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DCPeters posted 12-07-2001 03:53 PM ET (US)
I saw Jim comment on low(er) levels possibly in the new year if we have continued open weather and minimal precipitation. Sure could be true, as lakes are running a foot below long term averages at present.
Water levels in Eastern Ontario basin dropped precipitously in October, but are being managed to near long term average levels.
I am wondering what we're facing this winter. The warm weather delayed the salmon run by nearly 3 weeks(water too warm)!
Yesterday it was 72 degrees, an all time high temp in Syracuse for December.
I expect that the warm water, once the winds shift, and the cold Canadian air sweeps across the lakes, it will bury the normal lake effect zones with excess snow this year. (much of that evaporated water returned to the lake in the spring) I heard that the magic zone for the lake snow machine is a >20 degree differential from water to air temp. That'll be easy this year.
Once the lakes freeze, evap is reduced to be sure!
I don't know about the upper lakes, but Lake Ontario especially and Erie to some extent is now largely controlled by the power gen people. This allows them to dump water in the fall if they need to. The lower levels minimize erosion and keep large swings from year to year from being a problem, but if they goof, it really screws up the next boating season.
I used to subscribe to the Army Corps monthlies, but lost that address. There was also a Great Lakes publication out of Michigan that had the inside scoop on lake level management. Lost connecction to both when I moved a couple of years ago.
I imagine they're on the web somewhere now.
LKS posted 12-07-2001 04:15 PM ET (US)
Here are a couple of links that may be helpful for monitoring lake levels. [I know there's some coding that's been mentioned to make the links "hot" but I couldn't locate the post that contained the instructions -- sorry! Jimh -- Would you please put those instructions in a post on the META-Forum so a search for "URL" yields the instructions?]
Monthly Bulletin of Great Lakes Water Levels
http://huron.lre.usace.army.mil/levels/bltnhmpg.html
Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory
http://www.glerl.noaa.gov/data/now/wlevels/levels.html
DCPeters posted 12-07-2001 06:34 PM ET (US)
Thanks very much. That's the ACE data I used to follow.
jimh posted 12-07-2001 06:34 PM ET (US)
To show you what a small world it is, the guy that puts out the lake level forecast is married to a woman who works in our office. And he works literally across the street from us. So I can get the forecast from the proverbial horse's mouth. I'll have to ask him what he thinks next time I see him dropping in to visit his wife for lunch.
--jimh

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Author	Topic: water levels in Great Lakes
DCPeters	posted 12-07-2001 03:53 PM ET (US) I saw Jim comment on low(er) levels possibly in the new year if we have continued open weather and minimal precipitation. Sure could be true, as lakes are running a foot below long term averages at present. Water levels in Eastern Ontario basin dropped precipitously in October, but are being managed to near long term average levels. I am wondering what we're facing this winter. The warm weather delayed the salmon run by nearly 3 weeks(water too warm)! Yesterday it was 72 degrees, an all time high temp in Syracuse for December. I expect that the warm water, once the winds shift, and the cold Canadian air sweeps across the lakes, it will bury the normal lake effect zones with excess snow this year. (much of that evaporated water returned to the lake in the spring) I heard that the magic zone for the lake snow machine is a >20 degree differential from water to air temp. That'll be easy this year. Once the lakes freeze, evap is reduced to be sure! I don't know about the upper lakes, but Lake Ontario especially and Erie to some extent is now largely controlled by the power gen people. This allows them to dump water in the fall if they need to. The lower levels minimize erosion and keep large swings from year to year from being a problem, but if they goof, it really screws up the next boating season. I used to subscribe to the Army Corps monthlies, but lost that address. There was also a Great Lakes publication out of Michigan that had the inside scoop on lake level management. Lost connecction to both when I moved a couple of years ago. I imagine they're on the web somewhere now.
LKS	posted 12-07-2001 04:15 PM ET (US) Here are a couple of links that may be helpful for monitoring lake levels. [I know there's some coding that's been mentioned to make the links "hot" but I couldn't locate the post that contained the instructions -- sorry! Jimh -- Would you please put those instructions in a post on the META-Forum so a search for "URL" yields the instructions?] Monthly Bulletin of Great Lakes Water Levels http://huron.lre.usace.army.mil/levels/bltnhmpg.html Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory http://www.glerl.noaa.gov/data/now/wlevels/levels.html
DCPeters	posted 12-07-2001 06:34 PM ET (US) Thanks very much. That's the ACE data I used to follow.
jimh	posted 12-07-2001 06:34 PM ET (US) To show you what a small world it is, the guy that puts out the lake level forecast is married to a woman who works in our office. And he works literally across the street from us. So I can get the forecast from the proverbial horse's mouth. I'll have to ask him what he thinks next time I see him dropping in to visit his wife for lunch. --jimh