According to the Army Corp of Engineers,the record water level is due to the excessive rainfall throughout all the watersheds of the other great lakes.The storms and flooding we see on the news is related to the water level currently in all the great lakes.Traditionally,i have read,is that 90% of erie's water level comes from the other great lakes and is due to the snowmelt from the previous (2017-18) winter.This water level beat the 1986 record.May have something to do with the predicted global warming.If you believe in that or not.