U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
Lake Level Report: Beginning of June 2014
Lake Superior's level is expected to remain above average over the next six months.
Last month Lake Superior reached its highest mean May level since 1997 and is now 5 inches above long-term average.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' monthly report [PDF]:
Its monthly mean level was 601.94 ft, 8 inches higher than April’s mean. The May mean level was 14 inches above its level of a year ago, 10 inches above chart datum, and 5 inches above its long‐term average (LTA). If the May monthly mean is not adjusted when final levels are coordinated, it would be the third straight month that Lake Superior is higher than its LTA after a 15 consecutive year stretch of being below its LTA. The Lake Superior basin received above average precipitation in May, and slightly above average precipitation over the past 12 months. The Superior level is expected to be 12 to 16 inches above chart datum over the next 6 months. Also, the lake is projected to be 4 to 13 inches above its level of a year ago through November. It is forecasted to be 2 to 6 inches above its LTA into November.
Lakes Michigan and Huron continued their recovery from low levels, according to the report. Those lakes, measured as one, rose 8 inches in May to a mean of 578.31 feet. That's still 8 inches below long-term average, but it's 13 inches above the level recorded one year ago.
Lakes Erie and Ontario measured 2 and 5 inches above average in May, respectively.