High Water 2018-2019

  • A ramp leading down the water is mostly submerged by waves. There is a line of weeds, wood, and garbage at the waterline.

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    For several years, the Field Station had trouble with low water making it hard to launch. Then we had our launch redone to fix that issue, but in 2018-2019 the Great Lakes reached record high water levels. Seiches raise the water levels even higher.

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  • High water submerges a concrete dock but allows a metal ramp and floating dock to stay above water. The water level looks higher than normal since there is some water between the ramp and land.

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    The floating dock works, but high water during this storm and seiche event meant that you can't get to it. The concrete dock was completely submerged and the access ramp that was usually sloped downward was lifted up.

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  • Water laps near the top of the stone barrier at the water's edge. A dock floats behind the water.

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    If the water was much higher, there might be problems with erosion. (Edit: There were several problems with erosions in the coming years.)

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  • Ice along the shoreline with a metal pipe sticking up through it.

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    In winter, high water levels meant that ice was pushed up onto the dock. This happens from time to time, but is more frequent with higher water levels. During a windstorm in February 2019, part of the ice boom broke, allowing tons of ice to spill from Lake Erie into the Niagara River.

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  • Ice along the shoreline with a metal pipe sticking up through it. There is ice over the breakwall in the distance.

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    During a windstorm in February 2019, part of the ice boom broke, allowing tons of ice to spill from Lake Erie into the Niagara River.

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  • An ice-covered body of water next to an open area of water. There are large pieces of broken ice atop a breakwall between the two bodies of water. On the far shore, there is a giant pile of ice.

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    During a windstorm in February 2019, part of the ice boom broke, allowing tons of ice to spill from Lake Erie into the Niagara River. It crashed down over the breakwall and piled up on the Canadian shore.

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  • A breakwall between two bodies of water. There are railings along part of the wall, but not for a large stretch. Two people walk along the part of the wall without railings.

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    When the ice began to melt, the damage to the breakwall was apparent. The railings had been broken off in several places, including a large section across from the Field Station. Despite being officially closed, people continued to utilize the breakwall.

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