Seven-year-old Jacob Rypma leaps into choppy Lake Michigan waters on Thursday at WashingtonPark beach in Michigan City. SBT Photo/ROBERT FRANKLIN)
Water levels of Lake Michigan are up roughly 2 feet in the last year and a half and that delights marine enthusiasts, particularly the owners of large boats with difficulties running aground the past few seasons.
The lake is still below its normal level but nowhere near the record low set in January 2013.
'A complete turnaround,' said Bob Stratton, the owner of Service 1 Marine outside of New Buffalo.
'It's the highest I've seen in years,' Stratton said.
According to measurements compiled by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the lake level in June stood at 578.67 feet above sea level.
Despite the rise, the water level is still just below the average level since 1918 of 579 feet above sea level, according to U.S. Army Corps of Engineers calculations.
And the level is way above the record low for Lake Michigan of 576.02 above sea level set in 2013.
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