Lake St Clair water levels 2020

JBM on Lake St Clair getting ready for this season's water levels.

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I'm curious why those docks are fixed and not floating? Do the water levels usually not vary that much? Is a fixed dock less expensive to build than a floating type?

The VAST majority of docks around here are the floating type. But we're affected by tides with a 9-11 foot range, so it's pretty essential. The only fixed dock I know of is one of the local fuel docks. I don't go to that one because I have no desire to scale a barnacle-crusted ladder.
 
b_arrington said:
I'm curious why those docks are fixed and not floating? Do the water levels usually not vary that much? Is a fixed dock less expensive to build than a floating type?

The VAST majority of docks around here are the floating type. But we're affected by tides with a 9-11 foot range, so it's pretty essential. The only fixed dock I know of is one of the local fuel docks. I don't go to that one because I have no desire to scale a barnacle-crusted ladder.
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My marina has floating docks and they’re great. However this is an older restaurant/bar and I’m sure it cost a fortune to switch them over to floating.

5 years ago the water was probably 3-4 feet under those docks. Water has never been this high.
 
Water on Lake Michigan is up 60" or so from 2013.

The last marina we were at had floating docks and they had to extend the pilings as they floated off. The current marina has adjustable metal docks, currently at the highest setting with 8" of space below the docks. A few years ago you'd barely be able to step off the bow onto the dock.

Typically the Great Lakes don't fluctuate this much....the past few years have been crazy!
 
firecadet613 said:
Water on Lake Michigan is up 60" or so from 2013.

The last marina we were at had floating docks and they had to extend the pilings as they floated off. The current marina has adjustable metal docks, currently at the highest setting with 8" of space below the docks. A few years ago you'd barely be able to step off the bow onto the dock.

Typically the Great Lakes don't fluctuate this much....the past few years have been crazy!
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Our floating docks are also popping over the pilings. They’ve been adding extensions to the pilings since last spring. Some docks are also snapping the hinges or the welding. All this was last year. This year is gonna be a wild one.
 
I plan to drop anchor more often. I'll have a complete set of new batteries for the season, and I'll make sure the genny gets some extra attention to ensure she's ready.

I also want to pick up a floating stray current alarm. Friends of mine bought one because their girls where using paddleboards in marinas.
 
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I added SimpliSafe so I'll get notification of not just intruders but lost power and high water alarms.
 
As a follow up, someone on THT posted this picture, which really shows how the Great Lakes flows work.
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Creekwood said:
The outflows of the Great Lakes system are quite limited in capacity. The inflows are VAST and variable with short term and long term weather patterns.

Virtually all of the water from the upper lakes has to flow south through three relatively small river systems to get to the ocean. Superior flows though the St Marys River into Huron/Michigan (Huron Michigan are connected at the North ends and generally can stay at the same level). Then ALL of those 3 lakes outflow has to go through the St Clair river and Lake St Clair in lake Erie. That is a narrow river considering the vast lakes that feed it. Then ALLLLLL of that flow has to go through the Niagara river into Lake Ontario. Then ALLLLLLLL of that water has to exit via the St. Lawrence River.

So outflows are really constrained. There are Hydro Electric Facilities and lock systems, but the capacity to truly control lake levels in a meaningful way is not there. And a major problem is that if the final lock/Hydro systems are full open on the St Lawrence, it would flood out Montreal.
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200 years ago the water in the GL was MUCH higher.

Check out chart C below, the left hand side - a bit after year 1830. Hope it doesn't come back that much. Can't recall where I found this, but it was either state of Michigan or federal government.

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