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Great Lakes-St. Lawrence Hydrology What's New | Weekly Levels Forecast | Overview | Datums | Education Laws | References | Related Resources Levels & Hydrology Section: Home | Levels | Hydrology | Flows 
What's New Water levels down in upper Great Lakes Green Bay Press-Gazette (6/2) Water levels are lower than usual in the upper Great Lakes, which is bad news for the shippers who rely on those waterways. Lake Superior drops more than usual in March Duluth News Tribune (4/2) Below-normal rain and snow in March across the watershed provided less water for Lake Superior, which now sits 9 inches lower than on April 1, 2010, and 15 inches below its long-term April 1 average. Extra ice is nice for Great Lakes The Detroit News (12/27) The headaches and hassles that have come with a colder than normal start to the winter could pay off for Great Lakes residents several months down the road. Record low snow keeps levels below average The London Free Press (6/7) Record low snowfall this past winter in the Great Lakes basin has kept lake levels lower than average and mariners on edge. And predictions of a hot, dry summer are expected to keep both of them there. Senator seeks new policy on lowering water levels The Kingston Whig-Standard (4/1) Sen. Bob Runciman says it's time for a water-levels policy that better respects the people who live on both sides of the St. Lawrence River. With ice jam gone, lake levels to rise The Windsor Star (3/30) Lake St. Clair residents are worried about a two-foot drop in the lake level from last summer. But the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers says both Lake St. Clair and Lake Erie levels are expected to be only slightly lower than long-term averages this summer. 
Weekly Water Levels Forecast 
Update for Friday January 6, 2011
(includes data summary)
Weather conditions: Heavy precipitation fell across much of the Great Lakes basin on Sunday to start the new year, especially within the Lake Michigan-Huron and Lake Ontario basins. Temperatures across the region dropped on Monday and Tuesday of this week to below seasonal averages. For most of this winter, though, temperatures have been above average. The latter half of this week saw rising temperatures which will be above average heading into the weekend. During the upcoming weekend, a cold front is expected to drop temperatures back to near seasonal averages and also bring chances for some lake effect snow showers. Water Level Conditions: Currently, Lake Superior is near its level of a year ago and Lake Michigan-Huron is 7 inches higher than it was last year. Lakes St. Clair, Erie, and Ontario are 10, 21, and 8 inches, respectively, higher than they were at this time last year. Over the next thirty days, Lakes Superior and Michigan-Huron are projected to drop 3 and 1 inches, respectively, from their current levels. The water levels of Lakes St. Clair and Erie are forecasted to decline 1 and 4 inches, respectively, over the next month. Lake Ontario is expected to rise 5 inches over the next thirty days. See the Daily Levels web page for more water level information. Forecasted outflows / channel conditions: Lake Superior's outflow through the St. Mary's River is projected to be below average for the month of January. Lake Huron's outflow into the St. Clair River and the outflow from Lake St. Clair into the Detroit River are expected to be near average throughout the month of January. Lake Erie's outflow through the Niagara River and the outflow of Lake Ontario into the St. Lawrence River are both predicted to be above average in January. Alerts: The water levels of Lakes Superior and Michigan-Huron are below chart datum, and are forecasted to remain below chart datum over the next several months. Users of the Great Lakes, connecting channels and St. Lawrence River should keep informed of current conditions before undertaking any activities that could be affected by changing water levels. Mariners should utilize navigation charts and refer to current water level readings. Ice information can be found at the National Ice Center's webpage.
Overview Carved by glaciers, the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence River system is a series of steps that drains from Lake Superior in the west to the Atlantic Ocean in the east. Covering more than 94,000 square miles, the Great Lakes and their connecting channels form the largest fresh, surface water system on earth, holding about 18 percent of the world's supply. Ever since the last glaciers retreated about 10,000 years ago, the system's water levels and outflows have been fluctuating, affecting the lakeshore environment and human activities. Unlike oceans, where ebbs and tides are constant and predictable, Great Lakes water level fluctuations are almost never regular, nor can their levels be predicted accurately in the long term. This is because the many factors affecting Great Lakes water levels and flows are never constant and likely can not be predicted accurately in the long term. The major influences on Great Lakes hydrology are weather and climate, which affect the balance of water in the Great Lakes and their connecting channels. Water enters the system as precipitation, runoff (including snowmelt) from the surrounding land, and groundwater inflow. Water leaving the system consists of evaporation from the water's surface, groundwater outflow, consumptive uses and diversions. The GLIN hydrology section discusses these factors and links to resources from many relevant agencies. We hope that an understanding of the Great Lakes system's dynamics will promote living in harmony with one of the most precious natural resources of this planet. Coordinating Committee Co-chairs: John Kangas U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Great Lakes and Ohio River Division john.w.kangas@usace.army.mil Peter Yee Environment Canada, Great Lakes-St. Lawrence Regulation Office peter_yee@pch.gc.ca
Datums Coordinating Committee on Great Lakes Basic Hydraulic and Hydrologic Data Datums - explanation of datums used for water levels and navigational charts Department of Fisheries and Oceans, Canadian Hydrographic Service Establishment of International Great Lakes Datum 1985 Department of Fisheries and Oceans, Canadian Hydrographic Service
Education TEACH Great Lakes: Water Levels Water levels are part of the ebb and flow of nature. Learn about the three types of water level fluctuations, how levels are measured on the Great Lakes, and what's causing the recent drop.
Laws Boundary Waters Treaty United States and Canada, 1909 Great Lakes Charter
References Great Lakes Water Levels Home Page U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), Detroit District A regularly updated page of links to information on Great Lakes hydrology. Includes current conditions, recent water levels, forecasted levels, general news and information, multimedia, reference materials, and more! Coordinating Committee on Great Lakes Basic Hydraulic and Hydrologic Data Great Lakes Atlas U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) This Environmental Atlas and Resource Book is an excellent resource on the Great Lakes, including physical characteristics, natural processes, people, concerns, joint management and new directions (mirrored on Environment Canada's site). Hydrologic Cycle Online Meteorology Guide University of Illinois, Department of Atmospheric Sciences
Related Resources GLIN: Agencies and Organizations, Hydrology GLIN: Environmental Research in the Great Lakes Region GLIN: Great Lakes-St. Lawrence Water Flows GLIN: Great Lakes-St. Lawrence Water Levels GLIN: Weather and Climate in the Great Lakes Region
This page was created under the guidance of the binational Coordinating Committee on Great Lakes Basic Hydraulic and Hydrologic Data. This symbol is used throughout the GLIN hydrology section to indicate data or references prepared under the auspices of the Coordinating Committee.
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