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SCIENCEMonday 23 November 2015

Great Lakes levels expected to stay mostly above average

JOHN FLESHER Michigan and Erie should
AP Environmental Writer
TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. (AP) remain at above-aver-
— Water levels in the Great
Lakes should remain mostly age levels for the next six
above average over the
next six months as a power- months, he said. Lake On-
ful El Nino gives the region
a break after two bitterly tario, which is controlled
cold winters, but it’s un-
clear whether there will be by a hydroelectric dam
longer-term effects, federal
scientists said Thursday. on the St. Lawrence River,
El Nino, the warming of
surface waters in the Pa- is expected to be near or
cific Ocean that can signifi-
cantly influence weather in slightly below its long-term
North America, is expected
to bring milder tempera- average.
tures and less snow across
the lakes that hold nearly The scientists were reluc-
one-fifth of the world’s sur-
face fresh water, National tant to extend their predic-
Weather Service hydrolo-
gist Jim Noel said. tion beyond six months, al-
Those conditions are unlike-
ly to alter the seasonal pat- though Kompoltowicz said
tern of Great Lakes levels,
which tend to rise in spring, a return to colder tempera-
peak in summer and de-
cline in fall, said Keith Kom- tures in fall 2016 could bring
poltowicz, hydrology chief
with the U.S. Army Corps of greater-than-usual evapo-
Engineers’ district office in
Detroit. But the fluctuations ration.
may be less pronounced
than usual, partly because They noted that Great

Lakes water levels have

gone in different directions

after the two strongest El Ni-

Waves crash along the Lake Michigan shoreline at Holland State Park, Mich., on Thursday, Nov. nos prior to the current one.
12, 2015. Lakeshore flood warnings are in effect.
After a powerful El Nino in
Associated Press
1982-83, the lakes rose and

of El Nino’s effects on evap- Lakes Huron and Michigan fall may lower evapora- hit record highs by 1986. But
oration and precipitation. have enjoyed the most tion rates, resulting in less
“We don’t see any extreme dramatic improvement, of a drop-off in water levels another El Nino in 1997-98
events in terms of lake lev- rising nearly three feet — than usual, Kompoltowicz
els on the horizon,” Kom- their biggest two-year jump said. But if snowfall declines was followed by a nearly
poltowicz said as scientists on record. It’s been a relief this winter as expected,
released an updated fore- for cargo shippers, marina the spring rise in water lev- 15-year decline.
cast for the Great Lakes, owners and property own- els might also be reduced.
which have rebounded ers along shorelines where Spring runoff of the snow- “That just shows there’s a
sharply after a prolonged retreating water had given pack is a key factor in de-
slump that lasted from 1998 way to muck and weeds. termining lake levels. lot more in play here, and
through 2012. Mild air temperatures this Lakes Superior, Huron,
it’s impossible to pin a lot

of what we can expect in

terms of levels on the Great

Lakes to just one climate

signal,” Kompoltowicz

said.q

Record number of stranded seal pups in Northern California

This November 2015 photo provided by The Marine Mammal SAUSALITO, California (AP) said. double the previous record
Center shows fur seal pups being cared for at the center’s facil- — Marine mammal experts “They’re adorable, but of 31 pups in 2006. Veteri-
ity in Sausalito, Calif. say another species of ma- on the other hand they’re narians estimate they are
rine wildlife has begun turn- these little bags of skin and between 4 and 5 months
Associated Press ing up, emaciated and bones,” said Jeff Boehm, old.
weak, in record numbers the center’s executive di- The stranded northern fur
on the California coast in rector. seals are the latest in a string
what has been a series of As of Friday, the Marine of alarming marine events.
alarming signs of oceanic Mammal Center near Sau- Experts have been work-
distress. salito had taken in 85 north- ing all year to address an
Unhealthy northern fur seal ern fur seals, which live out “unusual mortality event”
pups have been found in the Pacific Ocean’s wa- among California sea lions.
stranded on beaches in ters and islands and would In addition, wildlife rescue
record numbers, newly only rarely be found on crews have been trying to
weaned and weighing little shore, the Santa Rosa Press rehabilitate a record num-
more than the typical birth Democrat reported Satur- ber of the rarely seen and
weight for the species, ex- day. endangered Guadalupe
perts at the Marine Mam- According to the center, fur seal pups, also showing
mal Center near Sausalito that number is more than up stranded.q