Still plenty of water in those lakes

NEWS RELEASE INTERNATIONAL LAKE SUPERIOR BOARD OF CONTROL ************************* The International Lake Superior Board of Control, under authority granted to it by the International Joint Commission (IJC), has set the Lake Superior outflow to 2,40

NEWS RELEASE

INTERNATIONAL LAKE SUPERIOR BOARD OF CONTROL

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The International Lake Superior Board of Control, under authority granted to it by the International Joint Commission (IJC), has set the Lake Superior outflow to 2,400 cubic metres per second (m3/s) (84.8 thousand cubic feet per second (tcfs)) for the month of March, effective March 3.

The outflow is being set to the normal maximum winter flow as prescribed by Plan 2012, the regulation plan for Lake Superior, and is about the same as the February flow.

The March outflow will be released by discharging approximately 2,308 m3/s (81.5 tcfs) through the three hydropower plants and passing most of the remaining flow through the control structure at the head of the St. Marys Rapids.

The gate setting of the control structure for March will be maintained at the equivalent of one-half gate open (four gates open 20 centimeters (cm), (8 inches) (in) each).

The one-half gate equivalent setting is the normal winter maximum, and is typically maintained from December through April.

There will be no change to the setting of Gate #1 which supplies water to the channel north of the Fishery Remedial Dike.

The monthly mean water level of Lake Superior in February was 183.47 m (601.94 ft).

This is 21 cm (8 in) above the long-term (1918-2013) February average and the highest February level since 1997.

The net water supplies to Lake Superior were below average in February.

The level of Lake Superior declined 7 cm (3 in) last month, while on average the lake declines 5 cm (2 in) in February.

The Lake Superior level at the beginning-of-March is 19 cm (7 in) above average, 19 cm (7 in) above the level recorded a year ago at this time, and 23 cm (9 in) above its chart datum level.

The monthly mean water level of Lake Michigan-Huron in February was 176.50 m (579.07 ft).

This is 22 cm (9 in) above the long-term (1918-2013) February average, the highest February level since 1998.

The net water supplies to Lake Michigan-Huron were below average in February.

The level of Lake Michigan- Huron declined 3 cm (1 in), while on average the lake level stays about the same in February.

The level of Lake Michigan-Huron is 22 cm (9 in) above its long-term average beginning-of-March level, 54 cm (21 in) higher than it was a year ago, and 49 cm (19 in) above its chart datum level.

The level of Lake Superior is expected to continue its seasonal decline in March, while the level of Lake Michigan- Huron is expected to begin its seasonal rise.

Brigadier General Richard Kaiser is the United States Board Member. Mr. Jaymie Gadal is the Board Member for Canada.

For further information please contact Ms. Cynthia Jarema, Watershed Hydrology Branch, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers – Detroit District, at (313) 226-6127 or [email protected].

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