Great Lakes water levels have been low the last couple of years, forcing light loads for Great Lake ships and groundings for pleasure craft.
Marinas have difficulty providing enough depth for their customers and tourists.
When water levels are very low, harbour dredging increases, even though dredging stirs up silt that can spread and smother fish spawning grounds. It can destroy fish habitat, killing them off even if the sediment is clean. If the sediment is polluted with metalic sludge or industrial waste, it can become a danger to people whose drinking water is taken from the waters. Our government index contains links to the many water level resources for the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence River.