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What causes Lake Michigan to turn over?

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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The turnover can cause fish kills in some areas, but it is more common on smaller lakes with little moving water or in backwater creek areas where fish can't escape the water that is lacking oxygen.

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

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Dissolved oxygen is supplied to a lake from two main sources: plant and algae photosynthesis and diffusion from the atmosphere.

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We now have a micro (small) scale circulation — the lake breeze. This lake breeze that develops in the spring can cause a 30 degree difference in temperature over a few miles. It can oscillate back and forth, where you a warm one minute, but cold the next. We see this on a grand scale as well around the globe.

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