Lake Erie sets new record as water level continues to surge

CLEVELAND (AP) - The water level in Lake Erie surpassed the record set this time last year.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers said Monday that Lake Erie’s water level rose 9 inches above the April 2019 level.

The increase also exceeded the record-breaking level set in March of 573.98 feet by 4 inches.

But the Corps predict the lake won’t continue to break records in May and should be 4 to 6 inches below record high levels for the rest of the summer.

At any rate, the lake should be more than 2 feet above average for the next six months, Cleveland.com reported Tuesday.

The drop in the lake’s water level will possibly result in communities facing millions of dollars in infrastructure repairs and no relief for those property owners who have watched parts of their yards wash away over the last year.

Residents living along the Great Lakes have also seen beaches and docks disappear, and roads and bike paths become washed out.