LEVELnews
Volume 19, Number 7
11 July 2011
Water Level Changes and Upcoming Public Events
Water levels continued to rise a bit more than average on lakes Superior and Michigan–Huron during June, while levels fell on lakes St. Clair, Erie and Ontario as those lakes begin their annual seasonal declines.
Lake Superior’s level rose by 10 cm this June, compared to its average June rise of 7 cm. The level of Lakes Michigan–Huron rose by 8 cm in June, which is also 3 cm more than its average June rise of 5 cm.
The levels of lakes St. Clair, Erie and Ontario fell by 2, 6 and 12 cm, respectively, during June. On average, the levels of lakes St. Clair and Erie have risen 4 and 1 cm, respectively, during June over the 1918–2010 period of record, while Lake Ontario has fallen by 1 cm.
With average water supply conditions, the level of Lake Superior is expected to rise by a few centimetres during July. Levels are expected to remain fairly stable on Lakes Michigan–Huron in July and fall on lakes St. Clair, Erie and Ontario.
For a graphical representation of recent and forecasted water levels on each of the Great Lakes and on Lake St. Clair, compared to their 1918–2010 period-of-record monthly average and extreme levels, please refer to the June 2011 edition of the Canadian Hydrographic Service’s monthly water levels bulletin, found at: www.waterlevels.gc.ca/C&A/tidal_e.html
| June 2011 Monthly Mean Level | Beginning-of-July 2011 Level | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lake | Compared to Monthly Average (1918–2010) | Compared toOne Year Ago | Compared to Beginning-of-Month Average (1918–2010) | Compared toOne Year Ago |
| Superior | 30 cm below | 2 cm above | 28 cm below | 2 cm above |
| Michigan-Huron | 34 cm below | 2 cm above | 31 cm below | 2 cm above |
| St. Claire | 5 cm above | 14 cm above | 5 cm above | 12 cm above |
| Erie | 25 cm above | 27 cm above | 21 cm above | 24 cm above |
| Ontario | 29 cm above | 48 cm above | 22 cm above | 30 cm above |
Meetings
The International Upper Great Lakes Study is holding a number of public meetings throughout the summer to provide information regarding the status of the second
and final phase of its work examining Great Lakes water levels. At the meetings, the public will have an opportunity to hear from Study Board members and researchers about preliminary findings and potential regulation plans. The Study Board has announced the details for six meetings that will be held in Wisconsin, Ohio and Michigan on its website. Details for six information sessions in Ontario are still being finalized. Watch the Study Board’s website over the coming weeks for the dates, times and locations of these Ontario meetings.
The three International Joint Commission (IJC) Great Lakes boards of control are holding public events in August and September.
The International Niagara Board of Control is holding an open house on Wednesday, August 17, 2011. This session is scheduled to begin at 7:30 p.m. EDT at the Old Stone Inn, 5425 Robinson Street, Niagara Falls, Ontario.
The International Lake Superior Board of Control is holding a public meeting/teleconference on Tuesday, August 30, 2011. The International St. Lawrence River Board of Control is holding a public meeting/teleconference on Tuesday, September 20, 2011. Details for these events are being finalized.
To learn more about the public events planned by one or more of these Boards of Control, please go to the IJC’s website at www.ijc.org/en/home/main_accueil.htm and follow the link to the Boards provided at the top of the page. Information about each meeting will be posted as it becomes available over the coming weeks.
| June Precipitation over the Great Lakes* | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Great Lakes Basin | 106% | Lake Erie | 60% |
| Lake Superior | 114% | (including Lake St. Clair) | |
| Lakes Michigan-Huron | 120% | Lake Ontario | 81% |
| June Outflows from the Great Lakes* | |||
| Lake Superior | 75% | Lake Erie | 107% |
| Lake Huron | 90% | Lake Ontario | 117% |
| *As a percentage of the long-term June average. NOTE: These figures are preliminary. | |||
For more information:
Chuck Southam (Editor)
Boundary Water Issues Unit
MSC – Operations Ontario
Environment Canada
P.O. Box 5050
Burlington ON L7R 4A6
Tel.: 905-336-4955
Fax: 905-336-8901
Email: water.levels@ec.gc.ca
David Fay
Great Lakes–St. Lawrence
Regulation Office
MSC – Operations Ontario
Environment Canada
111 Water Street East
Cornwall ON K6H 6S2
Tel.: 613-938-5725
For information regarding reproduction rights, please contact Public Works and Government Services Canada at 613-996-6886 or at droitdauteur.copyright@tpsgc-pwgsc.ca
Photos: © Environment Canada - 2011
© Her Majesty the Queen in Right of Canada, represented by the Minister of the Environment, 2011
ISSN 1925-5713
- Date Modified: