Lake Huron Water Levels

If you're a beachcomber, take heart.

If you're a boater, take care.

Despite the recent downpours and rare January thunderstorms which swept across Lake Huron this week, lake levels in 2008 are expected to be near or below previous record lows set as far back as 1965.

The most recent forecast of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Detroit District) indicates Lake Huron water levels will continue seasonal declines through January to May.

The November monthly mean water level was 576.7 feet; 25 inches below average and just five inches above the 1965 low of 576.1 feet.

Precipitation was about an inch below average and over the last 12 months precipitation was 2.4 inches below average. In addition, evaporation in November was above average.

Recorded levels in the first few days of January averaged 576.3 feet

The decline is visibly evident all along the Saugeen Shores shoreline where rocky shoals that were once under water are now showing, beaches are wider and new beaches are appearing in locations where they never existed before. .

While the decline is expected to continue through to at least May much, according to the engineers, will depend on ice cover and precipitation in upcoming months.

However, the short term forecast is for lower levels.

"Current projections show that the lake will decline six inches more than the normal seasonal decline because of decreased precipitation and increased evaporation," according to the engineers.

"The lake will remain about 27 inches below its long-term average, 9-15 inches below last year's levels, and below chart datum through May, 2008. If the lake experiences very dry conditions, water levels could approach record lows in the January through May timeframe."

The engineers study the Lake Michigan-Huron water levels together, since the two lakes together are considered to be a single body of water.

Wayne MacDonald