By Mark Torregrossa

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The Great Lakes are now into their seasonal water rise, which normally peaks sometime in mid-summer. The forecast for increased water levels shows some pretty impressive additions of water.

Here's a rundown of how much water each lake may add over the next few months.

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Before we get started, let's figure out what we are looking at on the graphs. The red line is the water level from 2018. The blue line is the water level so far in 2019. The gray dots are the monthly long-term average water level. The blue dots are the water level forecasts for each month for the next five months.

Lake Michigan is six inches higher than this time last year. It is forecast to rise four inches in the next month, 10 inches by summer's high water mark and sit seven inches higher than last summer.

The 10 inch rise in water now through July represents 8 trillion gallons of additional water.

Lakes Michigan-Huron are just nine inches below an all-time monthly water level for March.

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Lake Superior forecast

Lake Superior is two inches higher than this time last year, and only two inches from its all-time March highest water level. Lake Superior is expected to rise two inches in the next month and a total of eight inches by mid-summer. Lake Superior could flirt with or break its record high water mark sometime between now and summer.

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Lake Erie water level forecast

Lake Erie is one inch higher than last March, and is expected to jump up five inches in the next month. Lake Erie currently sits seven inches below record high March water levels. Erie is forecast to rise a total of 10 inches by summer, and be on a similar water level path as last year.

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Lake Ontario water level forecast

Lake Ontario is three inches higher than last March and 16 inches below all-time March water levels. Ontario is forecast to rise seven inches in the next month and a total of 10 inches by summer.

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All of the Great Lakes are expected to rise significantly through summer. This forecast from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is based on current snow melt conditions and a precipitation forecast centered around average amounts of precipitation. If we got back into a heavy than average rainfall pattern for a significant time of a month or two, the eventual high water mark could be much higher.

We will watch for near record or record water levels if it turns real wet.