Ft.

-1

0

+ 1

+ 2

+ 3

+ 4

+ 5

M.

-0.3

0

+ 0.3

+ 0.6

+ 0.9

+ 1.2

+ 1.5

2018

OCT

1945

NOV

1945

DEC

1945

2019

JAN

1946

FEB

1952

MAR

1952

APR

1973

MAY

2017

JUN

2019

JUL

2019

AUG

1947

SEP

1947

OCT

1945

1934

NOV

1945

1934

DEC

1945

1934

2020

JAN

1946

1935

FEB

1952

1936

MAR

1952

1935

APR

1973

1935

MAY

2017

1935

JUN

2019

1935

JUL

2019

1934

AUG

1947

1934

SEP

1947

1934

OCT

1945

1934

NOV

1945

1934

DEC

1945

1934

2021

JAN

1946

1935

FEB

1952

1936

MAR

1952

1935

LAKE ONTARIO

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

2018

OCT

1986

NOV

1986

DEC

1986

2019

JAN

1987

FEB

1987

MAR

1986

APR

1985

MAY

2019

JUN

2019

JUL

2019

AUG

2019

SEP

2019

OCT

1986

1934

NOV

1986

1934

DEC

1986

1934

2020

JAN

1987

1935

FEB

1987

1936

MAR

1986

1934

APR

1985

1934

MAY

2019

1934

JUN

2019

1934

JUL

2019

1934

AUG

2019

1934

SEP

2019

1934

OCT

1986

1934

NOV

1986

1934

DEC

1986

1934

2021

JAN

1987

1935

FEB

1987

1936

MAR

1986

LAKE ERIE 1934

CHART DATUM 569.2 FEET (173.5 METERS)

Ft.

-1

0

+ 1

+ 2

+ 3

+ 4

+ 5

M.

-0.3

0

+ 0.3

+ 0.6

+ 0.9

+ 1.2

+ 1.5

2018

OCT

1986

NOV

1986

DEC

1986

2019

JAN

1986

FEB

1986

MAR

1986

APR

1986

MAY

2019

JUN

2019

JUL

2019

AUG

2019

SEP

2019

OCT

1986

1934

NOV

1986

1934

DEC

1986

1964

2020

JAN

1986

1936

FEB

1986

1926

MAR

1986

1934

APR

1986

1926

MAY

2019

1934

JUN

2019

1934

JUL

2019

1934

AUG

2019

1934

SEP

2019

1934

OCT

1986

1934

NOV

1986

1934

DEC

1986

1964

2021

JAN

1986

1936

FEB

1986

1926

MAR

1986

LAKE ST. CLAIR 1934

CHART DATUM 572.3 FEET (174.4 METERS)

Ft.

-1

0

+ 1

+ 2

+ 3

+ 4

+ 5

M.

-0.3

0

+ 0.3

+ 0.6

+ 0.9

+ 1.2

+ 1.5

2018

OCT

1986

NOV

1986

DEC

1986

2019

JAN

1987

FEB

1986

MAR

1986

APR

1986

MAY

1986

JUN

1986

JUL

1986

AUG

1986

SEP

1986

OCT

1986

1964

NOV

1986

1964

DEC

1986

2012

2020

JAN

1987

2013

FEB

1986

1964

MAR

1986

1964

APR

1986

1964

MAY

1986

1964

JUN

1986

1964

JUL

1986

1964

AUG

1986

1964

SEP

1986

1964

OCT

1986

1964

NOV

1986

1964

DEC

1986

2012

2021

JAN

1987

2013

FEB

1986

1964

MAR

1986

1964

LAKES MICHIGAN-HURON

CHART DATUM 577.5 FEET (176.0 METERS)

Ft.

-1

0

+ 1

+ 2

M.

-0.3

0

+ 0.3

+ 0.6

2018

OCT

1985

NOV

1985

DEC

1985

2019

JAN

1986

FEB

1986

MAR

1986

APR

1986

MAY

2019

JUN

2019

JUL

2019

AUG

2019

SEP

2019

OCT

1985

1925

NOV

1985

1925

DEC

1985

1925

2020

JAN

1986

1926

FEB

1986

1926

MAR

1986

1926

APR

1986

1926

MAY

2019

1926

JUN

2019

1926

JUL

2019

1926

AUG

2019

2007

SEP

2019

2007

OCT

1985

1925

NOV

1985

1925

DEC

1985

1925

2021

JAN

1986

1926

FEB

1986

1926

MAR

1986

1926

LAKE SUPERIOR

CHART DATUM 601.1 FEET (183.2 METERS)

ELEVATIONS REFERENCED TO THE CHART DATUM OF EACH RESPECTIVE LAKE

Superior

602.99

183.79

603.22

183.86

603.22

183.86

2019

600.46

183.02

2007

602.17

183.54

MichHuron

581.82

177.34

581.59

177.27

581.96

177.38

1986

576.64

175.76

1964

579.13

176.52

St.

Clair

577.03

175.88

576.97

175.86

576.97

175.86

2019

571.98

174.34

1934

574.48

175.10

Erie

573.59

174.83

573.72

174.87

573.72

174.87

2019

568.83

173.38

1934

571.46

174.18

Ontario

245.57

74.85

246.85

75.24

247.41

75.41

1947

242.49

73.91

1934

245.24

74.75

SEPTEMBER MEAN LAKE LEVELS

(IGLD 1985)

* 2020 Ft.

M.

2019 Ft.

M.

** MAX.

Ft.

M.

Yr.

** MIN.

Ft.

M.

Yr.

** AVG. Ft.

M.

* provisional

** Average, Maximum and Minimum for period 1918-2019

LEGEND

LAKE LEVELS

RECORDED

PROJECTED

AVERAGE **

MAXIMUM **

1985

1985

1973 1973

MINIMUM **

1936

1934

1926 1934

OCTOBER 2020

US Army Corps

of Engineers

Detroit District

MONTHLY BULLETIN OF

LAKE LEVELS FOR THE

GREAT LAKES

Monthly mean water levels for the previous year and the

current year to date are shown as a solid line 

on the hydrographs. A projection for the next

six months is given as a dashed line. This 

projection is based on the present condition 

of the lake basin and anticipated future 

weather. The shaded area shows a range of

possible levels over the next six months 

dependent upon weather variations. Current

and projected levels (solid and dashed lines) 

can be compared with the 1918-2019 average

levels (dotted line) and extreme levels 

(shown as bars with their year of occurrence).

The legend below further identifies the 

information on the hydrographs.

The levels on the hydrographs are shown in

both 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).

Provisional record high water levels reached in 2020 will be 

coordinated and reflected on the Monthly Bulletin in early 

2021.
Information

Recorded monthly mean 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

September 2020

Preliminary estimates indicate the precipitation for the Great Lakes basin and each individual lake basin was below 

average in September. As a result of below average precipitation, water supplies to all the lakes, except Lake 

Superior were below average. This was especially true for Lakes Erie and Ontario, which experienced exceptionally 

dry conditions. Despite below average water supplies this month for most of the lakes, water levels remain high and 

so outflows remained above average. Preliminary estimates indicate that outflows through the St. Clair River and 

Detroit River were above their September record-high outflows.

Water levels for all the Great Lakes declined from August to September. Lake Superior declined about 1 inch, while 

Lakes Michigan-Huron, St. Clair, and Erie declined by 3 to 4 inches from August to September. Lake Ontario also 

dropped 8 inches in the last month. The monthly mean level for Lake St. Clair in September was a new record high, 

which surpassed its previous record high from last year by 1 inch. The current 6-month forecast predicts all lakes to 

continue their seasonal water level declines throughout the fall.

PRECIPITATION (INCHES)

BASIN

September 12-Month Comparison

2020 Average Diff. % of 

Average

Last 12 

months 

Average Diff. % of 

(1900-2017) (1900-2017) Average

Superior 2.29 3.50 -1.21 65 26.02 30.59 -4.57 85

Michigan-Huron 2.81 3.43 -0.62 82 33.99 32.52 1.47 105

Erie 2.45 3.23 -0.78 76 32.50 35.55 -3.05 91

Ontario 2.26 3.27 -1.01 69 32.88 35.83 -2.95 92

Great Lakes 2.53 3.39 -0.86 75 31.39 32.76 -1.37 96

 LAKE September WATER SUPPLIES1 (cfs) September OUTFLOW2 (cfs)

2020 Average

(1900-2008) 2020 Average3(1900-2008)

Superior 83,000 70,000 88,000 83,000

Michigan-Huron 15,000 27,000 258,000 193,000

Erie -53,000 -17,000 253,000 204,000

Ontario -18,000 5,000 300,000 249,000

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