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Lake Level & Lake Level Management
2006 - Water Level Report
(chart further updated 11/10)
by Tom Cox, Chair, Water Level Committee
Ten Mile's water level at this season's beginning was high again this year.
Here are Walt Kane's statistics from his first reading of the season on May 12:
May 12 Water Level: 1379.75', or 1,379 Ft., 9 In., 1.4 In. higher than one
year ago, and 2.5 In. higher than on last November 1. It was also 3.96 In.
higher than the average level of 1379.42 Ft. for the period since 1973, but 5.64
In. lower than the record high of 1380.22 Ft. recorded on June 14, 2001.
But the level has been dropping rapidly since May. At the TMLA Annual Meeting
on August 5, Walt reported a level of 1379.10' down 7.8 inches since
May 12, and .32' or 3.84 inches lower than its average level since
1973. At the Annual Meeting, Walt said that we are experiencing a more
"normal" year this year, as compared to last year, when the level was
unusually high.
Again this past winter, with the support of the TMLA, the Birch Lake
Association contracted for trapping and removal of beaver from the dam site. It
is reported that five animals were removed. Now, as of August 5, the river is
thickly congested with vegetation below the beaver dam just below the CSAH 6
bridge. The beaver dam appears to have an opening through which water is
flowing. The water flow at the Birch Lake outlet structure is about
1.5" above the lowest point in the "V." So far this summer
there's been no call for a dam raiding party to further open the beaver dam.
Many complained of high water last year, and with good reason, though the
level never reached its record high. Here's a chart of last year's readings with
the this year's readings superimposed. You can see graphically
that we started off an inch and a half higher this year than last, but that,
contrary to last year, as of September 12 the water had dropped nearly a foot
from its level on May 12.
