Great Lakes high water levels: What it means for business and shipping

The wetter than usual spring, experienced by much of the Midwest, is causing the Great Lakes to rise once again.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers says water levels on the five Great Lakes are expected to increase to more than 1½ feet above average this month, and reach their highest levels in two decades. This increase is just the latest in a dramatic series of water level increases over the past three years, rebounding from record lows in early 2013. The impacts of low water levels, as well as high water levels, are wide ranging; affecting ports, communities and shorelines. 

The impact of low water levels

Just four short years ago, there was considerable concern about record low water levels; and with good reason. Low water levels cause shippers to carry lighter loads as goods and commodities are transported to market; which isn’t as economical. There’s often more dredging done to keep shipping channels open. And during times of low water levels, it’s not unusual to see the formation of shoals; shallow collections of sand that can be navigation or grounding hazards. 

Beyond commercial shipping, the low water levels also impact recreational boaters, homeowners living on the water, and shoreline ecology. All of this might make you think higher levels would be a welcome sight. To some extent, you’re right. 

Why are water levels rising?

It’s important to understand that water levels on the Great Lakes are cyclical in nature.

While the water levels vary from lake to lake, they tend to follow the same seasonal pattern. As the year begins, water levels are generally at their lowest levels. Once spring arrives, they start to rise, thanks to melting ice, snow runoff and precipitation from spring rain storms, until they reach their peak during the summer months. Then, in fall, the levels tend to decline.  

Great Lakes water levels are continuously monitored by U.S. and Canadian federal agencies, and they have been since the 1860s. They have found that the annual water cycle mirrors a larger pattern that takes place over decades. 

What do higher water levels mean?

For shipping and ports on the Great Lakes, the high-water levels are generally beneficial. Deeper water enables shippers to carry heavier loads. It’s more economical for the shippers and it means more product moves through the port, generating a larger economic impact on communities. Additionally, higher water levels mean there’s less of a need for dredging to keep shipping channels open and clear.  Less dredging means lower costs and it’s less disruptive for shippers as well as those who use the water recreationally.

While higher water levels are good for shippers and ports, higher than average water levels, if sustained over a long period of time, can lead to erosion problems for properties along the shoreline and could potentially cause flooding. 

You may have heard that some U.S.-Canadian organizations are now looking at what options could be used to minimize the impact of the rising water levels. It’s a good topic to discuss and study, but sometimes the options considered turn into sensational media headlines, causing more concern than necessary. That’s why it is good to take a prudent, common sense approach to such planning.  You want to be prepared should you need to do something to mitigate the high water levels, but you don’t want to stop commerce from moving forward.

What’s important to remember is that the current high water levels will not last forever. The pattern of the Great Lakes will continue and the factors that impact lake levels will change. Eventually, the water levels on the Great Lakes will again decline.