Lake Ontario 2010 Water Levels Update

Contacts:

Chuck O’Neill, cro4@cornell.edu

Dave White, dgw9@cornell.edu, 315-312-3042


Oswego, NY, May 15, 2010 - As recently reported on Syracuse's WSYR-TV Channel 9 News, NY's North Country-based Your News Now, and Watertown, NY's WWNY TV News 7 / WNYF Fox 28, portions of Central New York are going through a significant dry spell that is causing some concern.

According to NYSG Recreational/Tourism Specialist Dave White, Lake Ontario is about a foot lower than average for this time of year and projects show that the water levels will remain lower than normal until August. 85% of water coming into Lake Ontario comes from the Upper Great Lakes, so it is down in all areas.

“Lake levels in the Great Lakes systems impact shoreline erosion and erosion control efforts, boating channel depths for recreational use and commercial shipping, the health of the coastal wetlands and important fishery resources,” says Chuck O'Neill, NYSG's Coastal Resource Specialist and Interim Associate Director. O'Neill has made available a revised fact sheet on Lake Ontario water levels.