Great Lakes water levels

[dashaver63]

Don't know if anyone had heard this so I'll post it here. Sounds like good news.


Associated Press


Water levels are expected to rise in parts of the Great Lakes this summer after one of the snowiest winters in years, a much-needed boost for boaters and lakeside businesses.

''We didn't expect this dramatic turnaround,'' said Scott Thieme, chief hydrologist of the Detroit office of the Army Corps of Engineers. ''It's a much better picture than it was six months ago. . . . We're just amazed at the weather we've had.''

Last fall, projections were dire. Lake Superior hit record lows in August and September, and Lakes Michigan and Huron were near all-time lows. The corps expected spring to bring new record lows.

Meteorologists across the Great Lakes said this season's heavy storms have pulled in moisture from as far away as the Gulf of Mexico.

This snow is heavy, dense and full of water, compared with the usual lake-effect storms that suck moisture off the Great Lakes and drop it back as fluffy, dry snow, merely recycling the water from lake to land, back to lake.

The imported moisture also bodes well for thirsty streams, rivers and inland lakes, some of which also had reached extremely low levels.

''We've had copious snow and rain across the Great Lakes into Wisconsin, Iowa and Illinois, so I would think they'll be on the high side of the projections,''
said Bill Deedler, meteorologist with the National Weather Service office in White Lake Township in Michigan.

Those projections generally suggest levels in the upper Great Lakes this summer will be 6 to 12 inches higher than they were last summer.

Grand Rapids, Flint and Saginaw had their snowiest February ever, and tiny Wellston, near Manistee, already set a new record for the winter season.

While boaters and lakefront property owners will mostly take notice when warm weather arrives, the snow also has been sweet for snowmobilers and skiers who have suffered through recent winters.

The snow is mostly due to a La Nina weather pattern that draws on cooler Pacific Ocean waters, meteorologists said.

Deedler said inland lakes were low last summer, especially before heavy rains in August. ''They dried out, but I think we'll start this spring on a good note,'' he said. ''If we're lucky, it will hold into summer.''

Although the Great Lakes are expected to rebound higher through August, the corps said the upper lakes — Superior, Michigan and Huron — will be below their long-term averages.

[Jighead]

Sounds like it shouldn't be a problem getting into Muscamoot this year.

Whoops.....ssshhhh

[skeeterman190]

Very optimistic outlook for things Im glad! Even though Lake Michigan might be below average its still going to be a better deal for the inland lakes. I fish a lake in NW Indiana that im concerned about on the water levels. Its been way low and usually runs on a 10 year process that the water comes up. Its a good lake and could make me happy if it got high! Lets hope so and oh yeah CAN SPRING EVER GET HERE!!!!!-skeeterman-

[thedude]

all that snow came OUT of lake michigan though! 
definitley helps inland though.

[bassinjeff]

The paper said somthing about la nina winter were most of the moisture for our snow was carried from the golf making it a wetter snow. So yes this will help lake michigan and other great lakes. Snow were the moisture comes from lake michigan produces less water, it is more of a fluffy powder snow.