Big Lake Not Yet at Lowest Low
The water level in Lake Superior was expected to be at 599.8
feet in February, 4 inches lower than the previous month and 19 inches
below the long-term monthly average, says the U.S. Army Corps of
Engineers.
Even so, Lake Superior was still 2 inches higher than the
lowest recorded average for February, from 1926. The Corps is
forecasting that lake levels into July should remain slightly above the
1926 record lows. And as the drought has kept its hold on the region,
the lack of snow on the western end of the lake has hurt winter tourism
businesses and has boosted the likelihood of spring grass fires. The
National Weather Service’s Climate Prediction Center suggests
improvement in drought conditions in northern Wisconsin and Michigan’s
Upper Peninsula along Lake Superior through May.
For northern Minnesota and Lake Superior, the center predicts that the drought will persist.
Visit www.lre.usace.army.mil/greatlakes/hh/greatlakeswaterlevels.
Lake Notes
A 10 percent increase in grain shipments boosted total cargoes and
vessel traffic through the Port of Thunder Bay, Ontario, 3 percent in
2006 over 2005, the port reports. Grain shipments went from 5.8 million
tonnes in 2005 to 6.5 million tonnes. Overall tonnage grew from
8,200,674 (2005) to 8,466,460 (2006).
Interlake
maritime traffic on Lake Superior will begin March 25 when the Soo
Locks open. The Welland Canal on the St. Lawrence Seaway was to open
March 20, setting a record for earliest opening date.
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