Is Lake Michigan shrinking?

Over the past two years, the water level declines have been a little more than average and the water level increases have been less than average. This is especially true on Lakes Michigan and Huron. The water level on those two lakes has dropped from record high levels in 2020 to just a few inches above average now.



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The water level on Lake Michigan fell one inch from July 11, 2023 to Aug. 11, 2023. The current lake level is just under 580 feet, which is still about 5 inches above the long-term average for the month and approximately 4 inches below the lake level at the same time last year.

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In winter, the precipitation amounts decline in the colder air. A loss of water level basically comes down to more water flowing out and evaporating than falling as precipitation.

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Lake Michigan water levels are high and will keep rising, but nowhere near record levels.

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According to the average of their simulation ensemble, by 2040–2049, the average annual water levels of Lake Superior, Michigan-Huron, and Erie are projected to increase by 0.19, 0.44, and 0.28 m, respectively, relative to 2010–2019 under the Representative Concentration Pathway (RCP) 8.5 scenario.

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Threats to the Great Lakes' ecosystems, include invasive species, climate change, pollution, and habitat destruction. Climate change affects water temperatures, weather patterns, and lake levels.

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According to the average of their simulation ensemble, by 2040–2049, the average annual water levels of Lake Superior, Michigan-Huron, and Erie are projected to increase by 0.19, 0.44, and 0.28 m, respectively, relative to 2010–2019 under the Representative Concentration Pathway (RCP) 8.5 scenario.

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In the spring, the water surface warms. This causes the temperature of the top and bottom layers of the lake to equalize. With the help of strong winds, this new equilibrium breaks the thermal stratification, and the lake is able to mix.

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Current pressures on the Lake Michigan ecosystem include increasing use of groundwater by a growing basin population, disruption of the aquatic food web, and habitat alteration.

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Swift Currents At Lake Michigan Are The Real Danger The shapes of these waves are what contribute to rip tides, which are one of the most dangerous things swimmers can encounter in the water. Lake Michigan's riptide and longshore tides are unparalleled when it comes to danger among all the Great Lakes.

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10% of the entire planet's fresh water are contained in one inland sea. The amount of snow that gets melted and runs into the Great Lakes each year is so vast, that there is zero chance of running low. Droughts don't exist up there. Here in Perth Western Australia we have a dam, little rain and treated water.

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Swimmers didn't find it too appealing, but it was popular for those who wanted to fish for trout. However, an analysis of satellite images between 1998 and 2012 showed that Lake Michigan and Lake Huron are now clearer than Lake Superior, which had always been the clearest of the Great Lakes in the past.

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The Great Lakes are struggling under the combined weight of many ailments, from invasive species and toxic chemicals to the nutrient runoffs that fuel Lake Erie's chronic algae problem. And in many cases, climate change is making it worse.

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Pollution from over a century of intensive development remains in the sediment of many Great Lakes tributaries, harming fish and wildlife and leaving water unsafe for people. These sites are being cleaned up through the Great Lakes Legacy Act by the U.S. EPA in partnership with local, state, and private organizations.

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Over the past two years, the water level declines have been a little more than average and the water level increases have been less than average. This is especially true on Lakes Michigan and Huron.

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