Lake Michigan Dissapearing?

Danny Neal

Danny Neal

EF5
Joined
May 31, 2004
Messages
1,895
Location
Peotone, IL
I had to go out and do something so I didn't get to see the report, but Fox News Chicago did a Special Report tonight on how "something" is making Lake Michigan dissapear/evaporate/shrink. I wanted to see it but I couldn't. Does anyone know anything about this especially you Chicago News Watchers? I think it is very interesting. Whatever it is it probably won't happen for like 100's of years. Kind of weird to hear all day "Chicago may lose one of its top spots and natural resources." Any information would be nice to see.

EDIT: Nevermind they just posted it on their website.....heres the link, http://www.myfoxchicago.com/myfox/p...n=1&locale=EN-US&layoutCode=VSTY&pageId=1.1.1

Haven't read/watched it yet, but from what I have read, it all deals with global warming.

Ehhh. Im not sure this belongs in W&C its more of a biological/health article. Than a weather and atmospheric concern.....I think it would be better for this to be in the Bar and Grill area. If so then move it.
 
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What ??!! Lake Michigan's never going to dry up. What a bunch of bunk/sensationalism. 22,400 square miles and 1,180 cubic miles of water. The largest freshwater lake solely within the US borders. Lake Michigan is not going anywhere fast (unless a asteroid comes a callin' and splashes down !!) :confused:
 
I like how it says Navy Pier will be on a Dune of Mud and that several years from now that Lake Michigan will be something like the Carribean Sea......Odd. Ratings must be down, trying to whip up something eh?
 
This is a lot like the global warming talk. It isn't a big deal. The earth has warmed and cooled over it's entire existence. That doesn't stop politicians and the media from creating mass hysteria over climate change. It's a fact of life. Besides, whats warm about -3 F. I say its just another way for some crooked guy/gal to steal a buck or two from the average joe.
 
I didn't read the article yet, but other big lakes have and are drying up.

The Great Salt Lake has been shrinking for over 10,000 years when it used to cover the entire Salt Lake Valley. It used to be called Lake Bonneville and it was huge. It hit a recent high after the El Nino of 1983 and has been shrinking since then.

Ever hear of the Aral Sea? Its practically gone.

Lake Chad....also rapidly sinking.

Sure, the reasons are different, but it does happen.
 
The article failed to mention that the Great Lakes are connected in a "series circuit" so this must mean that Lake Superior, Lake Huron, Lake St.Clair, Lake Erie, and Lake Ontario will also dry up magically :confused: . But in Chicago, I guess that "small" detail was overlooked. Alarmist journalism for certain. Better jump on that asteroid wagon next !!
 
I hate sensationalism like that.

I am sure it is based on some fact.. Like in 1 million years the lake will be history, but so will Chicago so the point is moot.

For once I would like a show that gives relevant facts.

How old is Lake Michigan ?

In geological time how long will it be there?

Is that area still rising in altitude as an after effect of fairly recent glaciation?

If so how far will it bounce before it reaches the max ?

Is that area moving South or North in a plate tectonic and geological time rate/timespan ?

In Human terms.. say spans of 500-1000 years, how much fluctuation can we expect?

I assume that area would be glaciated once again before it dries up, if so what effect would that have ?

Are those lakes a product of glaciation/ ice ages ?

If they were created by glaciation what is the mechanism ? I understand mountain glacial lakes a little bit better, and glacial potholes make complete sense but glacial creation of those monsters.. I really do not get it. How does that happen, if indeed it did happen.

Within a range of 10,000 years what has the max and what has the min depth of the lake been.

My understanding is that preglacial rivers ran north. Therefore I assume that the great lakes once had a larger drainage basin, have they been shrinking since then or have they settled into a relative stasis?

I am from Ohio and I am familiar with the fact that the Erie basin was once indeed much larger. I do not know if at that time it drained through Lake Ontario or if the increased depth was due to glacial damming of the outlet. lake erie had at least 20 if not 40 or more feet of depth at one time. I suppose since it drains through Niagara falls that at one time there was a larger barrier downstream and the falls have cut through that.

The Upper Peninsula of Michigan contains a "failed rift" in the plate up there. This is responsible for the copper and Iron in that region. Does that have some effect here? How long ago did that happen ? Are those forces still at work ? I am guessing that this "failed rift" has something significant to do with lake Michigan and certainly lake superior but I do not know exactly.

I sure wish that TV answered questions like those.. Then I would watch.

--
Tom
 
Ahhh Fox News Chicago......you have come through again. I love it. Whats more exciting is how one of the 200 meteorologists from that station here did the report. Skilling is the man. Just thought it would be interesting to see the reaction this got on an educated forum. Honestly though I was really waiting for the "Wow its dissapearing? Cool no more lake effect snow and cool breeze in the summers!" post to come out from someone. haha Im out.
 
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