Lake Michigan Water Level History
Thirty-day lake-level chart, recent highs and lows, net change and daily summaries from the matched USGS station.
Lake Michigan water-level chart
Source: U.S. Geological Survey monitoring station ↗. Recent measurements may be provisional.
What has Lake Michigan been doing?
Across the available 30-day series, Lake Michigan is falling overall. The measured range runs from -0.48 ft to 1.76 ft, with a net change of -0.64 ft.
Lake levels can respond to rainfall, watershed inflow, dam and hydropower operations, seasonal target elevations, evaporation and downstream release requirements. This page reports what the matched sensor measured; it does not infer why an operator changed a reservoir.
Recent daily levels
| Date | Low | Average | High |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 7 | 0.05 ft | 0.35 ft | 0.78 ft |
| Oct 6 | 0.04 ft | 0.33 ft | 0.69 ft |
| Oct 5 | 0.25 ft | 0.49 ft | 0.82 ft |
| Oct 4 | 0.04 ft | 0.55 ft | 1.02 ft |
| Oct 3 | 0.33 ft | 0.62 ft | 0.93 ft |
| Oct 2 | 0.41 ft | 0.78 ft | 1.20 ft |
| Oct 1 | 0.29 ft | 0.68 ft | 1.20 ft |
| Sep 30 | 0.20 ft | 0.51 ft | 0.84 ft |
| Sep 29 | 0.37 ft | 0.66 ft | 1.09 ft |
| Sep 28 | 0.42 ft | 0.72 ft | 0.96 ft |
| Sep 27 | 0.47 ft | 0.77 ft | 1.18 ft |
| Sep 26 | 0.50 ft | 0.80 ft | 1.23 ft |
| Sep 25 | 0.52 ft | 0.85 ft | 1.16 ft |
| Sep 24 | 0.64 ft | 0.95 ft | 1.15 ft |
| Sep 23 | 0.62 ft | 1.05 ft | 1.48 ft |
| Sep 22 | 0.67 ft | 1.10 ft | 1.69 ft |
| Sep 21 | 0.64 ft | 1.18 ft | 1.71 ft |
| Sep 20 | 0.65 ft | 1.13 ft | 1.76 ft |
| Sep 19 | 0.39 ft | 0.88 ft | 1.70 ft |
| Sep 18 | 0.31 ft | 0.85 ft | 1.43 ft |
| Sep 17 | 0.49 ft | 0.86 ft | 1.26 ft |
| Sep 16 | 0.36 ft | 0.76 ft | 1.22 ft |
| Sep 15 | -0.48 ft | 0.54 ft | 1.31 ft |
| Sep 14 | -0.32 ft | 0.57 ft | 1.06 ft |
| Sep 13 | 0.28 ft | 0.73 ft | 1.18 ft |
| Sep 12 | 0.27 ft | 0.68 ft | 1.00 ft |
| Sep 11 | 0.37 ft | 0.70 ft | 1.02 ft |
| Sep 10 | 0.42 ft | 0.72 ft | 1.01 ft |
| Sep 9 | 0.26 ft | 0.69 ft | 1.30 ft |
| Sep 8 | 0.31 ft | 0.80 ft | 1.21 ft |
Lake Michigan level-history FAQ
How has Lake Michigan water level changed over the last 30 days?
Across the available 30-day sensor series, the net change is -0.64 ft and the overall direction is falling.
What was the highest Lake Michigan level in the last 30 days?
The highest reading in the available 30-day series is 1.76 ft.
What was the lowest Lake Michigan level in the last 30 days?
The lowest reading in the available 30-day series is -0.48 ft.
Are historical USGS lake readings final?
Not always. Recent readings may be marked provisional and can be revised by the source agency after quality review.