The left photo shows Turnip Rock with a water level six feet below the average and the right photo shows six feet above. Such differences are shown with the Lake Level Viewer. Images: Lake Level Viewer
You no longer have to wonder how Great Lakes landmarks will change with a changing climate. You can now see how a six-foot swing in the depth of Lake Huron could change how much of Michigan’s Turnip Rock sticks out of the water.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration recently launched a web tool that predicts what the Great Lakes shorelines looks like under different water levels.
The Lake Level Viewer shows different water levels of the Great Lakes. On NOAA’s Digital Coast website, users select a lake to view, zoom in on the specific area of interest and change the water level within six feet above or below the average level to see the receding or growing shorelines.
“Changing lake levels have always been a concern,” said Doug Marcy, the project manager for the Lake Level Viewer. The tool was “designed to show what future shorelines would look like and address future climate change impacts.”
The top photo shows the Irondequoit Bay Outlet Bridge on Lake Ontario with a water level five feet below the average and the bottom photo shows five feet above, as shown on the Lake Level Viewer. Images: Lake Level Viewer
Viewers can also overlay economic and demographic information on the map to see potential impacts the water levels could have on people and businesses. The Lake Level Viewer can be used as a planning tool and help with land decisions, Marcy said.
Users can select landmark photos to better visualize water level impacts. Lighthouses, bridges and popular beaches can be portrayed with high and low water levels.
The raw data used to create the Lake Level Viewer is available to download, as well, so citizens can see even more specific information pertaining to certain areas.
The Great Lakes Restoration Initiative funded the project. Recently, the Great Lakes Information Network named it the Site of the Month for November.