Water levels in Lake Michigan and Lake Huron have been trending down.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers says in December, Lakes Superior, Michigan-Huron, and Ontario were all below their long-term December averages. Over the next month, water levels are expected to decline on Lakes Superior and Michigan-Huron by 3 and 2 inches, respectively.
The Army Corps says after several years of elevated lake levels that resulted in significant shoreline erosion in 2020, the lakes are settling below their long-term averages.
The Corps says the Great Lakes generally follow a seasonal cycle where during the fall and early winter, water levels decline due to an increase in evaporation as temperatures decline and cold air moves over relatively warm surface waters. In the spring and early summer, water levels typically rise due to increased rain and enhanced runoff from snowmelt.
