Is Lake Michigan water level going down?

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. Also, the precipitation is mostly snow in December, which doesn't make it as water into Lake Superior until the spring snowmelt.

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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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Climate change is fueling more extreme Lake Michigan Water levels, along with stronger winds and heavier storms. These conditions exacerbate erosion, beach loss, and damage along the shore.

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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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These lake surface temperatures are projected to rise by as much as 7°F by 2050 and 12.1°F by 2100. Higher temperatures, increased precipitation, and lengthened growing seasons are likely to result in increased production of blue-green and toxic algae in the lakes.

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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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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 lowest monthly average lake level for the representative network of gages on Lake Michigan/Huron, 576.02 feet IGLD 1985 International Great Lakes Datum, occurred in January 2013. The highest monthly average lake level for the network of gages, 582.35 feet IGLD 1985, occurred in October 1986.

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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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The outflows of Lake Superior and Lake Ontario are controlled to keep the lake levels within a specific range, near their long-term averages. Levels of Lake Superior have been regulated since 1921. Levels of Lake Ontario have been regulated since 1958.

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Climatic conditions control precipitation (and thus groundwater recharge), runoff, and direct supply to the lakes as well as the rate of evaporation. These are the primary driving factors in determining water levels.

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The Great lakes are fed by rivers which get their water from rain or melting snow, neither is salty. The lakes then ultimately drain into the St. Lawrence River then the Atlantic Ocean. The water drained away is replenished by precipitation which does not contain salt.

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Lake Superior is the Cleanest and Clearest Great Lake Because of its somewhat isolated location and long cold winters, not much farming is done along Superior's shores. This means lower amounts of nutrients, sediments, and organic material are floating around the lake.

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Lake Superior is the world's largest freshwater lake by area (31,700 mi2 /82,100 km2). It is also the coldest and deepest of the Great Lakes, with a maximum depth of 406 meters (1,332 feet). By most measures, it is the healthiest of all the Great Lakes.

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Of all of the Great Lakes, Lake Erie had become predominantly polluted by the 1960s, largely due to the heavy industrial presence along its shores. With 11.6 million people living in its basin, and with big cities and sprawling farmland dominating its watershed, Lake Erie is severely impacted by human activities.

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(a) The danger zone. An area bounded on the north by latitude 42°20'30?; on the east by longitude 87°47'30?; on the south by latitude 42°18'45?; and on the west by the shoreline.

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