Every time we look out at Lake Texoma and wish we were seeing less red bluffs or rocky shores, and instead seeing waves moving in deep water, it's a good time to remember that other lakes are suffering, too. The low lake levels are not just a problem in Lake Texoma, or even just in Texas. The Southwestern United States has been suffering a drought for about 15 years now, and even the Midwest experienced drought conditions last year. But I was still surprised to discover that two of the Great Lakes are suffering, too. Jenna Wootten posted an article on this subject recently: "According to recent reports, two of the Great Lakes have officially hit their lowest water levels ever recorded. Measurements taken in January showed Lake Huron and Lake Michigan at their lowest since 1918, when the record keeping began. In January, the lakes were 74 centimetres below their overall average, a decline of 43 centimetres since January 2012. While not at their lowest, the other Great Lakes--Superior, Erie, and Ontario--were also well below average. While scientists say lake levels are cyclical, meaning they're mostly controlled by nature, a number of studies have shown dredging--done to deepen the navigational channel in the St. Clair River--to be a major issue in the accelerated flow of water from Lake Huron and Lake Michigan toward Lake Erie and Ontario, and into the Atlantic Ocean." Ms Wootten is Canadian, so her measurements are expressed in centimeters. In case you need to calculate them into feet and inches to understand what she's saying (as I do), 74 centimeters would be just a little over 29 inches, or 2 feet 5 inches. That is a shocking change, considering the enormous size of Lake Huron and Lake Michigan. I've visited Lake Michigan and it is just like looking out over the ocean because you cannot see the far shore at all in some places. I was also surprised to discover that South Texas lakes compared to East Texas Lakes are suffering much lower levels at the present time. Lake Texoma is better off than many lakes around the state and the country right now.