Channeling is the result of channel currents and is compared to a river running parallel to the shore. Wind pushes water between the shore and some kind of structure, like an island. When the wind blows in the right direction, the water is forced through a narrow area, bottlenecking the flow and creating a strong current.

The Michigan Sea Grant fact sheet library consists of reader-friendly, informative fact sheets on a variety of Great Lakes-related topics. For more information on the Channel Currents Fact Sheet:

All of our fact sheets are available for free download.