Lake Ontario water level

[jimski2]

Heavy rains the last month raised the water level 15 inches. Over last year at this time we are up 20 inches and 10 inches over the century average.

[Misty IV]

It's definitely not headed in the right direction. The last level reading I received for the Eastern Shore showed the lake was at 246.2ft. The danger level is 246.7, which would prove catastrophic to many areas during a gale force storm. The St. Lawrence Seaway people seem to be aware of the imminent danger if anymore water is allowed to enter Lake O, but who knows what they will do if push comes to shove. We had to have rip-rap stone installed along our breakwall 3 years ago to protect our property from the storms. The Labor Day storm last year had waves crashing ON our stones and the lake wasn't as high then as it is now. Definitely going to be interesting...

[Troy]

After years of drought conditions and low water levels making the news it is refreshing to see the levels back up, albeit they are reaching the high mark now. Regardless, the marinas and estuaries now resemble the way they used to look.

Waterfront owners, prop repair guys and lower unit mechanics won't be happy, but it is what it is.

Say a prayer for the people of Joplin.

[TOP SECRET]

Water level is crazy high... any higher and many docks will be under water!

[ Post made via Mobile Device ]

[brucehookedup]

This year is the highest level on the genesee river i could remember in the 33+ years i have been around. It is good to see, but i hope it doesnt get any higher, damage will occur.

[Misty IV]

My brother went up to the house for the weekend on Thursday. He called me to say just how high the water level is. Normally, the edge of the lake is a good 20 feet from our rip-rap stones. He said it "might" be 3 feet from the stone! God help the shoreline communities if we get a good 3-day Gale Force storm.....

[jimski2]

The Cornwall Dam is releasing the maximum water flow possible with the St. Lawrence River is full to the banks. Ships in the river are required to maintain slow speeds to prevent shoreline damage. The situation is expected to last several weeks.

[jimski2]

Control board to lower lake levels

6/22 - Lake Ontario and St., Lawrence River waterfront property owners and recreational boaters should expect "quite a dramatic" rate of drop in water levels during the next two months or so, according to the international board that regulates water flows.

In a teleconference Monday, Frank Sciremammano Jr., a member of the International St. Lawrence River Board of Control, said the board is maximizing discharge at the Robert H. Moses-Saunders Power Dam in Massena to bring the lake's rather high water levels down to its long-term average.

"We are well above average for this time of the year. The lake's water levels are about 19 inches higher than it was last year at this time," Mr. Sciremammano said.

As of Thursday, water levels on Lake Ontario were at 247.18 feet — 11 inches above average and close to its upper limit for monthly mean levels of 247.3 feet.

While high water benefits recreational boaters, the Board of Control has received a number of complaints from upper St. Lawrence River residents of erosion and dock damage, said David M. Fay, a regulation representative of the Board of Control.

Cargo ships traveling the St. Lawrence Seaway have been told to slow down in certain sections of the shipping channel to reduce wake, he said.

In response, the board announced earlier this month that it will discharge 310,000 cubic feet per second — the most it is allowed to release under a water-regulation plan — until the level of Lake Ontario falls to 247.1 feet, so long as levels downstream are below the flood alert level.

In contrast to the below-average water levels last spring, Mr. Sciremammano said, water levels on Lake Ontario began to rise in March and the increase "accelerated" through April and May because of heavy rains and increased supply from Lake Erie, its primary source of water.

Water levels on the lake seem to have peaked earlier this month, and with the increased outflow, the board is hoping to get the water levels down to the long-term average by late August or early September under "normal weather conditions," he said.

Watertown Daily Times

[carpedium]

247.18 Feet - 247.1 Feet = .08 Feet

.08 Feet X 12 inches/Foot = .96 Inches

That doesn't seem very dramatic?

[TyeeTanic]

Yea, but take the square meter surface area of lake Ontario and multiply it by 0.025 m (1 inch) and you will find this is A LOT of water volume.

[ Post made via BlackBerry ]

[carpedium]

Thats true in terms of volume, but not water level

[gokudl3]

Since i have been fishing out of sandy this is the highest i have seen it. I took a good fall at the public launch at sandy weeks ago on a chilly morning because the docks were under water halfway down them. I was by myself on the trailor pushing the boat off and when i jumped off onto the dock my feet came out from under me, before i knew it i was laying on my back in six inches of water . Now im much more carefull. With rain the next couple days they will be back under water probably. This could be a big change from the last couple falls when the water has been crazy low as long as we dont go through a big drought.

[LongLine]

Lake Ontario covers 7,340 sq miles. In comparison NYS covers 54,556 sq miles. So that's enough to cover NYS with .13 inches of water.

Big whoop....according to USGS, there's enough water in all the great lakes to cover the entire US with over 8 ft of water.

Tom B.

(LongLine)

[FISHIN AGAIN?]

Be careful on the docks there is a lot of Algae.