great lakes water levels reports, water levels on the detroit, st. The water from lake michigan flows to lake huron through the straits of mackinac. Recorded waterlevel history reconstructed waterlevel history. Despite aboveaverage precipitation, lake has seen belowaverage water levels for 14 years running. While climate change influences water levels, human activities such as dredging can also play a role. Great lakes water levels could be even higher in 2020.
Does geology impact the record high water levels being. With water levels about 16 inches above this time last. This web page contains links to a number of official web sites containing great lakes water level and related data. About the lake huron watershed lake huron community.
The water level of lake michigan continues to rise after generally staying below long term average values for over a decade. Water levels in the lakes and surrounding waterways have been a. Marys rivers, and links to noaa water level gage data. River sills project was rescinded and the project, while still on the books, was forgotten. In january 20, lake michiganhuron set an alltime record low of 576. High water levels are wreaking havoc in the great lakes. The great lakes are overflowing with recordbreaking levels, and. Woods and water have always been important to the northeast corner of michigans sunrise side at the tip of the mitt. The inundation follows a 15year span from 1999 to 2014 when the socalled upper lakes of superior, michigan and huron experienced the longest period of. This study represents the first attempt to recon struct ontarios great lakes flood.
On this day, october 17 2012, lake hurons mean water level is 576. Before 1918, there were very few water level gauges in the great lakes. This is very close to the record low set in 1964 of 576. The melting snow and spring rains cause the levels to rise until midsummer. It is the second largest of the great lakes by surface area, third largest by volume, and the fifth largest lake in the world.
There can be yeartoyear variations but these time ranges are the average time period that the lake experiences its annual high or low water mark. Lake michiganhurons beginningofmarch level was 94 cm above average and 38 cm higher than its level at the same time last year. The forecast for summer water levels on lakes superior, michiganhuron, st. Kompoltowicz says it is likely this june will go down in the history books as the. This study disentangles causes of the michiganhuron system lakelevel variability. Information on great lakes water levels is available from several agencies in the united states and canada. In 20 and 2014, outflow from lake superior to lake michiganhuron through the st. Great lakes water levels are rising, and 2020 could be no different. Historical variation of water levels in lakes erie and. Since february 6th, water levels have declined about 3 inches on lakes superior, michiganhuron, and lake st. Clair river opening was enlarged in the 1910s, 1930s, and 1960s, contributing to greater outflows from lakes michigan and huron. Lansing water is rising along michigans prized great lakes shoreline, shrinking beaches, eroding dunes, flooding campgrounds, costing millions.
The high usually occurs in july and the low in february. Lake michigan and lake huron hit alltime low water levels. Clair, lake erie and lake ontario set new record high water levels over the summer, with lakes michigan and huron an inch or less off their 100year highs. Manmade hunting structure discovered under lake huron. Lake ontario was the only great lake that maintained average water levels. Meanwhile, some people living along lake huron and lake michigan are demanding that canada stop releasing water from two hydro projects into lake superior, even though it has elevated levels only. Indeed, under the influence of storms, a significant minority of flood events have occurred during below average lake levels, including several very damaging storms on lake ontario. Lake michiganhuron also huronmichigan is the combined waters of lake michigan and lake huron, which are joined through the 5milewide 8.
Clair and erie will be at their highest levels since 19961998, army corps officials said. The great lakes, which are lake superior, lake michigan, lake huron, lake erie, and lake ontario, form the largest group of freshwater lakes on earth. With water levels at or approaching record highs on the great lakes, history has been visible in unexpected volume on michigan shorelines. Historical lake levels lake michiganhuron the climate. This weeks water levels are an increase of 4 inches on both lakes michiganhuron and st. The high water level period for lake michiganhuron is midsummer juneaug range and the low water level period is late winter into early spring janmar range which can be seen in the graph above. Water flushes through a greatly widened drain below great lakes michigan, huron. This is done because lake michiganhuron is hydraulically considered to be one body of water, connected by the straits of mackinac at the north end of the two lakes. Water levels lhccc the lake huron centre for coastal. Historical variation of water levels in lakes erie and michiganhuron. Monthly lakewide average water levels 1918 present. Does lake michigans record low mark beginning of new era for great lakes. By june 15 th, water levels are forecast to rise 2 inches on lakes superior and michiganhuron. Lake erie ranks third in highwater levels, with the level standing at 30 inches above the prevailing levels.
Seismic stratigraphy of lake huron georgian bay and. Historical and archaeological evidence at european settlements on the great lakes from the early 17th century is used to shed light on the water level history of. Great lakes water levels 19182016 detroit district, u. Buy products related to great lakes history products and see what customers say about great. Great lakes average glsea surface water temperature. Does lake michigans recordlow water level mark beginning. Georgian bay great lakes foundation chairperson mary muter. In 2014 oshea and colleagues reported the results of their studies confirming this atlantianlike history underneath the great lake huron.
Since february 6th, water levels have declined about 3 inches on lakes superior, michigan huron, and lake st. Lake huron the american lakes series hardcover january 1, 1944 by fred landon author. Army corps of engineers says all five lakes should reach aboveaverage levels in 2018, continuing a steady recovery from record. Great lakes information usace detroit district army. The governmental offices use a 25 year average to set the prevailing levels. Then the water levels slowly drop as the water warms and evaporation takes place. The highest water level recorded in modern history on lake michigan and lake huron occurred in october 1986. About 9,000 years ago, when water levels in lake huron were about 100 m.
Water flushes through a greatly widened drain below great. Opinion along the great lakes, its time to prepare for. Water free fulltext attribution of decadalscale lake. Four interacting bodies of water make up lake huron. Between 19992014, the lakes experienced an unprecedented period when water levels for lake michiganhuron and superior fell below their longterm average for 15 years. Great lakes and connectingchannel water levels are measured for many. This indicator measures water levels and surface water temperatures in the great lakes.
Great lakes water level data and forecasts, basin conditions, outflows, and other. Lake huron has the largest shore line length of any of the great lakes, counting its 30,000 islands. Lake erie has risen 1 inch since last month, while lake ontario is near its level from a. Historical and archaeological evidence at european settlements on the great lakes from the early 17th century is used to shed light on the water level history of these lakes prior to 1819. Clair, a 2inch increase on lake erie and a 1inch increase on lake superior. Youll see no shortage of either on a tour of the 200mile triangle that includes the sandy beaches of lake huron, rivers and lakes teeming with fish, the only waterfalls in the lower peninsula, and thousands of acres of forests. Regional precipitation is identified as the primary driver of lake levels with submonthly time lag, implying that the lakelevel time series can be used as a proxy for regional precipitation throughout most of the 1865present instrumental record. Stratigraphic evidence from lake michiganhuron over the past 1,800 years is interpreted to.
Below is a graph depicting the average lake michigan lake huron water level since the late 90s. Marys river, pictured here, was very high in response to abundant regional water. Click this box to view historical monthly mean lakewide average water levels. Lake michiganhuron went down by 6 cm during the month of february, while it typically declines by only 1 cm. Alltime high recorded water level on lake michigan and. Great lakes water levels forecast to continue 5year. In a normal year the water level of lakes michigan and huron rise and fall about 11 inches. Leofs provides users with nowcast analyses of near present and forecast guidance of water levels, currents and water temperature out to 120 hours, four times per day. Historically the water levels have fluctuated between 6 and 7 feet in periods of time that span years. Great lakes water levels forecast to continue 5year rise the u. Great lakes water levels set to hit 15year high cottage. At the head of lake erie the deformation of the old water planes is not over a very few inches in a mile. The rocks under the water of lake huron suggest a welldeveloped culture and significant planning.
Water levels archives mackinac state historic parks. Host audie cornish talks with drew gronewold, a hydrologist at the national oceanic and atmospheric administration, about why water levels in lakes superior, michigan and huron are rising. Great lakes water levels to rise in 2020, threatening. What caused record water level rise in the great lakes. These straits are deep and wide, resulting in lakes michigan and huron standing at the same elevation. Looking at the hydrograph for lake huron between the years 1918 and 2019, you can see where high levels were recorded 1918, in the early 1930s, early 1950s, sustained high levels from the 1970s to the record high levels of 198586, and in 1997. Great lakes water levels data constitute one of the longest high quality hydrometeorological data sets in north america with united states reference gauge records beginning in 1860. The water levels presented below are obtained by averaging the recorded water levels of a representative network of gages located around both lake michigan and lake huron. Great lakes water levels michigan state university.