Ft.

-1

0

+ 1

+ 2+ 3+ 4+ 5

M.

-0.3

0

+ 0.3

+ 0.6

+ 0.9+ 1.2+ 1.5

2017

APR

1973

MAY

2017

JUN

2017

JUL

2017

AUG

1947

SEP

1947

OCT

1945

NOV

1945

DEC

1945

2018

JAN

1946

FEB

1952

MAR

1952

APR

19731935

MAY

20171935

JUN

20171935

JUL

20171934

AUG

19471934

SEP

19471934

OCT

19451934

NOV

19451934

DEC

19451934

2019

JAN

1946

1935

FEB

1952

1936

MAR

19521935

APR

19731935

MAY

20171935

JUN

20171935

JUL

20171934

AUG

19471934

SEP

19471934

CHART DATUM 243.3 FEET (74.2 METERS)

Ft.

-1

0

+ 1

+ 2+ 3+ 4+ 5

+ 6

M.

-0.3

0

+ 0.3

+ 0.6

+ 0.9+ 1.2+ 1.5+ 1.8

2017

APR

1985

MAY

1986

JUN

1986

JUL

1986

AUG

1986

SEP

1986

OCT

1986

NOV

1986

DEC

1986

2018

JAN

1987

FEB

1987

MAR

1986

APR

19851934

MAY

1986

1934

JUN

1986

1934

JUL

1986

1934

AUG

1986

1934

SEP

1986

1934

OCT

1986

1934

NOV

1986

1934

DEC

1986

1934

2019

JAN

19871935

FEB

1987

1936

MAR

1986

1934

APR

19851934

MAY

1986

1934

JUN

1986

1934

JUL

1986

1934

AUG

1986

1934

SEP

1986

CHART DATUM 569.2 FEET (173.5 METERS) 1934

Ft.

-1

0

+ 1

+ 2+ 3+ 4+ 5

M.

-0.3

0

+ 0.3

+ 0.6

+ 0.9+ 1.2+ 1.5

2017

APR

1986

MAY

1986

JUN

1986

JUL

1986

AUG

1986

SEP

1986

OCT

1986

NOV

1986

DEC

1986

2018

JAN

1986

FEB

1986

MAR

1986

APR

19861926

MAY

1986

1934

JUN

1986

1934

JUL

1986

1934

AUG

1986

1934

SEP

1986

1934

OCT

1986

1934

NOV

1986

1934

DEC

1986

1964

2019

JAN

19861936

FEB

19861926

MAR

1986

1934

APR

19861926

MAY

1986

1934

JUN

1986

1934

JUL

1986

1934

AUG

1986

1934

SEP

1986

1934

CHART DATUM 572.3 FEET (174.4 METERS)

ELEVATIONS REFERENCED TO THE CHART DATUM OF EACH 

Superior

602.26

183.57602.17183.54

602.40

183.61

1986

599.54182.74

1926

601.15183.23

MichHuron

580.25

176.86

579.92

176.76

581.10

177.12

1986

576.05175.58

1964

578.41

176.30

St.

Clair

575.98

175.56

575.82

175.51

576.77

175.80

1986

571.03174.05

1934

573.85

174.91

Erie

573.03

174.66

573.10

174.68573.75174.88

1986

568.24

173.20

1934

571.13174.08

Ontario

245.96

74.97

245.83

74.93

247.28

75.37

1952

242.59

73.94

1935

245.01

74.68

MARCH MEAN LAKE LEVELS

(IGLD 1985)

* 2019 Ft.

M.

2018 Ft.

M.

** MAX.

Ft.

M.

Yr.

** MIN.

Ft.

M.

Yr.

** AVG. Ft.

M.

* provisional** Average, Maximum and Minimum for period 1918-2018

1985

1985

1973 1973

1936

1934

1926 1934

LAKE ONTARIO

LAKE ERIE

LAKE ST. CLAIR

LEGEND

LAKE LEVELS

RECORDEDPROJECTEDAVERAGE **MAXIMUM **MINIMUM **

The levels on the hydrographs are shown inboth feet and meters above (+) or below (-) Chart Datum. Chart Datum, also known as Low Water Datum, is a reference plane on each lake to which water depth and Federal navigation improvement depths on navigation charts are referred.All elevations and plots shown in this bulletin are referenced to International Great Lakes Datum 1985 (IGLD 1985). IGLD 1985 has its zero base at Rimouski, Quebec near the mouth of the St. Lawrence River (approximate sea level).
Information

Recorded water levels in this bulletin are derived from a representative network of water level gages on each lake 

(see cover map). Providers of these data are the U.S. Department of Commerce, NOAA, National Ocean Service, 

and Integrated Science Data Management, Department of Fisheries and Oceans, Canada. The Detroit District, 

Corps of Engineers and Environment and Climate Change Canada derive historic and projected lake levels under 

the auspices of the Coordinating Committee on Great Lakes Basic Hydraulic and Hydrologic Data.

This bulletin is produced monthly as a public service. The Corps also, on a weekly basis publishes online the Great 

Lakes, Connecting Channels and St. Lawrence River Water Levels and Depths, which provides a forecast of depths 

in the connecting rivers between the Great Lakes and the International Section of the St. Lawrence River. This 

Monthly Bulletin of the Lake Levels for the Great Lakes may be obtained free of charge by writing to the address 

shown on the front cover, by calling (313) 226-6441 or emailing hhpm@usace.army.mil. Notices of change of 

address should include the name of the publication. This information is available on the internet at 

http://www.lre.usace.army.mil/Missions/GreatLakesInformation.aspx.

Great Lakes Basin Hydrology

March 2019

Preliminary estimates indicate that the Great Lakes basin as a whole received below average precipitation in the 

month of March, following a February with above average precipitation. Lake Erie received closest to average

precipitation at 100%. Lakes Michigan-Huron received the least precipitation, compared to their average, at 77%.

Water supplies for the more western basins, Lake Superior and Michigan-Huron, were above average, while Lakes 

Erie and Ontario had below average supply. Lake Superior had above average net basin supply, despite receiving

below average precipitation. Despite significant streamflows in the western portion of the Lake Michigan-Huron basin, 

net basin supply for the basin was closest to average. Lower runoff may have contributed to the below average water 

supplies in Lakes Erie and Ontario. Outflows for all lakes continued to be above average during the month of March.

March monthly mean water levels were above their long-term average for all lakes. Lake Superior fell over the past 

month by a half an inch, while Lake Ontario remained the same. Levels on Michigan-Huron, Erie, and St. Clair

increased by about 1, 2, and 6 inches, respectively. In March, Lakes Superior, Michigan-Huron, St. Clair, and Ontario 

were above their levels of one year ago by 1, 4, 2, and 2 inches, respectively. Lake Erie was the only lake below its 

level from one year ago, at 1 inch lower than last year’s monthly average.

PRECIPITATION (INCHES)

BASIN

March 12-Month Comparison

2019 Average Diff. % of 

Average

Av erage Last 

12 Months

Average Diff. % of 

(1900-2016) (1900-2016) Average

Superior 1.36 1.72 -0.36 79 28.77 30.58 -1.81 94

Michigan-Huron 1.63 2.13 -0.50 77 32.29 32.55 -0.26 99

Erie 2.75 2.74 0.01 100 35.72 35.62 0.10 100

Ontario 2.07 2.65 -0.58 78 35.63 35.87 -0.24 99

Great Lakes 1.73 2.16 -0.43 80 32.06 32.77 -0.71 98

 LAKE

March WATER SUPPLIES1 (cfs) March OUTFLOW2 (cfs)

2019 Average

(1900-2008) 2019 Average3(1900-2008)

Superior 66,000 46,000 91,000 66,000

Michigan-Huron 189,000 183,000 213,000 172,000

Erie 45,000 72,000 242,000 197,000

Ontario 63,000 75,000 307,000 238,000

Notes: Values (excluding averages) are based on preliminary computations; cfs denotes cubic feet per second.

1 Net basin supply is the net result of precipitation falling on the lake, runoff from precipitation falling on the land which flows to 

the lake, and evaporation from the lake. Negative net basin supply denotes evaporation exceeded runoff and precipitation. 

The net total supply can be found by adding the net basin supply and the outflow from the upstream lake. 2 Does not include diversions.

3 Lake Ontario average water supplies and average outflows are based on period of record 1900-2005