Lake superior high water level

[lenny]

Our family spends a fair amount of time at the beach and for the last few summers the beach has gotten smaller and smaller. At 4 mile north of Ontonagon the beach is about gone and right up to the trees, no more sand to hang out at. I was wondering g about this a few years ago but looked it up today's and seen it is 30" higher than March of 2013,,,,, so that explains why the beaches are smaller. Anybody else seen the same thing in their neck of the woods?

 

[ezra]

dont worry should not be to much longer until they start building one of those awful pipe lines to the west cost. but this one will be cheered for because it will be draining the great lakes so CA can water there grass after taking down all there states levies to save the sand flee 10 yrs ago

 

[eao]

http://tidesandcurrents.noaa.gov/stationhome.html?id=9099044#obs

http://tidesandcurrents.noaa.gov/ma...minaryData&region=Great Lakes - Lake Superior


Mean Lake Superior Lake elevation is 602 ft above sea level, today its at 602.78 ft

 

[lenny]

dont worry should not be to much longer until they start building one of those awful pipe lines to the west cost. but this one will be cheered for because it will be draining the great lakes so CA can water there grass after taking down all there states levies to save the sand flee 10 yrs ago

I could see that happening

 

[Skylar]

I think i read somewhere that the state's surrounding the great lakes, all passed some sort of legislation to keep that from happening?

 

[whitedust]

Saw the same thing on the Atlantic side of FL at high tide....low tide plenty of beach but right at high tide not much left before water starts taking out dunes. We lost lots of beach in last 5 years!

 

[lenny]

The explanation I read was the obvious rain and snow but than cooler weather.

 

[frnash]

I think i read somewhere that the state's surrounding the great lakes, all passed some sort of legislation to keep that from happening?

Well, the US Congress did. (What? They actually did something useful???) See: (click →) 42 U.S. Code § 1962d–20 - Prohibition on Great Lakes diversions. (Of course "what da gubmint giveth, da gubmint can taketh away" too, so we gotta watch the rascals!)

 

[bearrassler]

I think it is caused by global warming mainly from making electricity from coal in ND

 

[chords]

I believe our friendly Canadien neighbors, including the portion south of Michigan USA, have a say in any Great Lake water diversions.
And I think there is some kind of mileage/distance where a cutoff exists. Past that point, and a Great Lake cannot be used as a source of a municipal water supply.

 

[eagle1]

Well we're doing our part to fill great lakes. 4.80" rain in less than a week!!

..........Oh and if anyone needs some hay, my lawn will be ready to bale by the time it dries out!!

 

[eao]

Water levels on the Great Lakes

 

[lenny]

JD, water seem higher by you?

 

[Admin]

JD, water seem higher by you?

Na, up this way, the lake is still low . Just kidding. Yes, the water levels are higher than has been seen in many years. It is above average, but the reason for it being so noticeable is that levels were 1.5-2 feet below average just a few years ago.

-John

 

[lenny]

Down by us a few of the beaches I like are not to far away from the trees and so it's real easy to see but in areas where the beaches have more shore depth it would be harder to tell.

 

[xcr440]

Does this mean you guys have more water for LES???

 

[highhertel]

dont worry should not be to much longer until they start building one of those awful pipe lines to the west cost. but this one will be cheered for because it will be draining the great lakes so CA can water there grass after taking down all there states levies to save the sand flee 10 yrs ago

Lots of reservoirs in Cali that are still in use, sad part is they are all almost empty. Lake Shasta near Mt. Shasta was one of my favorite places to hang out, now just a pittance of what it once was. Only a few years ago, Shasta Lake was a great house boating lake, now could barely get a fishing boat in there.

HH

 

[snobuilder]

Don't take this wrong....not picking on anyone, but asking each other around the great lakes "if the water level is high by you" as if we are talking about snow depth seems
a little offbase.....doesn't water seek it's own level?
Could be some variances but if the level goes up in Duluth, it goes up in Chicago as well....aina?

 

[lenny]

There been no question if the water level has risen. I stated in the OP it's up over 30" since a few years back. The question was , has your beaches changed. I was commenting on how by me we don't have a lot of depth between tree line and shore so the water is up by the trees and beach gone. As you drive towards Silver City where there is deep sandy beaches it looks somewhat normal looking out the car window going 60. I was curious how it has effected those in their beach areas. For me I cannot even go to two of my favorite sections of beach because there gone.

 

[sweeperguy]

Don't take this wrong....not picking on anyone, but asking each other around the great lakes "if the water level is high by you" as if we are talking about snow depth seems
a little offbase.....doesn't water seek it's own level?
Could be some variances but if the level goes up in Duluth, it goes up in Chicago as well....aina?

Not completely correct in this scenario, the big lake is something like 21 feet higher than the lower lakes. The rapids and locks at the Soo is where the difference in lake levels border is. The Corps of Engineers can actually manipulate the levels of the lower lakes. Between the locks and the flow gates at the top of the rapids. They have some control over how much water goes to the lower basin. Similarly at Niagara Falls they decrease water flow at might and increase it during the day for tourists to get a better experience.