Less ambient light in Lake Michigan this year

[Tamara Thomsen]

I noticed this too.  The DNR is saying that we are now seeing increasing Cladophora levels in the lake which may be effecting viz.  This bacteria is on the increase as the zebras and quaggas clean the lake and light is allowed to penetrate deeper- in other words it’s a vicious cycle.  Most notably it is the stringy floating bacteria that floats through the water column and hangs up all over the wrecks.  It also washes up on the beaches and smells so bad.

Personally, I noticed the darkness show up markedly after the rains and flooding- which was bad for a big project that we had.  I didn't see as much of the Cladophera as I did the year before- but this is probably because the muddy water has been keeping the light levels down.