Great Lakes HIGH water levels

[LakeSuperior]

With an onshore breeze the surface water of Lake Superior will hit 70 deg F in August. I have spent over an hour in the water the second week in September. Generally, Superior is not bad (with an onshore breeze) from mid July to mid September for swimming.

The bays and coves become quite pleasant and when you come out your hair feels like it was washed in rain water.

[Mike OReilly]

Originally Posted by LakeSuperior

With an onshore breeze the surface water of Lake Superior will hit 70 deg F in August. I have spent over an hour in the water the second week in September. Generally, Superior is not bad (with an onshore breeze) from mid July to mid September for swimming.

The bays and coves become quite pleasant and when you come out your hair feels like it was washed in rain water.

And just for those not as familiar with the Lake as LS is, I'll add that it depends where on the lake you're talking. It's a BIG lake. The south shore is quite different geologically and topographically. It's also further south, so tends to be warmer, than the north shore.

I spent the vast majority of my time on the north and east shores. The warmest I ever recorded was 18ºC, and that was in a deep cove after a long, warm spell. But when I spent some time around the Apostles the water seemed a lot warmer than I was use to. As I recall, normal coastal cruising temperatures were in 12 to 15ºC range. Offshore I usually recorded in the 4 to 8 range.

[LakeSuperior]

Just checked the Corp of Engineers website and the Lake Superior water level in April was about 12 inches lower than last October.

This was due to the relatively mild winter with little ice cover allowing efficient evaporation. Superior is now starting to rise.

How high it gets this summer depends on the amount of moisture and evaporation we get this summer. There are summers where the lake is fogged in for a good part of June and July. Moist warm air hits the cold water and created fog. The fog blocks direct solar loading of the lake surface keeping it cold and inhibiting evaporation.

The peak last summer was still lower than the peak in the late 80's.

[Tetepare]

We made our annual dinghy & kayak trip up my favorite creek/ swamp. I've been playing in, fishing, etc this creek for more than 40 years.



Wow what a change! The normal channel has silted shallow in places; bends which have always had 2-3 feet of water are now 6" deep, and piled with silt/mud/leaves. Whole areas of cattails, long protected by mud flats though open to the bay, are gone.



I'm quite certain that this is because the recurring high water has prevented flow. Remember, in the very beginning, before most of us even knew the term "Plan 2014" the plan was sold to us as improving wetlands due to increased flow. In hindsight, high water doesn't increase flow; low water will, what we need is a strong fluctuation but haven't seen a late-season low yet.

[pcmm]

Thankfully this year Lake Ontario water levels are back to "normal" this time last year the water was 3-6 inches above the seawall where I am. Now. the water level is about 24 inches BELOW! Back to normal!

[rslifkin]

Originally Posted by pcmm

Thankfully this year Lake Ontario water levels are back to "normal" this time last year the water was 3-6 inches above the seawall where I am. Now. the water level is about 24 inches BELOW! Back to normal!

We're still above average levels, but we had a pretty average amount of lake rise this spring, so the levels aren't anything crazy. Can't complain about slightly high though, as it means more depth in some of the slightly marginal places.

[SuW]

The level in Lake St. Lawrence (Iroquois to Cornwall) is being raised a few times over the next week or so to allow for maintenance work:

https://nationvalleynews.com/2020/06...ally-next-day/