DETROIT – As summer nears, many boaters and families are excited to hit the lakes and rivers to cool off.
However, residents living and working along the water have noticed something concerning: the water levels are lower than usual.
Data from Lake St. Clair shows that water levels decreased in both 2023 and 2024 during this time in May, with projections indicating that this month’s levels are also on the decline.
Typically, water levels rise in the summer due to runoff from melting snow.
Jeremiah Greene, a fisherman who spends considerable time on the Detroit River, has observed noticeable changes. He’s noticed that the water appears lower than in previous years, and the fish are not biting as they once did.
“The fish have changed their feeding patterns,” Greene noted. “They are feeding differently, but they can still be caught.”
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, which monitors the Great Lakes and surrounding bodies of water, provides insight into these conditions.
Keith Kompoltowicz, chief of hydraulics and hydrology, explained that current levels are lower than they were a year ago and significantly lower than the record highs seen four to six years ago.
Kompoltowicz attributed these fluctuations to the heavy precipitation Michigan experienced during the 2019-2020 period, which led to record high water levels.
Currently, mild winters followed by varying spring rainfall are contributing to decreasing levels across the state.
According to 4Warn Weather Team, the state is coming off a period of mild and mostly dry winters, which is more than likely a key contributor to lower water levels around the state.
Data indicates Lake Michigan-Huron rose about six inches between March and April, reaching a level of 578.35 feet. This is five inches below its April long-term average, seven inches below last year’s level, and significantly below the record high from April 2020.
While Kompoltowicz reassured that levels are not dangerously low, he emphasized that fluctuations are normal.
Still, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers also highlighted the importance of water level data for freighters, which affects the amount of cargo they can carry.
At Lake St. Clair, boaters are exercising increased caution.
“There are certain places that you could have gone last year that you might not be able to go this year,” said Robert Mardlin, a boater. “You need to watch your depths and your charts.”
The question remains: How low is too low?
Kompoltowicz warned that if dry weather continues and seasonal declines become below average, it could indicate a transition to a longer-term low water scenario on the lakes.
