Most of us in State of Michigan are residents of watersheds that discharge to the Great Lakes. Coastal communities in the Great Lakes are sensitive to changes in water levels which occur due to extremes in the balance of precipitation and evaporation. High water levels lead to shoreline erosion and the loss of houses constructed too close to the lakes. Low water levels reduce beach access, the use of docks and can make navigation hazardous.

EXPLORE: Water Levels of the Great Lakes