The water level in Lake Michigan has fallen below its long-term average, just a few years after reaching a near record high.

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers physical scientist Deanna Fielder tells us the December measurements from the Corps show Lakes Michigan-Huron heading into the dead of winter down.

“The monthly mean water level peak was in July for Lake Michigan here on this 2024,” Fielder said. “Since then we’ve seen a decline of about 20 inches if you use the July monthly mean to the December monthly mean. So, we have seen an above average decline.”

Fielder says the weather is the main reason.

“A lack of precipitation or precipitation that’s below average. That was really a contributing factor this fall, as well as some dry conditions that led to — if you decrease precipitation, you also lead to decreased runoff.”

Fielder says Lakes Michigan-Huron typically reach their yearly low around February, so they’ve probably got another few inches to go before a spring rebound is likely.

The lakes are about 40 inches below their all-time high, set in 1986, and 24 inches above their all-time low, set in 2014.

While high-low cycles are a constant for the lakes, Fielder says the overall trend for the past couple of decades has been the lakes getting lower. She says when levels are down, commerce can be affected negatively as it becomes more necessary to dredge the harbors.