High water levels, and the erosion that comes with them, are causing concerns for property owners along the Lake Huron shoreline this summer.
Ausable Bayfield Conservation Authority Water and Planning Manager Geoff Cade said levels currently exceed the monthly highs, but not long term ones.
"At the moment, we exceed the monthly highs. So for June, July, August and part of that, we've exceeded the monthly high. But we still have not exceeded the long term high for lake level," said Cade.
Cade added, however, that erosion along the shoreline is an anticipated event.
"If people don't have a long history on the shoreline, they may not have seen the erosion occurring in the eighties at the last high lake level and maybe more used the lower lake levels of the last ten years," added Cade.
Cade said the erosion was worse earlier in the spring when high winds were driving the wave action. He also notes, there was significant erosion during those periods of low levels and that was occurring in what is called the nearshore area.
Cade says while the long term levels are cyclical in nature, the cycle is not as predictable as seasonal fluctuations are.
