Will Lake Michigan water levels go down?

You can read more about this as well as other myths about water level fluctuations in this blog. Over the next 6 months, Lake Michigan water levels are predicted to be below last year's levels, but remain above long term average water levels indicated by the dashed blue line in the image below.



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Those findings are consistent with a study from Michigan Technological University. That study found Lake Superior is expected to rise on average by 7.5 inches while levels on the Lake Michigan-Huron system is projected to increase 17 inches by 2050 due to climate change.

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

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Water level (the height of the lake surface above sea level) is influenced by many factors, including precipitation, snowmelt runoff, drought, evaporation rates, and people withdrawing water for multiple uses.

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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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 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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That study found Lake Superior is expected to rise on average by 7.5 inches while levels on the Lake Michigan-Huron system is projected to increase 17 inches by 2050 due to climate change.

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In the first half of 2023, Lake Erie's water levels are expected to be lower than in 2022 by anywhere from six to 14 inches, according to predictions from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The lake's levels should be 22 inches to 28 inches below the record-high levels.

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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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The Great Lakes are freshwater ecosystems. Traditionally, Lake Michigan, for example, has been a very low-salt lake, with levels around one milligram of chloride per liter of water. Over the years, due to our increased salt use, that level has steadily but gradually climbed up to 15 milligrams per liter.

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What is Michigan's deepest inland lake? Torch Lake has an average depth of 111 feet and a maximum depth of 285 feet. That makes it deeper than Lake Erie, which has an average depth of 62 feet and a maximum depth of 210 feet. It's also Michigan's longest inland lake and stretches about 19 miles.

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