Interesting read or "Not" on water levels

[L&M]

Low water levels in Lake Ontario could spell trouble for boaters, anglers

By Debra J. Groom / The Post-Standard

May 03, 2010, 6:00AM

Oswego, NY - Low water levels in Montreal Harbor could hamper fishing and recreational boating this spring on Lake Ontario.

On Tuesday, the water level for Lake Ontario was one foot lower than the 100-year average for that date, according to the International St. Lawrence River Board of Control.

To some lake enthusiasts, it may seem even worse, because the level is down between 20 inches and two feet from where it has been the last two years.

So what does the water level in Montreal Harbor have to do with this?

John Kangas, with the Army Corps of Engineers and the Board of Control explains it this way: Montreal Harbor is about six feet lower than normal. Such a low level affects freighters and lakers delivering goods to the city — they can’t carry full loads into the shallower waters.

The Board of Control monitors the water levels each day in Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence River, and can control the level of the St. Lawrence up stream from Montreal and into Lake Ontario.

The board would adjust the water levels only if another area wouldn’t be affected adversely.

“At the present, Montreal Harbor is very low so we could not (hold water back in Lake Ontario) without harming another interest,†said Frank Bevacqua, spokesman for the International Joint Commission.

Adding to the problem this year has been the small amount of snow and lack of spring rain. Kangas and others said snow melt and rain usually keep the lake and river levels high. What would help Montreal Harbor is a good steady rain in the Ottawa River basin, which drains to the harbor.

But Environment Canada, that country’s weather agency, said the forecast for May through July calls for lower than normal rainfall.

Lake Ontario’s low water could mean trouble for recreational boaters and fishermen, Kangas said.

This includes folks like Ronald Lupa, of Fulton, who has a camp on Chaumont Bay on Lake Ontario in Jefferson County.

“Water levels this spring are at an all-time low of two feet less than normal,†he said last week, via e-mail. “My new dock system, boat lift and 21-foot Sea Ray are no longer usable in this body of water.â€

Those who rely on tourism, boating and fishing for their livelihoods also are worried.

Shane Thomas, who has run Fishing Charters Lake Ontario for 20 years, said the low water level is going to affect his business.

“It’s definitely going to make fishing tougher,†he said. “There will be some places where you can’t get out of the rivers into the lake because the water is too low. And there will be places along the shore, like in Oswego Harbor, where you won’t be able to fish.â€

Kangas said some places where the tributaries and outlets join the lake also are a concern. For example, waters in the channel leading from Sandy Pond to Lake Ontario could be relatively low, causing problems.

Chuck Maahs, owner of Sandy Pond Resorts in northern Oswego County, agrees.

Saturday, he opened his marina, but water near the channel leading to Lake Ontario was a mere 10 inches in some spots. Normally the channel is 4 to 4½ feet deep.

“Anyone with a big boat won’t be able to get out into the lake,†he said.

Cathy Goodnough, head of the Sandy Pond Channel Maintenance Association, said the group has purchased a dredger for $50,000. But it can’t be used until July 15 due to spawning fish, according to U.S. Fish and Wildlife rules, she said.

David Turner, Oswego County director of community development, tourism and planning, said disruptions in fishing and boating in Lake Ontario could result in millions of lost dollars in tourism money for the county.

“Conservatively, I’d say $40 million†is generated by fishing and recreational boating on Lake Ontario in Oswego County. He said he doesn’t “think the water levels are so low that it will prohibit fishing and boating,†but some money could be lost if people can’t get into the lake or can’t get to favorite fishing or boating spots.

Kangas said what the area needs is a long, steady rain in Lake Ontario and the Ottawa River basin. This would increase the water level in the lake and the Montreal Harbor.

The National Weather Service extended forecast for May calls for slightly lower than normal amounts of rain, said hydrologist Michael Schaffner. Temperatures are expected to be slightly higher than normal, which could lead to more evaporation of water in the lake, Schaffner said.

The outlook isn’t any better for May through July, with normal amounts of rain (about 2.5 to 2.84 inches) expected in the Watertown area.

The Eastern Lake Ontario Trout and Salmon Association issued a “word of caution†on its website about Lake Ontario’s low water levels, which “translates into navigation problems on the Little Salmon River and other still water ports.â€

The site goes on to explain that “concerned boaters have, unofficially, placed a series of alert markers at a four-foot depth extending from Blunt’s to Mike’s marinas.†The site tells boaters to remember to keep to the left of these markers.

Jonathan Daniels, executive director of the Port of Oswego Authority, said there is no problem with the port depths now. But he said the levels are what normally are seen in the fall after water levels decreased.

“What this means for the rest of the year, I don’t know,†he said.

Contact Debra J. Groom at [email protected], 470-3254 or 251-5586.

Lake levels

The average level of Lake Ontario for the month of April is 245.67 feet. Here is how the average level each April 27 since 2005 compared to the average level for April:

2010: 9 inches below the April average.

2009:up 11 inches .

2008: up 16½ inches.

2007: up 8 inches.

2006: down 1¼ inches.

2005: up 9½ inches.

Source: International St. Lawrence River Board of Control

http://www.syracuse.com/news/index.ssf/ ... t_218.html

[Gill-T]

Thanks for the info. Doesn't sound good. I have a feeling that when the Greenland volcanic plume makes it's way around the world we will have a colder and wetter than usual month ahead. It seems like when ever we have large forest fires out west or northern hemisphere volcanic activity, we end up with a month-long run of bad weather to follow.

[larry]

Is it cheaper to put in windmills with the low water level? I don't buy the explanation since the power authority controls the level.

[LongLine]

It doesn't make much difference to actual placement cost if turbines are installed in 150 FOW or 145 FOW. The lake level normally changes up to a couple feet from late winter to mid fall anyways. Low water would hurt turbine construction as the ships they need to handle the parts are huge and draft a lot of water. (i.e where they going to dock them?) Genny was dredged last year but is only about 17.5 ft deep.

Current out flow is at 231K Cuft/sec. Max that can be let out is 330K Cuft/sec. We obviously want high water, shore owners want low water, Shipping wants high water (but don't flood us), Hydro-electric wants constant water flow. Outflow historical average has been 240K CuFt/sec. Historical average flow in the Niagara has been 205/210 Cuft/sec. (I don’t know what it is today)

The Control board does control the level under direction from the International Joint Commission (IJC) which was set up by the US-Canadian treaty. It is overseen and monitored by the US Army Corps of Engineers. We could argue how successful the Corps of Engineers has been - remember the dikes around New Orleans; Invasives via the St Lawrence; Asian Carp barrier on the Sanitary Canal; dams across the country now being torn down; boulders in the Genny....(I'm glad they weren't involved with space flight)

Pray for a couple good rainfalls or we won't be launching come Sept/Oct.

Tom B.

(LongLine)

[larry]

thanks tom, too suspicious of their motives and power I guess

[jimski2]

Not too worry, Canada has deep water ports, ships, etc. and they can put them into our side of the lake.

[LongLine]

The Jones Act has some very interesting "verbage" involved with construction/transport & registry etc in US waters. Should also be interesting to see how NYPA wiggles their way thru the courts, etc, to get around it.

Tom B.

(LongLine)

[jimski2]

The Army Corps reports that Lake Superior dropped 10 inches last month when it should have risen from the snowmelt. A drought is blamed and since water flows downhill we will not see things getting better. Dredging and new ramps, docks may be our only hope.

[labador]

Does somebody want to explain to me why they start letting water out in the middle of August so when labor day gets here you have to pull your boat out before then because the water is to low. I mean can't they wait till 1 day after labor day so everybody can still use there boats. I know they can't make everybody happy but it can't be that hard to see there wasn't alot of snow before they kept the gates open. The science of this can't be that hard they only been doing it for years. Lets see not much snow melt don't open the gates all the way. What is Obama making these decissions on the lake levels. Oh that explains it.

[LongLine]

They let water out all year long. Problem is they make their deision over a month + 1/2 in advance but no one can tell what the weather is going to be like more than a couple days in advance. (They don't believe in the Farmers almanac.) What they did this year was continue to let it out thinking we were going to get more snow & ice, but that just didn't happen this year.

Tom B.

(LongLine)

[bassfan12]

I'm lucky if I have 10" at my dock in Port Bay. It would be nice to launch my boat just once and keep it at my dock until September when water levels are what they are now.

[L&M]

Dry weather has Great Lakes levels dropping again

By The Associated Press

May 12, 2010, 6:17PM

DETROIT — Water levels in the Great Lakes are dropping because of sparse snow and rain, which could mean hard times for commercial shippers and recreational boaters in some areas, officials say.

The drop-off continues a trend that began in the late 1990s but had stalled the past couple of years, which were wetter.

“We’re below last year’s lake levels across the board,†Keith Kompoltowicz, a meteorologist with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, told The Detroit News for a Wednesday story. “That’s largely due to the very dry conditions we had during the winter and early spring.â€

The Great Lakes shipping industry wasn’t able to take full advantage of the higher water since 2007 because the recession reduced demand for materials such as iron ore, coal and limestone.

Read our earlier coverage

» Low water levels in Lake Ontario could spell trouble for boaters, anglers

» Alarmed Fulton man asks: What's going on with Lake Ontario water level?

» Great Lake Debate: Setting a Water Level for Lake Ontario

The number of vessels operating on the lakes as of May 1 was up slightly from the 42 in the water at the same time in 2009. But ships can’t carry as much cargo as they could a year ago because of lower water, making their runs less profitable.

“The biggest ships we have lose 270 tons of cargo for each inch of draft they lose,†said Glen Nekvasil, vice president of corporate communications for the Lake Carriers’ Association. “Even smaller boats, like those that bring in cement to Detroit, can lose 70 to 80 tons of cargo per inch. It’s just another challenge for us in what’s already a very challenging time.â€

Marina operators also can be hurt if water is so shallow that recreational vessels can’t reach their slips. Boaters must guard against running aground.

Lower water also could worsen the spread of algae in Lake Erie, already susceptible because it is the shallowest of the Great Lakes, with an average depth of 62 feet.

“If the lake level is down, that’s less water for the sun to penetrate,†said Thomas Bridgeman, a professor at University of Toledo’s Lake Erie Center. “I would say the trend over the last few years has been that it’s getting worse. And there’s no reason to think that pattern is going to change this year.â€