Lake levels in N Wisconsin

Whats going on? The lake levels are higher than anyone can remember. These are lakes without inlets or outlets. They normally fluctuate in cycles that take several years of high or low. However this is different. We havent had that much rain the rivers are near normal. Houses are in several feet of water on some of these lakes. I had heard that someone from the DNR had stated that springs were putting out more water also. Anyone know whats going on?

How far from Lake Michigan? All of the great lakes are very high from all the rain last year. The water tables have rose with them and that would also raise spring fed lakes.

10 years ago Lake Michigan was so low we were climbing off the bow of the boat to try and get on the peire standing on the bow the peire was around waist level

this year the waves are lapping over that piere


the Brake waters in Racine between river and harbor only have a couple feet showing any more used to be about 6 feet when they were put in you couldn't see over the top of them now

Lots of snow with a late Spring and cool summer with no prolonged dry periods. Lake levels here stayed high all summer. Seasonal swamp areas never dried out.

Historically high. I have a couple of customers that built on level lake lots that now have basement dewatering pumps that cycle on once a minute. They have extra pumps and battery systems too in case one system fails or the power is interrupted. 10 years ago the same customers had to walk out from the dock to enter their boat. Odd!

Chris

Depends on what your definition of historically high is. There is a previous beach of lake erie a few more miles inland than my house and my house is 18 miles from the shore now. Our family farm sits on another previous shore line and that is roughly 12 miles from the current lake. Our current records are only a blink of the eye of time.

historically since 1848 when Wisconsin became a state not ice ages

my Great Grandfather was a boat builder there are pictures of his 1880-1920s boats at landmarks and piers with buildings and dock pilings still standing today.

Lake Michigan has been typically about 4 feet lower than today and as much as 10 feet lower than today a few times . with a few times it has been nearly as high at this year.

I am a couple hundred miles from Lake Michigan but only about 50 miles from Lake Superior. I had heard that Lake Superior levels were affecting spring discharge rates, but I have a hard time understanding how. The spring discharges are a higher elevation than the surface of Lake Superior. I guess if knowledgeable people say its happening that way I believe them, I just dont understand it.

Steve,
I believe that the USGS site might show historical data for certain lakes in your area by county to get an historical comparison on year-over-year trends