Lake Superior’s water level is down

[Steve Arend]

MARQUETTE — Lake Superior’s water level is down, but not as much as forecasters had expected. Superior is down to 600.9 feet above sea level, below the 601.3 foot target level set by the Army Corps of Engineers.

According to National Weather Service forecaster Andrew Just, the biggest factor in low lake levels was the lack of ice cover over the winter. Lack of ice promotes evaporation and increases lake effect snow. Much of this winter’s evaporated lake water appears to have fallen as snow within the Superior watershed, though, meaning much of that water may find its way back into the lake, Just said.

Lake level drops