Lake Michigan water levels...

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dlandersson

dlandersson

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Feb 16, 2011
227
Macgregor 26X Michigan City, IN
Just put my Mac 26X away for the winter in Michigan City, IN. The water level up Washington creek was 1.8 feet in some spots just south of the old bridge. Was glad my Mac 26X had a kick-up centerboard and kick-up rudders.

I was surprised by the low level of the water AND I don't know some of the boats with deeper draft are going to make it. :confused:

I understand water levels across Lake Michigan are much lower than usual. Certainly 1.8 feet lower at the marina than last year.

Lake Michigan water levels near 48 year low... guess I wasn't paying close attention. :D

http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com...umn-Lake-Michigan-water-level-ties-record-low
 
rgranger

rgranger

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Jan 19, 2010
12,593
Hobie 16 & Rhodes 22 Skeeter Charleston
I do most of my sailing in a mountain reservoir, (Smith Mountain Lake) and it is down 5.5' right now.
 
C

chapster5

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Aug 8, 2012
36
MacGregor 26s Brighton
Here on Lake Ont the water levels are low as well, someone told me it was due to the Freighters needing the depth and the water levels required in the St Lawerence and the Ports at Montreal.

Just what I heard and a theory.
 
flynfol

flynfol

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Oct 8, 2008
362
MacGregor/Venture 25 Winthrop Harbor, IL Drummond Island,MI
Water level is down about 5 feet since the late 80's on Lake Huron. Since Huron and Michigan are connected.......all those square miles, that's an incredible amount of water. According to a show on Discovery........the ground is still rebounding from the last glacial episode. With that much less water.....it rebounds even faster.
 
MSN-Travelers

MSN-Travelers

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May 24, 2007
185
Beneteau 352 Milwaukee, WI
Michigan - Huron

1859 to date . . . The historical average depth is 579.41 feet. We have been below the historical average 1999 to date.

Normally we have an annual high in July/August. However, the drought this summer, across the Lake Michigan watershed, just about wiped out the mid-season bounce before it ever got started.

We’re only down roughly 6” from last year at this same time (end of September) but we were down almost 2.4’ from the historical average at the end of September. Since then, we have lost an additional 7” during this month (down 14” since last year on October 12th).

The Army Corp predict another 3” drop into November. We are down 70” since the high in October 1986.

Hope for a cold winter with above average snowfall.
 
timebandit

timebandit

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Jun 3, 2004
1,863
Macgregor 25 So. Cal.
Where is the water going?:confused:

Are undocumented people from outerspace stealing it?:eek:

I thought with global warming the oceans were supposed to rise and cause major flooding?:doh:

Maybee to many companies are bottling the water and storing it in those pesky plastic bottles so the water is not returning to where it belongs.:naughty:

I am so confused.:D
 
finding41

finding41

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Nov 23, 2011
2,023
MacGregor 26D London Ontario Canada
Yep. Last time I checked the great lakes were above sea level. But that's just because of the water bottlers. As soon as they stop taking it the flow should reverse.
 
justsomeguy

justsomeguy

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Feb 20, 2011
8,062
Island Packet 35 Tucson, AZ/San Carlos, MX
It'd be interesting to be around there about 50,000 years from now, and see Lake Erie drain away. Maybe they'll have a dam built by then?
 
Doc_holiday

Doc_holiday

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Nov 19, 2011
1,489
MacGregor 26S Hampton, VA
I'm not interested in being here in 50,000 years or 50 years for that matter. I am curious as to how this can be blamed on which political party though.
 
justsomeguy

justsomeguy

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Feb 20, 2011
8,062
Island Packet 35 Tucson, AZ/San Carlos, MX
If you brought the matter to the war room, someone would find a way! :D
 
rgranger

rgranger

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Jan 19, 2010
12,593
Hobie 16 & Rhodes 22 Skeeter Charleston
Doc_holiday said:
I'm not interested in being here in 50,000 years or 50 years for that matter. I am curious as to how this can be blamed on which political party though.
Click to expand

The Republocrats or the Demolicans;)
 
S

sandpiper10471

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May 31, 2007
773
Hunter 37 cutter Blind River
The river that empties at Chicago into L. Michigan now drains L. Michigan into the Mississippi I have been told. The shipping channel in the St. Clair and Detroit rivers was dredged and that apparently increased flow. There is underfoot a plan to hold back L. Superior waters at the Sault to maintain levels there but in order to keep shipping going, Lakes Huron and Michigan will lose another four feet over the next 10 years. At the rate it dropped this season, the goal will be reached much more quickly. Many marinas and tourist traps will be out of business and many navigational routes will be gone. I hate to think of the consequences to wildlife.
 
finding41

finding41

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Nov 23, 2011
2,023
MacGregor 26D London Ontario Canada
sandpiper10471 said:
The river that empties at Chicago into L. Michigan now drains L. Michigan into the Mississippi I have been told. The shipping channel in the St. Clair and Detroit rivers was dredged and that apparently increased flow. There is underfoot a plan to hold back L. Superior waters at the Sault to maintain levels there but in order to keep shipping going, Lakes Huron and Michigan will lose another four feet over the next 10 years. At the rate it dropped this season, the goal will be reached much more quickly. Many marinas and tourist traps will be out of business and many navigational routes will be gone. I hate to think of the consequences to wildlife.
Click to expand
And all in the name of.... Progress?

 
Sumner

Sumner

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Jan 31, 2009
5,254
Macgregor & Endeavour 26S and 37 Utah's Canyon Country
sandpiper10471 said:
The river that empties at Chicago into L. Michigan now drains L. Michigan into the Mississippi I have been told...
Click to expand
Here is the history and it also explains what water...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chicago_Sanitary_and_Ship_Canal

...is allowed to be diverted into the canal system at Chicago that connects the Great Lakes to the Mississippi. It sounds like now only the water needed to operate the locks and such is allow to exit the Great Lakes via the canal system.

Because of the threat of Asian carp the canal could possibly be closed all together. Right now I think there is a section that is electrified to try and stop the carp.

Sum

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Our Endeavour 37

Our MacGregor 26-S Pages

Our Trips to Utah, Idaho, Canada, Florida

Mac-Venture Links
 
Scott B

Scott B

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Sep 20, 2006
2,952
Hunter 33 Georgian Bay, Ontario, Canada
Lake Michigan, Huron and Georgian Bay dropped considerably this year with no snow last year and no rain in the spring and summer. Last year was close but we had 6 weeks of rain that rebounded the levels in June.

As far as the St . Clair River, there is a group claiming that dredging the river has caused a bigger outflow...... however that is a much bigger discussion ;)
 
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