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Lake Conditions
Legal Limit Above Mean Sea Level
Lake | Court Ordered Summer Lake Level |
Court Ordered Winter Lake Level |
Court Order Date |
Datum |
---|---|---|---|---|
Houghton Lake |
1138.10 | 1137.60 | March 19, 1982 |
1130.00 |
Higgins Lake |
1154.11 | 1153.61 | March 19, 1982 |
1148.74 |
Lake St. Helen |
1155.25 | 1154.75 | May 5, 1998 |
1149.01 |
Lake level gauges are fixed and working properly. Winter level to commence on or about November 1 of each year and is restored to its legal level commencing on or about April 15, or ice-out, whichever shall first occur, in each year. Formula: Current gage reading + Datum = Legal Mean Sea Level
Roscommon County Dam Conditions
Houghton Lake |
Higgins Lake |
Lake St. Helen |
---|---|---|
Spillway 1: % OPEN = 0% 07-25-23 |
Spillway 1: BOARDS IN = 4/4 07-25-23 |
Spillway 1: BOARDS IN = 6/6 09-18-23 |
Spillway 2: % OPEN = 0% 07-25-23 |
Spillway 2: BOARDS IN = 3/3 07-25-23 |
Spillway 2: % OPEN = 0% 09-20-23 |
Spillway 3: BOARDS IN = 6/6 07-25-23 |
Spillway 3: BOARDS IN = 5/5 07-25-23 |
Spillway 3: BOARDS IN = 6/6 09-18-23 |
Spillway 4: % OPEN = 0% 07-25-23 |
Spillway 4: % OPEN = 0% 07-25-23 |
|
Spillway 5: % OPEN = 0% 07-25-23 |
Spillway 5: % OPEN = 0% 07-25-23 |
|
Spillway 6: % OPEN = 0 % 07-31-23 |
Spillway 6: % OPEN = 0% 07-25-23 |
Understanding Lake Level Readings
Every 15 minutes, a gauge located on Higgins, Houghton and Lake St. Helen, reads the lake level and sends the data to a United States Geologic Survey (USGS) office. Links to the USGS web site for each lake are listed below.
The chart below translates USGS gauge numbers relative to summer and winter legal levels as well as to the sea level elevation. These levels were set by the Michigan Circuit Court in 1982.
Special Notes |
USGS Gauge Reading | Summer Level Relative to Court Ordered 1154.11 in inches |
Winter Level Relative to Court Ordered 1531.61 in Inches | Sea Level Elevation Decimal Feet | Sea Level Elevation Feet/Inches |
|
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
N/A | 5.51 | 1.68 | 7.68 | 1154.25 | 1154 | 3 |
N/A |
5.49 | 1.44 | 7.44 | 1154.23 | 1154 | 2.76 |
N/A | 5.47 | 1.20 | 7.20 | 1154.21 | 1154 | 2.52 |
N/A | 5.45 | 0.96 | 6.96 | 1154.19 | 1154 | 2.28 |
N/A | 5.43 | 0.72 | 6.72 | 1154.17 | 1154 | 2.04 |
N/A | 5.41 | 0.48 | 6.48 | 1154.15 | 1154 | 1.80 |
N/A | 5.39 | 0.24 | 6.24 | 1154.13 | 1154 | 1.56 |
Summer Legal Level | 5.37 | 0 | 6 | 1154.11 | 1154 | 1.32 |
N/A | 5.35 | -0.24 | 5.76 | 1154.09 | 1154 | 1.08 |
N/A | 5.33 | -0.48 | 5.52 | 1154.07 | 1154 | 0.84 |
N/A |
5.31 | -0.72 | 5.28 | 1154.05 | 1154 | 0.60 |
N/A | 5.29 | -0.96 | 5.04 | 1154.03 | 1154 | 0.36 |
N/A | 5.27 | -1.20 | 4.80 | 1154.01 | 1154 | 0.12 |
N/A | 5.25 | -1.44 | 4.56 | 1153.99 | 1153 | 11.88 |
N/A | 5.23 | -1.68 | 4.32 | 1153.97 | 1153 | 11.64 |
N/A | 5.21 | -1.92 | 4.08 | 1153.95 | 1153 | 11.40 |
There is a 6 inch difference between summer and winter maximum. |
5.19 | -2.16 | 3.84 | 1153.93 | 1153 | 11.16 |
N/A |
5.17 | -2.40 | 3.60 | 1153.91 | 1153 | 10.92 |
N/A |
5.15 | -2.64 | 3.36 | 1153.89 | 1153 | 10.68 |
N/A |
5.13 | -2.88 | 3.12 | 1153.87 | 1153 | 10.44 |
N/A | 5.11 | -3.12 | 2.88 | 1153.85 | 1153 | 10.20 |
N/A | 5.09 | -3.36 | 2.64 | 1153.83 | 1153 | 9.96 |
N/A | 5.07 | -3.60 | 2.40 | 1153.81 | 1153 | 9.72 |
N/A |
5.05 | -3.84 | 2.16 | 1153.79 | 1153 | 9.48 |
N/A | 5.03 | -4.08 | 1.92 | 1153.77 | 1153 | 9.24 |
N/A | 5.01 | -4.32 | 1.68 | 1153.75 | 1153 | 9 |
N/A | 4.99 | -4.56 | 1.44 | 1153.73 | 1153 | 8.76 |
N/A | 4.97 | -4.80 | 1.20 | 1153.71 | 1153 | 8.52 |
N/A | 4.95 | -5.04 | 0.96 | 1153.69 | 1153 | 8.28 |
N/A | 4.93 | -5.28 | 0.72 | 1153.67 | 1153 | 8.04 |
N/A | 4.91 | -5.52 | 0.48 | 1153.65 | 1153 | 7.80 |
N/A | 4.89 | -5.76 | 0.24 | 1153.63 | 1153 | 7.56 |
Winter Legal Level | 4.87 | -6 | 0 | 1153.61 | 1153 | 7.32 |
N/A | 4.85 | -6.24 | -0.24 | 1153.59 | 1153 | 7.08 |
N/A | 4.83 | -6.48 | -0.48 | 1153.57 | 1153 | 6.84 |
N/A | 4.81 | -6.72 | -0.72 | 1153.55 | 1153 | 6.60 |
N/A | 4.79 | -6.96 | -0.96 | 1153.53 | 1153 | 6.36 |
N/A | 4.77 | -7.20 | -1.20 | 1153.51 | 1153 | 6.12 |
N/A | 4.75 | -7.44 | -1.44 | 1153.49 | 1153 | 5.88 |
N/A | 4.73 | -7.68 | -1.68 | 1153.47 | 1153 | 5.64 |
N/A | 4.71 | -7.92 | -1.92 | 1153.45 | 1153 | 5.40 |
N/A | 4.69 | -8.16 | -2.16 | 1153.43 | 1153 | 5.16 |
N/A | 4.67 | -8.40 | -2.40 | 1153.41 | 1153 | 4.92 |
N/A | 4.65 | -8.64 | -2.64 | 1153.39 | 1153 | 4.68 |