How high is the water in Georgian Bay?
Georgian Bay, Lake Huron and Lake Michigan are connected hydrologically. Historic records show that water levels have fluctuated yearly based upon seasonal cycles and have, until recently, slowly moved between extreme highs and extreme lows over a 1.93m (6.33 feet) range.
Why is Georgian Bay water level low?
In recent years, however, seven-plus foot swings have been recorded, as record highs and lows in water levels have been driven by changes in climate resulting from Global Warming. From 1999 to January 2013, Georgian Bay experienced its longest stretch of low water levels.
What is the NOAA website that can be used to track the historical water levels of the Great Lakes?
NOAA GLERL
NOAA GLERL has developed numerous models for forecasting seasonal hydrology in the Great Lakes. For more information, click here.
Is Lake Michigan expected to rise in 2021?
In May 2021, Lake Michigan water levels have declined as seen with a below-average Net Basin Supply. Potentially, this could have been caused by a few factors….
| Compared to… | Current Water Levels are… |
|---|---|
| One month ago | 1 inch lower |
| One year ago | 20 inches lower |
| Long-term June monthly average (1918 to 2020) | 14 inches higher |
Will Great Lakes water levels continue to rise?
The Great Lakes are in a period of the year when their water levels usually rise. But all of the Great Lakes are not rising or just barely rising. This is a continued sign that for the current time, the Great Lakes water levels are receding quickly from the record high levels over the past few years.
Is Lake Michigan going down?
Now in the past year, Lake Michigan and Lake Huron are declining rapidly. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has measured the decline in water levels on Lake Michigan and Lake Huron at 17 inches since July 2020. One inch of water on Lake Michigan and Lake Huron represents 800 billion gallons of water.
Why is Lake Huron water level so high?
Water levels in the lake are dependent predominantly on precipitation, runoff, and evaporation. In terms of changes by season, during the year, higher levels typically occur in late spring and early summer from spring runoff and increased rainfall.
Why are the Great Lakes water levels dropping?
The drop in water levels could be because of the world’s changing climate and the resulting change in temperatures and precipitation. The amount of evaporation taking place on the lakes has changed, while precipitation has, too.
How deep is the water in Georgian Bay?
541′Georgian Bay / Max depth
The bay is 120 miles (190 km) long and 50 miles (80 km) wide, and the depth (generally 100–300 feet [30–90 m]) reaches a maximum of 540 feet (165 m) near the Main Channel, which leads to Lake Huron. Flowerpot Island, part of the Georgian Bay Islands National Park, Georgian Bay, Ontario, Can.
What controls water level in Georgian Bay?
Lawrence Seaway was built, and all channels were deepened again to provide a 27-foot navigation depth from the Atlantic Ocean to Duluth at the head of Lake Superior. The Moses-Saunders Dam was built at Cornwall and Messina to control the level of Lake Ontario and generate hydro power.
Does Georgian Bay have tides?
Unlike the oceans, the Great Lakes don’t have tides. OK, well, they have teeny tiny tides, a difference of a few centimeters on a twice-daily cycle. But the change is so inconsequential that scientists consider the freshwater bodies non-tidal.
What is the volume of Georgian Bay?
5,439 cubic miles
The total surface area is 244,106 km2 (94,250 square miles). The total volume of water measured at the low water datum is 22,671 km3 (5,439 cubic miles).
How are water levels in Georgian Bay determined?
By David Sweetnam, Executive Director of Georgian Bay Forever (Last updated December 2020) Water levels are the visual result of the sum total of all inflowing and outflowing water to a water body such as those of our Great Lakes. This sum total is referred to as the total net basin supply.
What makes Georgian Bay so special?
Georgian Bay has the highest quality, most diverse, most extensive wetlands found anywhere in the Great Lakes. But our wetlands are the most sensitive to sustained low water levels since they are on glacial till sediments scattered among the 30,000 granite islands on Georgian Bay. [READ MORE]
Why is the wetlands of Georgian Bay important?
Georgian Bay has the highest quality, most diverse, most extensive wetlands found anywhere in the Great Lakes. But our wetlands are the most sensitive to sustained low water levels since they are on glacial till sediments scattered among the 30,000 granite islands on Georgian Bay.
How much does the water level fluctuate in the Great Lakes?
Trend Summary: Georgian Bay, Lake Huron and Lake Michigan are connected hydrologically. Historically the water levels have fluctuated between 6 and 7 feet in periods of time that span years. Fluctuations are important and necessary to our native plants and animals that have evolved and adapted to historic conditions in the upper Great Lakes.