A public picnic table remains almost fully buried on the beach leading to the Coast Guard station. It is covered by wave-driven sand pushed far from the normal parameters that make up the beach. The lake level is high, but how high?
Ten years ago Lake Superior water levels sat at a record low. Today the lake is 31 inches higher than it was in August and September in 2007. And it is closing in on the high-water mark set in October 1985.
On November 24 the Army Corps reported that Lake Superior was 11 inches above last November. Meanwhile Lakes Michigan, Huron, St. Clair and Erie are 17-19 inches above normal. The Corps predicts Lake Superior will fall two to three inches in the next four weeks.
Lake Superior is currently at 602.85 feet.
According to the Corps, in September the lake received 30 percent more rainfall than average. In fact, it has gained above-average precipitation for the past ten years.
Because international regulation dictates how much water can be released from the gates on the St. Mary’s River, only so much water can be released from Lake Superior. Last year, five of 16 gates were opened. This year, six gates are open. The water from Lake Superior flows into Lake Michigan and Lake Huron. Letting too much water into those lakes can cause significant damage.
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