• The reference for water levels will be updated as part of IGLD (2020). What does this mean for recreational boaters, beachgoers, hikers, vacationers, home and/or business owners? Most importantly, it will not result in physical changes to lake and river levels. An update to the IGLD will improve the ability of state and federal agencies to produce accurate water level products. Data can also be used to increase the effectiveness of forecasting in the region. (2020) will be the new reference level used for regulating outflow in the lakes.
• As part of the update for IGLD (2020) both the US and Canada installed a number of short term (4 month) water level gauges throughout the lakes. One of the drivers on the US side was to install these gauges within ports and harbors of refuge. This updated information will enable these regions to have a better understanding of their water levels on the new datum. This is key as harbors of refuge are vital for the boating community to have a safe location to escape if an unexpected storm arises.

f you are looking for operational forecasts, please visit the CO-OPS Great Lakes Operational Forecast System webpage. To access water level data from individual stations, please visit the CO-OPS tides and currents webpage. And for lake-wide water level forecasts, please visit the US Army Corps of Engineers website.