Lakes Michigan/Huron Hit Record Low Level

[DaFish]

Attached is a link to an article that appeared in the Milwaukee Journal with details from the Corps of Engineers of the new record low water level and what might be expected in the coming year. This is the lowest the lake has been since records begain being kept in 1918. There is also speculation of some solutions.

http://www.jsonline.com/news/wiscon...n-hit-record-low-level-dq8loc2-189903561.html

This has the potential to make for a challenging season getting into our "favorite secret places".

 

[Hampton]

The main problem in the world is over-population - period.

Future wars will not be over land, gold, oil, or religion. They will be over water rights.

Realistic scientists (not global warming nuts) predict Vegas will be a ghost town in 50 years due to lack of any fresh water.

The vast majority of this planet is covered in water - salt water. A tiny percentage is accessible fresh water. We are using it up faster than nature can replenish it. Europe has plenty. China is going to be hurting. We are going to be hurting. All due to the luck of the weather patterns across the world. It is very interesting to research how much water goes into sustaining our lives. Less than 10% is in individual consumption - washing cars, watering lawns, showers, cooking... Most of it goes into the industrial machine. It takes something like 180 gallons of clean, fresh water to produce a pair of blue jeans, for example.

But, once again, the real problem is over-population. World economies function because of growth. Spend it today, and it will seem like pennies in a few years due to larger tax bases and "inflation." Try shrinking a population and making the economy work (or a business, for that matter). Until the pain on a grossly over-populated earth exceeds the need for easy money, the growth will continue (unless nature takes a wack at it). Once the pain becomes unbearable, populations will have to shrink back to sustainable levels. It will produce a new world order. Steady-state - no inflation, no stock market growth (just fluctuations) - everything we know/assume about finance will change.

Unless we find new solutions, many lakes will be dry, or near dry. The oceans will be nice places for boating.

Try this link: http://www.jsonline.com/features/he...n-hit-record-low-level-dq8loc2-189903561.html

 

[Jackie J V]

I have no comment on the post-apolcalyptic Mad Max scenario other than to say that worse things could happen to man-kind than to have Vegas empty out...

The water situation is dire and has imminent economic implications across the Great Lakes. I my neck of the woods, several marinas are on the verge of being inaccessible to all but cottage boaters. My own marina has an extensive dredging program happening all winter, although it won't help if the township doesn't also step up to make the harbour accessible as well. Many areas in which I boat and some of my favorite spots, will become unaccessible this year if the trend doesn't to start reversing.

One of the elements which is much debated, is the impact of the dredging on the St. Clair river. I've heard everything from attributing no impact (U.S. Army Core of Engineers) to Hampton's supplied article which attributes part of the blame. Seems to me that there must be some portion of the problem related to the river dredging.

The significant problem though has been recent weather patterns. Last winter was incredibly warm, the lake did not freeze over and consequently, evaporation continued throughout the winter. The problem was further exacerbated over the summer, with record temperatures continuing to suck the moisture from the lakes. Over the course of the winter, I like to monitor the NOAA site (http://coastwatch.glerl.noaa.gov/modis/modis.php?region=h&page=1) to see where the ice levels are. A few years ago, I'd be hoping to see minimal ice as an indicator of a potential early launch. Now I'm hoping to see a solid cap to protect the lake levels. At this point, the ice levels are about where they maxed out last year. There is still potential for more coverage, however the days are getting longer...

Paul

 

[northern]

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reported Tuesday that in January the lake plunged below its previous record low level, set in March 1964.
Any one around in 1964 remember the low water and what was said and done about it? I was in school in Ottawa at the time and do not remember any thing about a problem then.

 

[1956olds]

I was told a few weeks ago by the guy that rebuilt my port transmission that was the year dredging started on st clair river and its the reason for the low levels due to over dredging.He said they dredged about three times more than planned and it has been washing out the river and making it wider and deeper ever since .

 

[sbw1]

I remember the 60s water levels. I don't recall anything special being done about them. The prevailing thought was this was cyclical and things would improve over time. This did happen. 1986 was very unusual as well. The levels rose extremely fast in the fall of the year due to unusually heavy precipitation. We installed a new seawall and dock in the spring and felt we had made a mistake in the design when the water nearly reach the top of the wall over a six week period in late September through all of October.

 

[Escapade]

I was in the water in 1986 for the high water and most all the beaches were gone. Quite a change in my lifetime. I was hoping we may have hit a low point and come Spring see it level off and start to reverse. The experst arent so sure. I surfed Flickr for Lake Michigan low water level and found a great comparison photo of 96 and 2013.

 

[1956olds]

They took a poll on the local news to see how many agreed with the governor snyder dredging plan.Last night the results were 23% agree 66% disagree.Not that thier opinions matter.

 

[sbw1]

They took a poll on the local news to see how many agreed with the governor snyder dredging plan.Last night the results were 23% agree 66% disagree.Not that thier opinions matter.

Just read in the Grand Haven Tribune he wants to raise the State gasoline tax to pay for future dredging. As you know, we are already paying a Federal tax for the same thing but the fools spend the money on free cell phones instead.

 

[Escapade]

SBW Sorry off thread but, Those cell phone got a lot of votes.

 

[northern]

sbw1
That is good news for sail boat people. A more fair way would be to sell permits for all boats on the lake based on size. That way every one would pay not just the power boats. Make the fine for non compliance so high every one would get a permit. In Washington you can buy a permit to use state docks and bouys for the year. Permit is $4 a foot. Best deal in town, still people try to use facilities without paying. At one park we were at a sail boat pulled in late and was about to leave early. Range was up early doing a dock check. The sail boat person said he had tried to buy a pass but no one was around. Ranger explained the penalty for non compliance the then said he could sell him a pass and did. It was late September. Very impressed with how the Ranger handled the situation.

 

[1956olds]

Thing is we here in michigan had a governor (granholm) that bumped the state gas tax and ciggarette tax to pay for road repairs,we just got taxed and the roads are still crappy.The other thing snyder wants to do is add a 10 dollar a month fee to the price of auto registrations every year,i wonder if that includes recreational vehicles?They have already doubled the orv stickers in the past three years from 15 to 35 dollars each.

 

[tc410]

A more fair way would be to sell permits for all boats on the lake based on size. That way every one would pay not just the power boats.

Seems like the fairest way to tax (permit) boaters for dredging would be to do it based on draft not length. If I only need five feet of draft, why should I have to pay for the folks that need 7-10+ feet (sailboats)?

 

[mrclark321]

Water speed bumps to slow down the flow....LOL

 

[KayKook]

The 49 locations identified for the emergency dredging plan and total estimated costs, according to a list provided Monday by the Department of Natural Resources:•

Alpena Small Boat Harbor - $805,000
• Arcadia Township/Veterans Memorial Marina - $133,000
• Bay City/Liberty Harbor Marina - $77,800
• Big Bay Harbor of Refuge (Marquette County) - $665,000
• Boyne City/Grant Moore Marina - $105,000
• Burt Township/Grand Marais Marina - $525,000
• Caseville Municipal Harbor - $630,000
• Clark Township/Cedarville Harbor - $56,000
• Clark Township/Hessel Marina - $77,000
• Cheboygan County Marina - $612,500
• Cheboygan City Municipal Marina - $3,150
• East Jordan City Marina - $420,000
• Elk Rapids/Edward C. Grace Memorial Harbor - $420,000
• Escanaba Municipal Marina - $262,500
• Frankfort Municipal Marina - $2.24 million
• Garfield Township/Naubinway Marina - $315,000
• Grand Haven Marina (Harbor Island BAS) - $180,000
• Grand Traverse Bay Marina - $77,770
• Harbor Beach Municipal Marina - $700,000
• Harbor Springs Municipal Marina - $700,000
• Harrisville Harbor of Refuge - $280,000
• Lake Erie Metropark Marina - $210,000
• Lake St. Clair/Metrobeach Metropark Marina - $549,500
• Leland Township Harbor - $420,000
• Ludington Municipal Marina - $20,000
• Mackinaw City Municipal Marina - $150,000
• Manistee Municipal Marina - $23,450
• Manistique Municipal Marina - $194,400
• Menominee Marina - $2.1 million
• Munising Bayshore Marina - $350,000
• Muskegon/Hartshorn Municipal Marina - $175,000
• New Buffalo Municipal Marina - $1 million
• Northport/G. Marsten Dame Marina - $87,500
• Pentwater Municipal Marina - $16,205
• Petoskey City Marina - $49,000
• Port Huron/River Street Marina - $71,995
• Port Huron/Fort Street Marina - $71,995
• Port Sanilac Municipal Harbor of Refuge - $280,000
• Rogers City Marina - $227,500
• South Haven Municipal Marina - $436,050
• St. James Township/Beaver Island Marina - $1 million
• St. Joseph/West Basin Marina - $105,000
• Whitehall/White Lake Municipal Marina - $182,000
• Cedar River State Harbor - $1.4 million
• Lac La Belle State Harbor - $70,000
• Lexington State Harbor - $1.05 million
• Little Lake State Harbor - $630,000
• Port Austin State Harbor - $700,000
• William G. Milliken State Harbor (Detroit) - $4,200
About $11.5 million for the projects would come from the state’s general fund. The rest would come from money within the waterways maintenance and support system – money that might otherwise go to maintaining breakwalls or docks.

 

[kpetry]

So does anyone know roughly how much lower Lake Michigan is now than say, last fall? I haven't been able to find any numbers.

 

[Carver370]

New Buffalo 1million? Wow that's the first I've heard of that. Usually every year it's about 100k.

The water is definitely lower, but only by a few inches than it was in the fall.

 

[sbw1]

So does anyone know roughly how much lower Lake Michigan is now than say, last fall? I haven't been able to find any numbers.

Google "lake michigan water levels." The Corps of Engineers updates the information every Friday. I believe we are around 17" below chart datum, so that would be around 3" lower than last fall.

 

[1956olds]

Strange port austin is on there they tore out the docks over a year ago to rebuild the whole marina,I am hopeing to get there again this summer and the new floating docks will be a welcome change.I thought they were dredging anyway.I wonder if sandy did as much damage there as it did in caseville?

 

[alwhite00]

Strange port austin is on there they tore out the docks over a year ago to rebuild the whole marina,I am hopeing to get there again this summer and the new floating docks will be a welcome change.I thought they were dredging anyway.I wonder if sandy did as much damage there as it did in caseville?

They have been working on that for two years now, what they have done looks great but they need to get it done already.

LK