Water levels of Lake Superior and Lake Michigan-Huron remain well above average, and Lake Superior has the potential to reach or exceed record highs in May should wet conditions continue.
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The above-average levels coupled with strong winds and waves continue to result in shoreline erosion and coastal damages across the upper Great Lakes system.
Very wet conditions continued across the upper Great Lakes basin in February, and water levels of Lake Superior and Lake Michigan-Huron remain well above average.
Generally wet conditions persisted across the upper Great Lakes basin in January, and water levels of Lake Superior and Lake Michigan-Huron remain well above average.
December, like October and November, saw wet conditions across the upper Great Lakes basin, and water levels of Lake Superior and Lake Michigan-Huron remain well above average.
Following extremely wet conditions in October and relatively wet conditions in November, water levels of Lake Superior and Lake Michigan-Huron remain well above average.
The International Lake Superior Board of Control, under authority granted to it by the International Joint Commission (IJC), advises that the gate setting of the control structure at the head of the St. Marys Rapids will be reduced prior to winter, beginning next week.
Extremely wet weather and a significant rise in Lake Superior levels will result in St. Marys River outflows being increased in November.
During a relatively wet September, Lake Superior rose 4 cm while on average Lake Superior begins its seasonal decline in September. Conditions were closer to average downstream and Lake Michigan-Huron declined 6 cm in September.
At the beginning of September, Lake Superior is 14 cm above average (1918 – 2017), but 11 cm below the level at this time last year. Lake Michigan-Huron is currently 43 cm above average, and at the same level as last year’s beginning-of-September level.