general information
The Great Lakes formed at the end of the last ice age, about 10,000 years ago, when the glacier began to recede and melting water filled the ice-dug valley. As the glaciers receded, their edges left sharp "cuts" that are visible today in Wisconsin and the Bruce Peninsula in Ontario, as well as at Niagara Falls.
Five lakes account for more than 20% of the world's fresh water supply - 22 812 cubic meters. km. All five lakes are 18 largest lakes the world, both in area and in volume. Their total area is 151,681 sq. km is more than the territory of England, Scotland and Wales combined.
The Upper Lake is the largest and deepest, in fact, its area exceeds the area of the Czech Republic. Lake Michigan is the second largest, while the smaller Lake Huron is the second largest. Lake Erie is the smallest and smallest in volume, while Lake Ontario is the smallest in area. It is also located at a much lower elevation than other lakes.
The St. Lawrence River flows out of the lakes, flowing into Quebec, past the Gaspe Peninsula, and flowing into the Atlantic Ocean. In the days before they were built railways, it was the St. Lawrence River that served as the main transport artery between large industrial cities on the shores of the lake. Today tourism is an important component of the economies of both countries near the border, as is industrial fishing.
Due to their size, the lakes have an impact on the climate in the region. In summer, their waters absorb heat, keeping it cool, while in winter they protect the area from the cold. However, it is in winter that the lakes look most impressive. Dry continental air masses which usually come from the west, absorb the moisture of the lakes, and as soon as the cold air reaches over the spaces to the east, heavy snow falls, sometimes snowing several feet high. They say that at this time, snow can literally go from nowhere, from a completely cloudless sky.
On the shores of the Great Lakes, there are several national parks... Here you can go yachting and kayaking, fishing or snorkeling, and in the forests surrounding the lake you can ride a bike, watch birds, walk in hiking and pitch tents. Bald eagles and herons can be found in the wilderness along the lake shores, while the more secluded forests are home to black baribal bears, wolves, elk and even the endangered Canadian lynx.
The basin of lakes is inhabited by more than 33 million people, which is more than one tenth of the total population of the United States of America and a quarter of the inhabitants of Canada. The governments of both countries are making great efforts to prevent pollution of the area, in an effort to protect this magnificent land from the damage caused by civilization.
The Great Lakes, the world's largest lake system in the eastern part North America, in the basin of the St. Lawrence River. Includes freshwater lakes Superior, Michigan, Huron, Erie and Ontario (see table 1). Lake Michigan is entirely located in the United States; the rest of the lakes and the rivers connecting them are the border between the United States and Canada, which owns about 1/3 of the Great Lakes.
The total area of the Great Lakes is 244.8 thousand km 2, the total volume of water is 22.7 thousand km 3 (21% of the world supply of surface fresh water). The length of the coastline is over 15 thousand km. The lakes are interconnected by short, rapids and abounding rivers: the Upper and Huron - by the St. Mary's River (112 km long); Huron and Erie - by the St. Clair River (43 km), across Lake St. Clair (an area of 1275 km 2) and the Detroit River (51 km); Erie and Ontario - by the Niagara River (54 km), forming Niagara Falls. From Michigan to Huron, water flows through the Makino Strait, which is about 3 km wide. Several hundred small rivers with a total drainage area of 525 thousand km 2 flow into the Great Lakes, the largest are Escanoba, Kalamazoo, Grand River, Muskegon, Manistee, O-Sable, Saginaw, Momi. The runoff of lake water masses (210 km 3 / year) occurs along the St. Lawrence River, flowing from Ontario, it is regulated by the Irokua hydroelectric complex located between its source and the mouth of its largest tributary, the Ottawa River.
The basins of the Great Lakes have arisen as a result of tectonic movements, preglacial river and glacial erosion. The bowls of Lake Upper and northern parts of Lake Huron are mined in the crystalline rocks of the southern edge of the Canadian Shield of the North American Platform, the rest of the lakes - in the thickness of Paleozoic limestones, dolomites and sandstones of the platform cover. After the ice sheet has shrunk steep banks transformed by wave abrasion. Beaches, boulder and gravel-sand spits have formed along the shallow and protected from the waves of the coast. In the northern part of the Great Lakes, the coastline is dissected, the shores (altitude up to 400 m) are rocky, steep, very picturesque, especially the Upper and Huron lakes. The southern shores are mostly low, clayey and sandy. Most large island over the entire water area of the Great Lakes - Manitoulin with an area of over 1000 km 2 (Lake Huron).
The climate of the Great Lakes region is moderately continental. Average air temperatures in January on Lake Verkhnee -8 ° С, on south bank Erie -3 ° С, in July 19 and 22 ° С, respectively. Annual precipitation is 700-800 mm.
In the feeding of the lake Upper volume atmospheric precipitation exceeds the inflow of river waters, therefore its water mass is the least mineralized. In the water balance of other lakes, the role of river runoff and inflow of water from the lakes located above is more significant. Evaporation from the surface of lakes is about 165 km 3 / year (20% less than the runoff into the St. Lawrence River). Over the past 150 years, the amplitude of water level fluctuations in the Great Lakes has been ± 2 m, its intra-annual fluctuations - no more than 0.3 m due to the regulation of the flow by hydroelectric facilities. Surge-surging distortions of the water surface reach 3-4 m (Verkhnee, Michigan). The Great Lakes freeze over mainly off the coast (from December - January to March - April). In the central part, due to winter storms, there is no ice cover, only in Ontario continuous freeze up is occasionally observed. The duration of navigation is 8-9 months a year. The subglacial stratification of the water column is poorly expressed. In spring and autumn, convective mixing of lake waters takes place to the bottom. average temperature surface waters in August 18-22 ° С. The waters in the lakes have a low salinity (72-232 mg / l) (see table 2).
In Michigan, Upper and Huron, the composition of the most common species of plankton and benthos is similar. The phytoplankton is dominated by diatoms, from semi-submerged macrophytes - reeds, reed, reed, white grass, and from submerged ones - chara and half-ear algae. Zooplankton consists mainly of bosmins, daphnia and copepods, zoobenthos - of oligochaetes, molluscs. In Erie and Ontario, the phytoplankton is dominated by cyanobacteria, diatoms, green and dinophytic algae, from macrophytes - cattails, urut, pondweed, in zoobenthos - chironomids (bloodworms). In all the Great Lakes, smelt, yellow perch, shallows, light-finned pike perch are found, in Huron, Upper and Michigan - coho salmon, chinook salmon, quistivomer char and herring whitefish. On the shores of Lake Superior - Takuamenon Falls State Park; Isle Royal Island (Upper) - as part of the eponymous national park; between Upper and Michigan - Seney reserve.
HPPs in the Great Lakes system produce 50 billion kWh of energy per year. The total water consumption from the Great Lakes by the end of the 20th century exceeded 20 km 3 a year. From 40 to 70% of the water taken from the lakes was consumed by thermal power plants and nuclear power plants, from 20 to 48% - industrial enterprises, 5-9% - utilities. From the Buffalo City area, Lake Erie water flows through the Erie Canal to the Hudson River Basin, to New York City. To replenish the water resources of the Great Lakes, it is being transferred to the lake The upper part of the flow from river system Albany (Hudson Bay Basin) across Nipigon and Long Lake.
The Great Lakes are connected to the Mississippi Basin by a system of navigable canals beginning at the city of Chicago on Lake Michigan; with the Hudson River, a channel originating from the city of Buffalo on Lake Erie. The St. Lawrence River, along with the Great Lakes, is an important natural path connecting the interior of the United States and Canada with the Atlantic Ocean. The inland waterway of the Great Lakes is 1,870 km thanks to the presence of canals bypassing rapids on the St. Niagara falls(Welland Canal). After the reconstruction of the canals completed in 1959, built bypassing the rapids on the St.Lawrence River, a waterway was created from Atlantic Ocean to the Great Lakes with a length of 3 thousand km and a depth of at least 8 m, accessible for large sea vessels. The main ports are Duluth, Milwaukee, Chicago, Toledo, Cleveland, Erie, Buffalo (USA), Thunder Bay, Hamilton, Toronto (Canada).
By the middle of the 20th century, a powerful anthropogenic impact led to severe pollution and eutrophication of the Great Lakes (especially in the bays). Due to the degradation of ichthyofauna from some areas of the coasts of Michigan, Huron, Verkhny, numerous populations of mink and otter have almost disappeared. Fish tissues contain high concentrations of DDT and mercury. Lake Superior suffered the least from the anthropogenic impact, retaining its oligotrophic status due to its larger size, slower water exchange and low population density of the catchment area (4.5 people / km 2). The water in it is the most transparent (> 10 m), it has the lowest content of phosphorus available for phytoplankton (<3 мг Р/м 3), низким показателем биомассы фитопланктона - хлорофилла «а» (<0,4 мг/м 3) и наименьшей первичной продукцией органических веществ (0,7 мг С/м 3 в час). Более низкое качество воды - в самом проточном озере Эри из-за меньших размеров и наибольшей нагрузки его эвтрофной экосистемы загрязняющими веществами сточных вод крупных городов. Экосистема Эри испытала сильнейшее эвтрофирование, но и ранее, чем в других озёрах, наступает её оздоровление благодаря запрету сброса в Великие озёра недостаточно очищенных сточных вод и наибольшей проточности. Водные массы Мичигана у южных берегов - мезотрофны, в центральной части - олиготрофны. Видовой состав фитопланктона Гурона характерен для олиготрофных озёр, но воды залива Сагино сильно эвтрофированы. Прибрежные воды Онтарио эвтрофны и мезотрофны. Будучи замыкающим, оно получает биогенные и токсичные вещества из остальных озёр (за последние годы скорость эвтрофирования заметно понизилась). В 1909 году правительства США и Канады подписали соглашения о совместном рациональном использовании водных ресурсов. В последней четверти 20 века работы по улучшению состояния Великих озёр активизировались. Для сохранности олиготрофии Мичигана обработанные сточные воды города Чикаго сбрасывают по судоходному каналу в бассейн реки Миссисипи.
Lit .: World water balance and water resources of the Earth. L., 1974; Biennial report under the Great Lakes water quality agreement of 1978 ... Wash, a.o., 1982-2004-. Vol. 1-12-; Data book of world lake environments. Otsu, 1988. Vol. 3: Americas; Kondratyev K. Ya., Pozdnyakov DV Ecology of the Great North American Lakes: Problems, Solutions, Prospects // Water Resources. 1993. T. 20. No. 1; Edelstein K.K.Hydrology of continents. M., 2005.
One of the most beautiful corners of the continent is the area known as the Great Lakes of North America. It is located in the pool and is known almost all over the world as an incredibly beautiful place where nature is preserved intact. What kind of lakes are included in it and how big are they? Are there other large bodies of water of this type on the continent? Let's take a look and find answers to all possible questions about these unique natural places of the North American continent.
Great Lakes Group
This unique natural conglomerate of water bodies is located on the border of the United States of America and Canada. The definition is understood as a group of five main lakes, to which are sometimes added more modest in size. However, Upper, Huron, Michigan, Erie and Ontario are always mentioned first. Sometimes St. Clare is also included in North America. In addition, the basin includes rivers - Niagara, St. Lawrence, St. Mary's, Detroit. The waters in these places are characterized by minimal mineralization. More than one hundred and seventy species of fish from the families of trout, carp, perch, salmon, and whitefishes live in the water area. In the south, the territory is surrounded by industrial regions, and in the north - by the region of the agrarian and raw materials industry. In addition, cities such as Chicago and Milwaukee, Cleveland, Buffalo, Detroit and Toronto are located on the shores.
The Great Lakes of North America are among the largest catchment systems, containing eighteen percent of the world's freshwater. The basin is replenished with the help of precipitation, surface and underground currents.
Upper lake
It is the largest freshwater body of water on the continent. Included in the Great Lakes of North America, the Upper is second only to Baikal and Tanganyika in volume. Eleven and a half thousand cubic kilometers provide the reservoir with a confident third place. The depth of the Upper Lake is on average one hundred and forty-seven meters, and the maximum reaches four hundred and six. It is located between the USA and Canada. The coastline is four thousand three hundred and eighty-seven kilometers long. All of it is cut by numerous bays and bays. The largest lake in North America is five hundred and sixty kilometers long and two hundred and sixty wide, which cannot but impress even those who are not too familiar with the usual sizes. From the southern part it is surrounded by a plain. In the north, there are cliffs and rocks. The St. Mary's River joins the lake with Huron.
It is believed that the reservoir was created by the movement of tectonic plates, in which deep faults arose, and then glaciers flattened them. One way or another, this is a unique place that is rightfully considered a natural wonder of the world.
Huron
The lake, the location of which connects it with the group of the Great Ones, has been known to mankind for a very long time. Once upon a time, Indians lived here, according to the name of their tribe, the reservoir was named. They were engaged in farming, fishing and hunting. During colonization, these places attracted Europeans. The first to settle here were the French, who made a map of the coastline. Woodworking factories began to appear near the lake and the search for minerals began. The Indians have practically disappeared from these lands. Huron has an amazingly long coastline of six thousand one hundred and fifty-six kilometers. There are many small islands on its territory.
Technological progress has changed the ecological system of the lake, many shellfish and fish have disappeared from the water, so the governments of Canada and the United States have developed a protective program.
Michigan
On the shores of this reservoir is one of the most famous cities in the United States - Chicago. The area of Lake Michigan is more than fifty-seven thousand kilometers. White beaches resembling the shores of the Atlantic were liked by Americans at the beginning of the last century, as a result, recreation here has become extremely popular. Despite its northern location, the reservoir is covered with ice only four months a year. Fishing is considered the most popular entertainment here. Like North America's largest lake, the Great, Michigan is full of a wide variety of salmon, perch and carp species. Their fishing is closely monitored by the Environmental Protection Agency.
Another popular holiday is the beach. The coastline is forty kilometers long and allows twenty-eight urban recreational sites, open free of charge.
Erie
The fourth in the system of the Great Ones, the lake covers an area of twenty-five thousand seven hundred square kilometers. It is the thirteenth in the world. is located in Canada and the United States, stretching from west to east. It washes the borders of Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York and Ontario. From December to early April, Erie is hidden by ice. Numerous rivers flow into it - Detroit, Huron, Kuyahoga, Grand, Reisin. Lake Erie surrounds several cities - Toledo, Buffalo, Cleveland, Monroe. The name of the reservoir is associated with the local Indians - the Erielchonan tribe. Its average depth is nineteen meters, and the maximum is sixty-four.
Ontario
Listing the large lakes of North America, one cannot but recall this. Its name is associated with the dialect of local Indians and means “beautiful”. It is the smallest in the Great Ontario system, but its volume is even greater than that of Erie. The coastline is just over a thousand kilometers long. The maximum depth is two hundred and forty-four meters, and the average is eighty-six. Most of the water comes here from Niagara, the rest is delivered by the Humber, Osuigo, Genesee rivers, as well as rainfall. There are several islands on the lake, the largest is Volka. You can get to it only by ferry.
Ontario almost never freezes. On its shores are located such cities as Toronto, Rochester, Hamilton, Kingston. Like many other large lakes in North America, Ontario boasts a large number of fish, a variety of animals, plants and birds.
St. Clair
The Great Lakes of North America, listed above, may include this body of water as well. Lake St. Clair is one thousand one hundred and fourteen square kilometers. Its depth is noticeably inferior to others and even in the maximum version does not exceed eight meters. The main river bears the same name and links St. Clare with Huron. In addition, Thames, Seidengam and Clinton flow here. The Detroit River connects the lake to Erie. For the first time, Europeans appeared on these shores in August 1679, on the day of St. Clara. In the southwest is Detroit, a city in the United States of America, and Windsor, owned by Canada. Runs straight across the lake
Manitou
Listing the lakes of North America, the list cannot but be supplemented with this name. Manitou is a unique lake. It is located on the island of Manitoulin. The island, in turn, is located in Lake Huron. Thus, Manitou finds himself inside him. Moreover, it has the most impressive dimensions with a length of twenty kilometers and a width of six. An interesting fact - there are islands in Manitou too. They also have lakes. The most complex system distinguishes this place from others. In addition, Manitou has incredibly salty water. Even those who decide to do it for the first time will be able to lie down and swim. Around the lake is located which can be visited from May to October.
Nipigon
In the northwest of Ontario, there is another body of water associated with the Great Lakes system. This is Nipigon. The area of the lake is almost five thousand kilometers, and the maximum depth is one hundred and sixty-five meters. From Nipigon flows the river of the same name, which flows into Lake Superior near the city of Thunder Bay. The area is famous for the many caribou deer living along the banks. Once the lake was much larger and was called Agassiz. The modern name is associated with the word "continuous water" used by the local inhabitants of the Ojibwe tribe. This is an ideal vacation spot perfect for fishermen - you can catch pike, whitefish, trout or walleye here. Fishing is controlled by special services of a commercial nature, so there is no need to be afraid of causing serious harm to the environment.
Nipissing
This lake is also located in the Canadian province of Ontario. It is located above sea level - at a height of one hundred and ninety-five meters. There are small alluvial islands along the coastline. B is nearly eighty kilometers long and thirty wide, with a maximum depth of fifty-two meters. The name translates as "little water" - the reservoir is the eleventh largest in the province. There are excellent conditions for the habitation of fish, of which there are more than forty species. The list includes pike, perch, walleye, whitefish. The largest city is North Bay. For the first time, a French explorer saw Nipissing in 1610; over the next two hundred years, the lake acquired transport significance, which means that people began to settle around it. When the Canadian Pacific Railroad was built nearby, the population skyrocketed. Now about fifty thousand people live here. In addition, many tourists come here during the warm season. They are attracted here by the national conservation parks: Manitou Islands, West Sandy Island, Mashkinonge and South Bay.
Other large lakes
It is worth mentioning a few more bodies of water that do not belong to the system of the Great, but are still worth a visit. For example, the Big Salt is the largest non-fresh body of water in the United States. This lake is located in Utah. Connoisseurs of extreme conditions can go to Alaska. There is Lake Iliamna. It is also interesting to look at the largest reservoir in the country, Oahe, which is located on the border of North and South Dakota. Another is located in Louisiana and is called Pontchartrain. In California, a body of water with similar properties is called the Salton Sea. Champlain, Rainey Lake and Lesnoye are located along the Canadian-American border - after getting to know them, you can go to the Great Lakes, which are very close, in the same province of Ontario or the state of New York.
The Great Lakes of North America is a unique natural system consisting of five large lakes connected to each other by rivers and straits. Which lakes are honored to be called great, what is the history of their origin, and where they are located we will find out in this article.
General information
The Great Lakes are located on the territory of two states: Canada and the United States of America. They belong to the Atlantic Ocean basin, and the occupied area is 245.2 thousand square meters. km. with a water volume of 22671 cubic meters. km. This water system includes five main freshwater lakes and numerous very shallow lakes and rivers.
Rice. 1. Great Lakes.
In terms of the size of the occupied area, the Great Lakes even surpass Lake Baikal by about 7.5 times. Despite this, Baikal contains a larger amount of water, which indicates a shallow depth of the Great Lakes. The average depth of Lake Baikal is 744 meters, and the depth of the North American Pearl is 147 meters.
Great Lakes include:
- Lake Superior;
- Lake Huron;
- Lake Michigan;
- Lake Erie;
- Lake Ontario.
All lakes are connected by rivers, canals and straits and together form a unique water system that exists only in North America.
Origin story
The Great Lakes system dates back to 12 thousand years ago, when the territory of modern North America was covered with ice. Under the influence of tectonic processes, depressions were formed - pits, which were gradually filled with fresh water. Where did the water come from? The fact is that the climate was gradually changing and it became warmer on the mainland. The ice melted, and the resulting water filled the depressions, thereby forming lakes.
TOP-3 articleswho read along with this
Lake Verkhnee is the largest lake in the world in terms of area, the rest of the lakes of the studied water system are quite "kids" in comparison with it. It got its name from its location. It is located 186 meters above sea level. The lake is located simultaneously in Canada and the United States. The St. Mary's River flows out of this lake.
Rice. 2. Lake Superior.
What unites the Canadian province of Ontario and one of the American states of Michigan? Both territories have access to Lake Huron. This lake is unique in that it is connected to Upper, Michigan and Erie through the St. Mary's River, Mackinac Strait and the Detroit River, respectively. The lake is also located simultaneously in Canada and the United States.
Rice. 3. Lake Huron.
Lake Michigan
Lake Michigan is the fourth largest freshwater lake in the world. Its peculiarity lies in the fact that it is located exclusively in the United States. All other lakes of the "great five" occupy space in the United States and Canada. Scientists often do not divide Huron and Michigan into separate lakes, but consider them as a whole. After all, they are on the same level and are connected by a deep strait.
In the language of the Indians who originally lived in these lands, the name mishigami is translated as "big water".
Lake erie
Most of Lake Erie is located in the United States; in Canada, it washes the coast of Ontario. It is connected to Lake Ontario by the Niagara River. It is in the bed of this river that the world famous Niagara Falls is located. The lake, in comparison with the rest, is not at all deep, the water in it warms up well, which contributes to the reproduction of many species of fish.
Lake Ontario
The last lake in the Great Lakes is Lake Ontario. It is the smallest in this water system. Its area is 20 thousand square kilometers. It is connected to the Atlantic Ocean by the St. Lawrence River. Since the Atlantic Ocean is very close, the water in the lake almost never freezes.
Great Lakes of America: Unique Freshwater Mirrors
Lakes are often called the pearls of the Earth. There are hundreds of thousands of them on our planet: completely different, large and small, tropical and circumpolar. Each of them has its own peculiarity, its own, albeit small, secret. Among this great variety there is a scattering of lakes, known to the whole world, which are, truly, an adornment of the whole continent. These are the Great American Lakes.
The North American continent is unthinkable without them.
This unique lake system is located on the border between the United States and Canada. Even an attempt to describe them turns, in essence, into a listing of records. Most directories inform that the system consists of the "great five": Lakes Superior, Huron, Michigan, Erie and Ontario. Sometimes Lake St. Clair is added to them, although it is much smaller in area.
There is one more feature. Lakes Huron and Michigan are interconnected not just by rivers, like all other lakes in the system, but by a wide strait. In addition, the level of their surface is exactly the same. Proceeding from this, strictly hydrographically, this couple should be considered one body of water, but this approach is inconvenient in the economic sense, and even contradicts, so to speak, the well-established popular habit.
The great lakes are striking in their scale. Their total area is slightly more than 244 thousand km², the volume of water is 22 671 km³. Hydrologists estimate that the Great Lakes Basin contains 18% of the world's freshwater. And how not to compare them with the pearl of Russia, Lake Baikal! It is about 7.5 times smaller in area, but there is even a little more water in Baikal than in the Great Lakes - 24% of the world's freshwater reserves!
The comparison, in particular, unequivocally suggests that with a huge area, the Great Lakes are relatively shallow. Indeed, the largest among them, Verkhnee, has an average depth of only 147 meters (at Lake Baikal it is equal to 744 meters).
The northern shores of the lakes are predominantly wooded, sparsely populated, suitable for recreation and tourism. A network of important industrial centers arose along the southern shores.
All lakes are connected by rivers and narrow straits. Several hundred rivers flow into them, but they are all small, of local importance. Only one large river flows out of the system - St. Lawrence. It carries fresh water from lakes to the Atlantic Ocean.
The flow of water in this river significantly exceeds the amount that comes to lakes with small rivers. The fact is that the food of the giants occurs mainly due to underground sources and atmospheric precipitation.
The relief of the mainland in the place where the lakes are located has a general slope from north to south. Thus, the northernmost of the giants, Lake Superior, has the highest height above the world ocean level. The further south you go, the lower the level of the next lake is. The largest difference is between Lakes Erie and Ontario: between them flows the Niagara track with its most famous waterfall in the whole world.
The lakes are incredibly rich in fish, this is a real Klondike for fishing enthusiasts. It is estimated that the Great Lakes are home to 174 species of fish!
The history of the emergence of the Great Lakes of America
Geologists have determined that the Great Lakes system was formed, by historical standards, quite recently, about 12 thousand years ago. At that time, almost the entire surface of North America was covered with a thick layer of ice, apparently reaching at least a kilometer. The mass of ice pushed through the earth's crust, forming a kind of lens. These lenses were gradually deepened by the action of the glacier: he raked out their bottom, like a gigantic bulldozer.
When the ice age on the planet ended, the mass of ice melted, and some of its waters ended up in depressions, as if trapped. This is how what is now called the Great American Lakes was formed. Studying the chemical composition of the fossils, scientists came to the conclusion that in ancient times the water temperature in the lakes was much lower than now.
The amount of water reserves in the lake system is slowly but steadily decreasing. However, this trend is observed throughout the planet.
A Brief Description of the Great Lakes of America
Each of the Great American Lakes is unique, worthy of a separate large description. Here it will be possible to list only the most general information.
Lake Superior
Even among such gigantic bodies of water, it is a giant! Suffice it to say that the volume of water in the lake is approximately equal to the total volume in the remaining four lakes of the “big five”. Among his records, the following should be mentioned:
- The largest freshwater lake on the planet in terms of area;
- Deepest of the Great Lakes;
- The northernmost in this group, and the most elevated relative to the World Ocean - 186 m above its level;
- During storms, the wave height here exceeds 10 meters.
The upper one is located mostly in Canada, its northern shores are usually rocky, covered with forests, the southern ones are gentle and sandy. From it flows the St. Mary's River, which flows into the Huron. Washes the states - Minnesota and Michigan.
Lake Huron
The coastline of Lake Huron is incredibly indented, and is more than 6 thousand km! (For comparison - from Moscow to Madrid only 3440 km). As already mentioned, the lake is connected to Lake Michigan by the wide (3 km wide) Mackinac Strait.
It is characteristic that there are about 30 thousand islands on Huron, among them the largest is Manitoulin Island. It is notable at least for the fact that it bears the title of the largest earthly island located in a freshwater lake. The state of Luxembourg would fit on it, and there would still be some free space. There are also lakes on Manitulin, among them the large one - Manitou. And this is not the whole "matryoshka", Manitou has its own islands with lakes!
The average depth of Huron is 59 meters. Washes the US state of Michigan and the Canadian province of Ontario.
Lake Michigan
Of all the Great Lakes, only one is located exclusively in the United States. Its average depth is 85 meters, the length of the coastline is over 1,500 km. The lake is covered with ice for several months a year. The reservoir suffers from industrial load, because such a large city as Chicago is located in the immediate vicinity. In recent decades, the country's authorities have been doing a lot to improve the ecological picture in Michigan, and there are great strides in this direction.
Lake erie
Stretched from south-west to north-east for 390 km. The average depth is 19 meters. Mostly located in the United States, but also enters the Canadian province of Ontario. Due to the shallow depth, the waters of the lake warm up well, so there is excellent fishing, as well as many farms engaged in breeding fry. However, there are also so-called "dead zones" associated with phosphorite pollution in the lake. These zones have been significantly reduced over the past 20 years. Also, the shores of the Erie are famous for their vineyards, because the climate here is milder than in places similar in latitude, but far from the water, places.
Lake Ontario
The smallest in area among the "big five", with an average depth of 86 meters. It closes the entire system, dumping water into the Atlantic. The largest cities in the vicinity are Toronto, Kingston and Rochester. The proximity of the ocean and shallow depth mean that the lake never freezes, there are almost no storms here. There are many nature reserves on the coast, places for organized family recreation; it is not for nothing that the name of the lake is translated from the language of the Huron Indians as “beautiful”.
Interesting facts about America's Great Lakes
The entire system of the Great American Lakes is a huge network of canals, rivers, shipping routes, the total length of which exceeds 3 thousand km. Lakes provide jobs and water for tens of millions of people. The total length of the coastline of the unique lake system is about 18 thousand km, which is much longer than the length of the US land border!
It is noteworthy that storms with huge waves often occur on lakes, especially the largest ones. It is estimated that over 600 ships have sunk in the waters of the Five over the past two centuries!
During World War II, American pilots used the Great Lakes to practice takeoffs and landings on aircraft carriers. 18 thousand pilots passed the training, while about 300 aircraft were sunk!
Quite mystical is an obscure phenomenon when on the lakes, in completely calm, calm weather, giant waves rise, crashing into the shores with crushing force. The Indians called this phenomenon the "three sisters." Scientific explanations boil down to the fact that the bottom of the lakes experiences sharp fluctuations at times. It remains a mystery that the surrounding seismic stations do not record any tremors.
Whole books can be written about the American Great Lakes. They were the cradle for many Indian tribes, the first European settlements were formed around them. And now these natural pearls have become indispensable for the two great powers, the USA and Canada, successfully fitting into their economy and culture, being an adornment of the whole continent, and in fact, the property of the entire planet.
