by Joe Milauckas
2009 LAKE MICHIGAN WATER LEVELS IN REVIEW
Lake Michigan water levels rose 19 inches from January to the year's peak in July at
578.9 feet above sea level(IGLD 1985), a level 5 inches below long term average for
July. The lake began the seasonal decline in August and ended up 5 inches below the
December average. The normal seasonal rise of approximately one foot was again
exceeded by more than 50% for the second consecutive year.
This rise in levels started to show it's effect on the shoreline this summer. Fore dunes
covered with dune grass have experienced significant erosion and beaches in general
are considerably narrower, in some locations more than others. Several storm events
have washed further up the protective beach closer to the base of the bluff. We knew
levels were coming back up and they have. This provides the basis for support of the
study recommendations reported in the next article.
INTERNATIONAL UPPER GREAT LAKES STUDY (IUGLS)
This 5 year multimillion dollar bi-national study of man's affect on the upper Great Lakes
water levels relative to St. Clair River outflows and the Lake Superior Regulation Plan is
at the halfway point. Both are of major concern to Lake Michigan shore property owners
in that efforts to restrict flow out of the system through the St. Clair River and increasing
flows out of Lake Superior at the wrong time will result in higher high levels on Lake
Michigan.
Phase I of the study examined the flows through the St.Clair River to determine if that
was the cause of lower levels on Lakes Michigan/Huron over the last few years and
whether structures should be installed in the river to restrict the flow for the purpose to
raise the levels of Lakes Michigan/Huron. This portion of the study was originally
promoted by residents in Canada that live in the Georgian Bay area. After a lengthy and
detailed investigation, the Study Board concluded the flow/level relationship relating to
the St. Clair River is mostly natural and recommended flow restrictions should NOT be
installed. This recommendation now has been referred to the International Joint
Commission (IJC)for a final decision. The DLSA will submit a letter to the IJC in support
of this Study Board recommendation.
Phase II of the study has started and concerns the "Development of Lake Superior
Outflow Management Alternatives". The existing Lake Superior regulation "Plan 1977A"
has resulted in illogical and damaging distributions of water into Lakes Michigan/Huron
in the past. For example, during the high water level period of the mid 1980's flows
through the St. Mary's River were increased substantially even though levels on Lake
Michigan were nearly 2 feet above average and levels on Lake Superior were only
inches above average! Hopefully, this study examination will result in a more equitable
regulation/management plan for those of us on the Lake Michigan shoreline.
LAKE KALAMAZOO DREDGING
A century ago Lake Kalamazoo (LK) was just a wide spot in the Kalamazoo River with a
small island formation in the middle. Then came the US 31(Blue Star) Highway project
in the mid 1930's. In order for the highway to be constructed at an elevation high
enough to allow boat traffic under the new bridge, massive amounts of sediment was
dredged from the "wide spot" of the river and used for fill; a navigable lake was born or
reborn. However, little by little sediment flowing down the river continued to accumulate
in the lake to a point where water depth was inadequate for boat passage in many
areas outside of the natural current driven channel. This natural process of the lake
bottom coming up was magnified by lower than average lake levels over the last few
years.
The impact on boaters, marinas, and a significant segment of the area's tourism draw
caused local governments to commission a study of the harbor and appoint a Harbor
Committee (three members from each governmental unity)to implement the study
recommendations. The study concluded dredging would be necessary and options
included costs up to $40,000,000 to dredge the whole lake. The Harbor Committee
along with consultants searched for sources of funding since a project of this magnitude
could not be supported by only local funding. Although several funding sources were
investigated, at the end of the year no federal or state funds have become available.
The search for funding is complicated by the designation of the Kalamazoo River and
Lake as a "Super Fund" site due to the PCB contaminants that have flowed down the
river from the paper plants and now have settled into the bottom of the lake. The
contaminants make the dredging more expensive and the Super Fund designation
precludes the availability of most if not all federal funding sources. The responsible
parties for causing the pollution/contamination are legally accountable for paying for the
clean up, however that effort has started upstream(Battle Creek/Kalamazoo) at the
source and no one knows when or if they will get this far down river. The search for
funding goes on.
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