Lake Michigan-Huron still above average, but receding

While Lake Michigan-Huron reached record levels this summer, experts say the water level is receding as expected.

Deanna Apps, a physical scientist with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Detroit District, said that even though Lake Michigan-Huron is still well above average, it has been receding.

“Since the peak this summer we’ve already seen the lake decline about 12 inches,” she said.

This decline is typical, Apps said, and they’re still expecting it to drop another three inches or so.

In December, Lake Michigan-Huron was 31 inches above average but four inches below last year, Apps said.

Evaporation is one of the primary drivers for the decline, she said. But in addition, a warm, dry fall was also a contributor.

“This fall, in particular these last few months, have been warmer than normal and we haven’t seen as much evaporation,” she said. “We’ve actually seen kind of a low average evaporation but overall the months have been fairly dry, which has also contributed to the lake level decline.”

High levels still a concern

Even though the lakes are slightly lower than they were last year, the high water levels are still a concern, Apps said.

St. Clair County Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Management Director Justin Westmiller said he feels optimistic that areas prone to flooding along the St. Clair River will see less of it this year.

"We are still having issues when the wind blows out of the southwest, but with almost two feet below where we were last year at this time, we have a little more room for error," Westmiller said in an email.

But despite his optimism, Westmiller said it is important for people living in these areas to still maintain protective measures until they see how winter runoff will affect the system in the spring. 

"We have a much better chance of maintaining what we have right now, but if we have heavy runoff again this spring, it could change the flow data," he said.

STORM Act passes, brings some relief

In December, the Safeguarding Tomorrow through Ongoing Risk Mitigation, or STORM Act, was passed.

The bill provides support for communities facing rising water levels, coastal erosion and flooding that has put homes and property at risk, by allowing FEMA to help states establish revolving loan funds to carry out mitigation projects.

In 2020, erosion along the Lake Huron shore threatened homes in areas such as Lexington and Worth Township. High water levels were said to be a factor.

Holly Tatman, village manager of Lexington, said in an email she doesn’t know how the act will benefit the village.

Last year, the village took steps to stabilize the shoreline by first stabilizing the area with gabion baskets. Then in December they used rip rap, a human-placed rock used to protect shoreline structures against water, wave or ice erosion.  But Tatman said the projects were paid for out of the city’s reserve fund.

Contact Brian Wells at (810) 989-6269 or bwells@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter and Instagram @bmwellsphoto.