Elk Rapids Almanac: June 2019
June 21 - Persistent wet conditions and high outflows have continued to contribute to exceptionally high lake levels. The forecasted water levels for June 21st on all of the lakes are above their levels from last month by 2 to 6 inches and above last year's levels by 10 to 15 inches, except for Lake Ontario, which is expected to be 28 inches above its level from last year. The forecasted June 21st levels on all of the lakes are also above their highest monthly average record for June. Lakes Superior, St. Clair, Erie, and Ontario's forecasted levels for June 21st are 3 to 5 inches above their record high June average level, while Lake Michigan-Huron's forecasted level for June 21st is 1 inch above its record high June average level. In the coming month, Lakes Superior and Michigan-Huron are expected to continue their seasonal rise and rise by 2 inches and 1 inch, respectively. Lakes St. Clair, Erie, and Ontario are forecasted to decline by 1, 3, and 7 inches, respectively. See our Daily Levels web page for more water level information. -Army Corps of Engineers.
June 24 - For information about details and data on water levels in the bay, we checked in with Grand Traverse Watershed Center, which reported that in the east bay, some of the local marinas have docks underwater, and a few of the Discovery Pier docks (part of the Discovery Center Great Lakes campus) are underwater! "We are at our highest June lake level ever. We are expected to rise another inch in July. Here are some pictures from our side of the lake.
If you're looking for predictions, US Army Corp of Engineers Detroit District office has a whole slew of interesting predictions, charts and tables":
https://www.lre.usace.army.mil/Missions/Great-Lakes-Information/Great-Lakes-Water-Levels/Water-Level-Forecast/ -Heather Smith, Bay Keeper, Grand Traverse Watershed Center.
June 24 - Today at the harbor we saw a robin eating a worm in the parking lot, and fish swimming near the launch ramp. There is lots of beautiful wildlife down at Edward C. Grace Memorial Harbor, and occasional minks have been spotted, as well lake trout and bass playfully splashing in the Harbor. The jet ski dock is an inch under water. -Elk Rapids Harbor staff.
June 24 - I watched the rain pour down today at the Botanic Garden where the hill behind the visitor center meets our two long rain gardens. The rain garden swales were capturing the hillside runoff and keeping the water from eroding the meadow beyond it. The roots of the native plants we have growing in the rain gardens help filter the captured water while serving as hosts to visiting pollinators. We counted over a dozen Monarch caterpillars yesterday munching on the swamp milkweed leaves while bees took nectar and pollen from the camassia, Canada anemone, and swamp rose blooms. The new Pollinator garden sits on a little higher ground just east of the rain garden so we can feature pollinator plants from both wet and dry areas. With more severe rain storms we hope the rain gardens will protect the areas surrounding them. -Karen Schmidt, Executive Director, Botanic.
June 21 - Persistent wet conditions and high outflows have continued to contribute to exceptionally high lake levels. The forecasted water levels for June 21st on all of the lakes are above their levels from last month by 2 to 6 inches and above last year's levels by 10 to 15 inches, except for Lake Ontario, which is expected to be 28 inches above its level from last year. The forecasted June 21st levels on all of the lakes are also above their highest monthly average record for June. Lakes Superior, St. Clair, Erie, and Ontario's forecasted levels for June 21st are 3 to 5 inches above their record high June average level, while Lake Michigan-Huron's forecasted level for June 21st is 1 inch above its record high June average level. In the coming month, Lakes Superior and Michigan-Huron are expected to continue their seasonal rise and rise by 2 inches and 1 inch, respectively. Lakes St. Clair, Erie, and Ontario are forecasted to decline by 1, 3, and 7 inches, respectively. See our Daily Levels web page for more water level information. -Army Corps of Engineers.
June 24 - For information about details and data on water levels in the bay, we checked in with Grand Traverse Watershed Center, which reported that in the east bay, some of the local marinas have docks underwater, and a few of the Discovery Pier docks (part of the Discovery Center Great Lakes campus) are underwater! "We are at our highest June lake level ever. We are expected to rise another inch in July. Here are some pictures from our side of the lake.
If you're looking for predictions, US Army Corp of Engineers Detroit District office has a whole slew of interesting predictions, charts and tables":
https://www.lre.usace.army.mil/Missions/Great-Lakes-Information/Great-Lakes-Water-Levels/Water-Level-Forecast/ -Heather Smith, Bay Keeper, Grand Traverse Watershed Center.
June 24 - Today at the harbor we saw a robin eating a worm in the parking lot, and fish swimming near the launch ramp. There is lots of beautiful wildlife down at Edward C. Grace Memorial Harbor, and occasional minks have been spotted, as well lake trout and bass playfully splashing in the Harbor. The jet ski dock is an inch under water. -Elk Rapids Harbor staff.
June 24 - I watched the rain pour down today at the Botanic Garden where the hill behind the visitor center meets our two long rain gardens. The rain garden swales were capturing the hillside runoff and keeping the water from eroding the meadow beyond it. The roots of the native plants we have growing in the rain gardens help filter the captured water while serving as hosts to visiting pollinators. We counted over a dozen Monarch caterpillars yesterday munching on the swamp milkweed leaves while bees took nectar and pollen from the camassia, Canada anemone, and swamp rose blooms. The new Pollinator garden sits on a little higher ground just east of the rain garden so we can feature pollinator plants from both wet and dry areas. With more severe rain storms we hope the rain gardens will protect the areas surrounding them. -Karen Schmidt, Executive Director, Botanic.
Areas around East Bay. Photos: Grand Traverse Bay Watershed Center
Fishing deck steps under water at Hydro Plant Dam Photo: Unknown
We Also Build Arks. Photo: Tracy Nowak
