Great Lakes Water Levels

How will fluctuating water levels across the Great Lakes impact the growth of cities, people moving to the region, changes in water supply and the overall economy? Professor Drew Gronewold is working with researchers across the University of Michigan to answer those critical questions.

This video was created by Eric Shaw, communications manager in the Vice President for Research Office at the University of Michigan.

[GIguy]

Hasn’t really affected Toronto’s economy too much. But it’s just been a really bad couple of years, because we had unprecedented flooding of our waterfront, when the water was so high it went right over the boardwalks, and the Toronto islands, a series of small islands within the Toronto harbor, and a huge tourist destinations (because it has a VERY popular legal clothing optional beach there, A massive park, and a small amusement park) The city was forced to close all of that down for two years in a row, and then Covid hit, so we are hurting for money, which means one thing, a huge tax increase on everything. But the water levels we’re just so bizarre, because for years we had the opposite problem. One of the main beaches, simply called Kew beach, became so long when the water levels were at an all time low, you had to walk literally a kilometre over the hot sand just to get to the water, but then from one year to the next, that kilometre completely vanished, seemingly overnight, and suddenly the lake had flooded the entire boardwalk and much of the beaches area, scaring away a lot of tourism, which is Toronto is number one source of revenue. And I know the same holds true for other cities on the great lakes like Detroit and Chicago. But that lasted only for two years and the levels return to normal, but then we had Covid, and suddenly the lake levels were totally ignored, allowing the water level to rise again this year, although not as bad as previous years, we are just now finally re-opening the economy, but with no beaches to go to, tourism is once again dried up completely. I just don’t understand why the water is going so high, especially considering we haven’t really had and abnormal amount of rainfall, and our last few winters have been relatively mild and very dry with almost no snow or rain at all. What I do know is that there is something very very wrong with the environment. I’ve lived here for 52 years, since the day I was born, and I’ve never seen anything like this before. That combined with an insane construction boom, especially right at the waters edge, and there’s just no way you can get near it without getting soaking wet or covered in dirt from all the construction. But the main point is, what is causing this crazy weather and lake level problems? I just can’t understand it, and my friends that live in Detroit, Chicago, and all the other smaller cities on the banks of the great lakes, all told me the same thing. I think there’s something like 90 million people that live on the shores of all the great lakes combined, that is a lot of people, so we really have to get on top of this problem before it gets worse. And not just for financial reasons, but it also affects our health in countless ways. What do you think? Do you live on the great lakes as well? And if so, how has all these events affected your city/neighborhood? There’s one thing I’ll never understand, even with all that flooding they are building condominiums nonstop, they’re popping up like daisies out of the ground, right at the waters edge, and I’m not talking about small little buildings, but absolutely gigantic skyscrapers there are a minimum of at least 70 stories tall, all the way up to 105 stories tall. Why are they building on land that is now being flooded almost every spring? I don’t get it, do you?

[heatherwagenschutz]

Common sense-learn to live (and develop, build) WITH nature. Thank you, this was great.

[palladini]

The reasons I think are happening to the Great Lakes is Nestle has a plant pulling millions of gallons a week a few miles off the shore of Lake Michigan, and the reversal of the Chicago river, dumping Great Lake water in the Mississippi River.

[tombeilharz]

We need to keep working on keeping the water clean and let God decide how much water!

[bridgebuilderscounselingme]

how do we connect to speak about a Conservancy I am part of to help students research on Lake Huron?

[veramann]

The video doesn't explain (that well) where the lakes get the water when the level is up.