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The Great Lakes are at a record high water level with levels expected to rise

Posted at 11:55 AM, Jun 04, 2019
and last updated 2019-06-05 12:36:03-04

(WXYZ) — A rainy month of May has led to record high water levels in all five of the Great Lakes. According to the US Army Corps of Engineers, heavy precipitation and high flows have contributed to the rising lake levels.

Some of those levels are expected to grow, according to the corps. They say over the month of June, Lakes Superior and Michigan-Huron are expected to rise about three inches and two inches above their current level. Lakes Ontario and Erie are expected to fall two inches and four inches, respectively.

According to the corps, every lake is at its record high for the month of May. Lake St. Clair also rose three inches during the month of May and had a record-high level for May.

You can see the water levels below.

Lake Superior

As of May 31, the forecasted water level for Lake Superior is 603.08 feet, which is five inches higher than it was at the beginning of May and three inches higher than the highest record, which was set in 1986. As the corps said, it's expected to rise about three inches in June.

Lake Michigan-Huron

Both Lake Michigan and Lake Huron have the same water level as they are connected by the Straits of Mackinac. They were at 581.69 feet on May 31, which was nine inches higher than on May 1. It's also one inch higher than the May record which was also set in 1986.

Lake Erie

Lake Erie was recorded at 574.54 feet on May 31, six inches higher than May 1 and also six inches higher than the previous May high, set in 1986. Lake Erie had the biggest difference in record level.

Lake Ontario

Lake Ontario was at 248.95 feet on May 31, which was 18 inches higher than it was on May 1 and three inches higher than the previous May record set in 2017.

Lake St. Clair

Lake St. Clair was at 577.26 feet on May 31, three inches higher than on May 1. It's also five inches higher than the May record set in 1986.