Impact of Great Lakes water levels

Water levels of the Great Lakes can have an impact on everything in the Upper Peninsula, from industry to tourism.

Members of the Marquette County Economic Club learned how those water levels impact the Marquette area, and the U.P., tonight at its monthly meeting.  John Nevin, a Public Affairs Advisor in the Great Lakes Regional Office of the International Joint Commission, was the featured speaker at the meeting.

He gave a presentation about what changes the water levels, whether it be man-made or from nature, and how those changes affect the Great Lakes Region.

He said that water levels are important to shoreline property owners, marinas, the tourism industry, the shipping industry.  Lower water levels means smaller ships can port at marinas; smaller ships means less iron ore can be shipped out of the marinas.

Tom Baldini, Program Committee Chairman of the Marquette Economic Club said that the Great Lakes are part of Upper Michigan residents lives, so water levels have an impact on the area.

Nevin said that water levels are low compared to in years past, but the levels will gradually start to increase.  He added the smaller amount of ice that covers the Great Lakes contribute to water levels; less ice cover means more water will evaporate from the lakes and reduce levels.