Lake Erie
The newest research on Lake Erie predicts global warming will lead to a steep drop in water levels over the next 64 years, a change that could cause the lake's surface area to shrink by up to 15 percent. The drop could undo years of shoreline abuse and erosion by allowing water to resume the natural coastal circulation that has become blocked by structures.
The newest update addresses, when, where and how the shoreline will be reshaped. The water temperature of Lake Erie has increased by one degree since 1988 and the lake's level could fall about 34 inches. The other Great Lakes will also lose water.
If the projections are accurate, Lake Erie would be reduced by one-sixth by late this century, exposing nearly 2,200 square miles of land and creating marshes, prairies, beaches and forests.
July 25, 2006 9:02 AM | Category: Lake Erie