The Great Lakes are unique. They are located on the territory of two countries (USA and Canada) and are connected by a network of rivers and canals, forming a water system. These freshwater lakes are called "great" for a reason, there are 5 of them, the volume of drinking water in them is 22 671 km3, and the total area is 244 106 km2. Don't be this huge pool, much of North America would be left without water.
There are upper lakes: Upper, Michigan and Huron, and lower lakes: Erie and Ontario.
general information
The depth of the Upper is more than 400 meters. Michigan and Huron provide water for such big cities in the USA, like Chicago and Detroit, and between Erie and Ontario there is a magnificent Niagara Falls... According to one version, these unique waters were formed after the melting of glaciers. By chemical composition fossil record, scientists have determined that once the water in the lakes was much colder. It took the ice stream more than a hundred thousand years to carve out the five largest basins on earth.
Lake Superior
The most magnificent of all five is. During a storm, the height of its waves reaches 12 meters. In terms of its volume, the lake is second only to Baikal (the deepest and clean lake in the world). Along the coast, there are many places for recreation and camping, which tourists enjoy visiting in summer. Scientific research is carried out here all year round.
Lake Michigan
Lake Michigan, which in the language of the Indians means "big water", has a length of 2.5 thousand km and resembles the Pacific coast. It surprises even the most capricious tourists. Rest near this reservoir is an elite and expensive pleasure, and most popular species activities among local residents and visitors here are considered fishing.
Lake Huron
The name Huron comes from the Huron Indian tribe, who previously lived along its shores. The reservoir contains a huge number of islands (about 30 thousand), many of which are natural and historical reserves. Huron's water is clean and transparent, but it heats up only by +14 - +16 degrees.
Lake erie
Lake Erie is the shallowest among the Great Ones. His waters and auspicious environment have a great influence on the emergence of many different fish, which makes the reservoir very popular for fishing. The best grapes are grown on the banks of the Erie. Agriculture and shipping are developing well here.
Lake Ontario
Lake Ontario resembles a blue endless sea, and the city of Toronto located near it is a large entertainment center for family summer vacation... The large port cities of Hamilton, Rochester and Kingston are located on the low-lying shores of the reservoir. Due to its shallow depth, it never freezes or storms, which contributes to the ideal development of agriculture.
Conclusion
Researchers believe that the lakes contain about 18% of the world's fresh water. In the basin of the Great Lakes, there are more than 174 species of fish (families of perch, salmon, carp, etc.). The best perch fishing in the world, according to scientists, takes place in these places.
Groundwater is the main source of power for the huge pool. And the famous reservoirs themselves supply water to more than 30 million people living in Canada and the United States. The main spheres of activity of the population: industry, trade, tourism, communication. Due to the high concentration of pollution, a decrease in the number of fish and the presence of hazardous chemicals in water bodies, in 1972 an agreement was signed between the United States and Canada to improve water quality in the Great Lakes Basin, for which the countries allocated several million dollars.
People from all over the world strive to visit the unique natural monument. Tourists call these places “resort paradise”. They come there in search of unforgettable impressions, fresh healthy water and clean air will be enough for everyone.
The North American continent has a beautiful natural area known as the Great Lakes. The basin of these reservoirs is considered one of the largest drainage systems on our planet. It occupies a rather impressive area - 768 thousand km². It contains almost 18% of the world's total fresh water supply! Information about where the Great Lakes are located, their origin and description can be found in this article.
History of origin
Scientists believe that about 12 thousand years ago on the site of North America there was icy desert... The origin of the Great Lakes is associated with the formation of tectonic depressions, which were subsequently plowed out and deepened by a giant glacier that slowly moved from north to south. Huge masses of ice crushed the soil, which consisted mainly of soft sandstone and shale. They easily crushed mountains and moved huge boulders from their place, as a result of which even deeper depressions and moraines were formed. Thus, wide pits were formed, which, after the melting of the glaciers, were gradually filled with water.
General information
This largest drainage system is located in North America, in the St. Lawrence River Basin, on the border of the United States and Canada. The Great Lakes are a group of five of the largest bodies of water, including the Superior, Huron, Michigan, Erie, and Ontario. The total length of their coastline is approximately 18 thousand km. They contain more than 22 thousand km³ of water, and their surface area is 245.3 thousand km². Lake Michigan is located in the United States. As for the rest of the reservoirs and the rivers connecting them, the border with Canada runs along them.
The Great Lakes system itself is special as it is located in the form of steps. The difference in the height of the placement of Upper, Huron, Michigan and Erie is not more than 9 m. But as for the lake. Ontario, then it, in comparison with the rest, is lower by almost 100 m. All of the above reservoirs are interconnected by small, but rather full-flowing rivers. So, the Upper with Huron is communicated through the St. Mary's River 112 km long, and Ontario and Erie - through Niagara, which forms the world famous waterfall of the same name, the height of which is about 50 m.In addition, Huron is connected to Erie by 43-kilometer St. Clair. and with Lake Michigan - the Makino Strait, which is at least 3 km wide.
The proximity of settlements
The Great Lakes (this is clearly visible on the map) are replenished by several hundred small rivulets, and the runoff is carried out along the St. Lawrence River, which flows from Ontario directly into the Atlantic Ocean. These waters have very low mineralization - only up to 0.13 g / l. There are about 170 different fish species in the system of these lakes, including salmon, perch, trout, carp, whitefish and many others.
I must say that the Great Lakes region in the southern and southeastern parts is adjacent to very densely populated and industrially developed, and from the west and north - to the agrarian and raw material territories of Canada and the United States. So, in the USA, on the shores of Michigan, there are two largest cities - Milwaukee and Chicago, near Erie - Cleveland and Buffalo, and near Ontario - Canadian Toronto. In addition, the lakes are connected with the Mississippi basin using a whole system of navigable canals.
Upper
The largest fresh water body in North America is Lake Superior. In terms of the amount of fresh water, this giant ranks third after the Russian Baikal and African Tanganyika. The average depth of the largest American lake is 147, and the maximum is 406 meters. It contains over 11 thousand km³ of water.
The northern shore of Lake Superior is located in Ontario (Canada). The rest of the coast is located in the United States. From the western part of it stretches the lands of Minnesota, from the south - Michigan, and from the southwest - Wisconsin. The total length of the coastline is 4387 km. The width of this freshwater giant reaches 260 km and its length is 560 km. This reservoir is located at an altitude of 182 m above sea level.
It is worth noting that the coastline of Lake Superior is quite indented by numerous bays and bays. The southern coast has flat terrain and sandy beaches. This beautiful place was chosen by the inhabitants of the North American continent who seek to come here with their families on vacation. As for the northern coast, it consists entirely of rocks and cliffs.
All of the Great American Lakes are fed by a large number of medium and small rivers. For example, about two hundred flows into the Upper, and the largest is the river. Nipigon. In addition, the lake has its own islands. The largest of these is Isle Royal, which is 72 kilometers long and 14 kilometers wide. Now on the territory of this island is located national park connected to the mainland by constantly running back and forth ferries.
Huron
For some time now, some geographers have been trying to combine this lake with the third largest body of water - Michigan. Such attempts are explained by the fact that they are on the same level. These rather impressive bodies of water are very similar to two communicating vessels with similar characteristics. Huron is the second largest body of water in the Great Lakes. It covers an area of nearly 6 thousand km². With regard to the volume of fresh water, it is inferior to Lake Michigan and amounts to 3.538 thousand km³. Huron is located 177 m above sea level.
The average depth of the lake does not exceed 60, and the maximum reaches 230 m. Its coastline is 6.157 thousand km, while the length is 332, and the width is 295 km. In the northern part of Huron there is a large island called Manitoulin. It is considered the largest of all that are located in fresh water. Its area is 2,766 thousand km ². Besides, people live on it. The population of this island is approximately 13 thousand people.
The Great Lakes of North America have always been famous for their large number of rare fish species. Over time, they began to breed in other freshwater bodies around the world. Take lake trout, for example. It lives at a depth of 20 to 60 m. Unfortunately, in the mid-1950s, this type of fish was almost completely destroyed. And the point is not only in its overfishing, but also in the appearance in the waters of Huron of the sea lamprey, which came here as a result of the opening of a new canal in 1925.
This lake is extremely famous primarily for the fact that frequent storms and storms arose on it, after which numerous ship cemeteries were formed. Judge for yourself, with early XVIII for centuries its waters have swallowed more than one thousand ships! According to the documents, the first ship to sink was the Griffin. Its crash happened in September 1679. He walked with a great load of furs. But the widest famous event is the Great Storm that struck the Great Lakes in 1913. It was a real hurricane that raged in the area for four days. It was Huron who suffered the most from this element. In its waters, the element found 36 ships, most of them washed ashore, but 10 ships sank along with their crews. 235 sailors fell victim to the Great Storm.
On Lake Huron there is a small Saginai Bay, located in the southwestern part of the reservoir. There are 185 sunken ships at the bottom. Another major ship graveyard is located near Manitoulin Island. 212 ships are buried there. Almost all of them were freight vehicles transporting furs, grain or other goods, so the damage from their crashes amounted to more than one million dollars.
Michigan
This lake is the third largest freshwater body of water and, unlike its counterparts, is located entirely in the United States. As mentioned above, all the Great Lakes of North America are located in steps. This reservoir is, like Huron, 177 m above sea level. His average depth is 85, and the maximum is 281 m. Lake Michigan occupies about 58 thousand km². Its coastline is 2636 km long, 190 km wide and 494 km long. The most large island Lake Michigan is Beaver. It is 21 km long and 10 km wide. It is part of the archipelago of the same name with many smaller islands.
Four states are adjacent to this reservoir: Illinois, Michigan, Wisconsin and Indiana. About 12 million people live along the entire coastline. The largest coastal cities are Milwaukee and Chicago. Lake Michigan is very popular with vacationers in the summer. It is famous for its beaches with clean, soft and slightly squeaky sand underfoot. It owes this feature to the high content of quartz. In addition, the formation of sand dunes... As for the local water temperature, it remains warm even at the end of summer.
From the north, lake shores are often covered with whole colonies of coral stones. Often, their surface is covered with rather original and peculiar patterns, which distinguishes these natural formations from the well-known ordinary pebbles. Almost all East Coast Lake Michigan is covered with rocks, while the southern one is covered with dunes. This feature can be explained by the prevalence of westerly winds in these places. It is they who, in winter, contribute to the formation of a rather impressive layer of ice on the surface of the lake.
Erie
It is the fourth largest body of water in the five Great Lakes. It covers an area of 25.7 thousand km². Erie stretches for 388 km, and its width is just over 90 km. This is the shallowest body of water, the average depth of which is only 64 m. This lake is located on the territory of three American states- Ohio, New York and Pennsylvania, as well as Ontario (Canada). Numerous islands are located in the southwestern part of it. There are several major cities such as Buffalo, Cleveland, Toledo and others.
As you know, the Great American Lakes, together and separately, are unique corners nature. Eri was no exception. The climate here is really unusual. This is the so-called snow effect. It occurs due to the circulation of cold air masses in the winter months over warm lake water. When he reaches Buffalo, he literally pours a huge amount of snow onto the city. The snow effect is a short-term phenomenon that disappears when Erie freezes.
Ontario
Its area is 19.5 thousand km². It is the smallest of the Great Lakes. Its average depth is 86, and the maximum is 244 m.Despite its relatively small size, Ontario is the most important transport artery both Canada and the United States. Due to its great depth, this lake never freezes completely, so ships run here all year round.
Since Ontario is located below all the Great Lakes, that is, only 75 m above sea level, a large number of locks have been equipped for convenient navigation, which are of limited width. This could lead to a significant reduction in the volume of freight traffic. To prevent this from happening, so-called lake trucks have been developed, which are the largest river ships in the world, reaching a length of up to three hundred meters.
Ontario, like all of the above Great Lakes, has a special climate. The local conditions contribute to the successful development of agriculture, since the spring flowering of plants is delayed here, and ripe fruits such as peaches, plums, apples and cherries are preserved until late autumn. Also on this coast grapes grow well, from which a delicious and aromatic drink is made.
Abuse
Large-scale and reckless use of these unique reservoirs in the USA and Canada could not but lead to rather serious socio-economic and environmental problems, and above all to the pollution of not only surface but also groundwater.
Particularly detrimental to the Great Lakes was the rapidly developing economy of the United States after World War II. It was during this period that the unprecedented growth of American industry began. Industrial, household and other wastewaters poured into these water bodies without any treatment. The result of such actions was a sharp decrease in the oxygen content, and as a result, the mass death of fish.
By that time, the use and further dumping of toxic chlorine-containing components and synthetic fertilizers led to their ingress into foodstuffs... By the late 1960s, about 40% of all water systems in the United States had become unusable for both fishing and bathing due to extreme pollution. Moreover, rather large volumes of toxic liquids fell into the Great Lakes. The USA thus became the main reason ecological disaster in this district.
By the way, already in the 70s of the last century, Lake Erie due to intensive discharges chemical industry turned out to be practically "dead". All this happened due to the fault of enterprises that did not pay due attention to high-quality wastewater treatment. As a result, the waters of Lake Erie were oversaturated with phosphorus, causing excessive algal blooms, and as a result, a significant decrease in the fish population.
Ecological situation
Once upon a time, many different animals lived on the shores of the largest freshwater lakes of the North American continent, and their waters were literally teeming with a variety of fish species. James Fenimore Cooper wrote about all this in great detail and fascinatingly in the not so distant past in his works "St. John's Wort" and "Pathfinder, or On the Shores of Ontario." Since then, herds of noble wild deer have disappeared, thickets of dense deciduous forests, and with them the Indian tribes. The American lakes themselves have turned into an ecologically unfavorable zone.
While the governments of the United States and Canada have made tremendous efforts to protect the natural resources of the Great Lakes, this does not bring any significant change for the better. As long as various enterprises of the metallurgical, chemical and oil refining industries exist near this water system, they will inevitably destroy the ecosystem of these unique reservoirs.
The Great American Lakes are a system of freshwater lakes in North America, in the United States and Canada. It includes a number of large and medium-sized water bodies connected by rivers and straits. The area is about 245.2 thousand km2, the volume of water is 22.7 thousand km3. The Great American Lakes include the five largest: Superior, Huron, Michigan, Erie and Ontario. The formation of lake basins is most influenced by tectonic processes. The mass of the glacier pushed through earth crust, and after the glacier melted, a slow reverse process began. Shipping and fishing are well developed in the American Great Lakes. With the help of canals, a waterway for sea vessels with a length of about 3000 km has been formed.
The lakes are one of the largest accumulations of fresh water on Earth, however, even taken all together, they are inferior in this indicator to Lake Baikal. The Great American Lakes are interconnected by rivers and canals, and therefore water seems to flow from one to another.
Lake Superior is the largest and deepest in the Great American Lakes system. It is the largest freshwater lake in the world (82.7 thousand km2). The lake is located on the border of Canada and the United States. Lake Verkhnee is located at an altitude of 183 m above sea level. The maximum depth is 406 m, the volume of water is 11.6 thousand km3. Coastline it is indented, there are large bays - Kivino, Whitefish. In the north, the shores are high (up to 400 m) and rocky, and in the south - mostly low and sandy.
Lake Huron - located east of Lake Michigan, connected to it by the Mackinac Strait. The area of Huron is about 59.6 thousand km2. The surface height above sea level is about 176 m, the depth is up to 229 m. The states of Michigan and the Canadian province of Ontario have an outlet to the lake. Manitoulin is located on Huron - the largest island in the world, located in freshwater lake... The name of the lake, introduced into everyday life by the French, comes from the name of the Huron Indian tribe.
Lake Michigan is the only Great Lakes located entirely in the United States. Located south of the lake The upper, connected to Lake Huron by the Mackinac Strait, with the Mississippi River system - the Chicago-Lockport Canal. Michigan's area is about 57,750 km2, length is about 500 km, width is about 190 km. The surface height above sea level is 177 m, the depth is up to 281 m. It is covered with ice for about four months a year.
Lake Erie. With an area of 25,700 km2, Lake Erie occupies the 13th place in this parameter among the lakes in the world (including the Caspian and Aral sea). The lake washes the shores of the American states of Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York and the Canadian province of Ontario. Numerous islands are located in the southwestern part of the lake. The water temperature varies from 0-2 degrees in winter to 24 degrees in summer. The coastal part freezes from December to March-April.
Lake Ontario is the lowest in the Great Lakes system.
The area is 19.5 thousand km².
Height above sea level - 75 m.
The length of the coastline is 1146 km.
Length - 311 km.
Width - 85 km.
The maximum depth is 244 m.
Average depth - 86 m.
The Niagara River flows into the lake, the St. Lawrence River flows out. Shipping canals link Ontario to Lake Erie and the Hudson River. The lake is the 14th largest lake in the world. Shipping is well developed in Ontario.
First of all, lakes are reserves of fresh water, fishing, mining, transportation and sources of electricity. These lakes are an important source of water supply, it is no coincidence that large cities and industrial enterprises USA and Canada, center of ferrous metallurgy, automobile, mechanical engineering, chemical industry -
Chicago, Detroit, Cleveland, Toronto and others.
More than 250 cities with a population of over 25 million people use water. Every day, about 18 billion liters of water are taken from the lakes. Canada has the largest reserves of fresh water.
Also of great interest are the Great American Lakes in terms of fisheries. Although, in general, their productivity is low - 2.5 kg / ha. The commercial fish here are herring, whitefish, pike, American perch, lake trout.
Muskrat and nutria, valuable fur-bearing animals, take root well in the lakes. Their main food is aquatic plants, as well as forbs of coastal meadows. Muskrat is harmless for fishing, hunting and agriculture.
The lakes also accumulate clay, sand, gravel and pebble reflections, which are used as building material and for the manufacture of expanded clay, bricks and concrete.
The greatest system of freshwater lakes in the USA and Canada is represented by 5 closely interconnected huge bodies of water, which occupy an area of 245 thousand km2 (water volume is 23 thousand km3). The lakes are arranged in a staggered order from Upper Lake to Lakes Huron, Michigan, Erie, Ontario, descending to the Atlantic, and connected by a network of small rivers and straits.
See where the Great American Lakes are located on the world map:
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Lake Superior is considered the most majestic, deepest, coldest and largest among the Great Lakes of North America. With harsh, almost untouched by man, it amazes with its size - 85 thousand km2 and depth - up to 406 m. Lake Superior is famous for its steep disposition; in stormy weather, the height of its waves can reach 12 meters. The northern coast has a particularly inaccessible view, where steep slopes are covered with pine forests and lichens.
The second largest of the Great Lakes of the United States and Canada is Lake Huron. It differs from its counterparts in the unusual outlines of the coast. The northern part of Huron is rocky, with steep banks, separated from the main part by Manitoulin Island. There are many rocky islets, cliffs and volcanoes in the Georgian Bay. In the southern part of the bay, the coast is presented sandy beaches... In some places, you can see the 300 - meter high limestone cliffs, the so called "Blue Mountains". The lake covers an area of 59 thousand km2, the depth is 228 m.
Lake Michigan will connect with about. Huron is a wide strait, over which rises the longest bridge in the world (8 km). The outlines of the shores of the reservoir are rectilinear. The northern part is wild and uninhabited. southern part the coast is densely populated (Chicago). The area of the third largest reservoir of the Great Lakes of North America is 58 thousand km, the depth is 281 m.
Lake Erie is surrounded by more scenic landscapes, bustling with numerous national parks and reserves. Point Pele Nature Reserve is one of the unique places on the continent, where vast swamps with a peculiar fauna have been preserved. The southeastern and northern shores are gentle and sandy. The southern coast is densely populated; the major industrial cities of the United States are located here: Cleveland, Toledo, Buffalo. The northern Canadian coast is less populated. From Lake Erie flows deep river Niagara, which forms the 48-meter Niagara Falls. Lake Michigan area is 58 thousand km2, maximum depth 281 m.
Lake Ontario is the smallest lake in the Great Lakes system. Its area is only 19 thousand km2, but it is quite deep (maximum depth is 244 m). The shores are low and gentle, in places covered with deciduous forest. In the southeast, peaked cliffs are common. Large cities are located on the northern Canadian coast: Toronto, Hamilton, Ottawa. There are many national parks USA and Canada. From the lake flows the St. Lawrence River, through which flows from the Great Lakes to the Atlantic.
Great lake
One of the natural wonders of the North American continent is the Great Lakes. A huge network of freshwater bodies of water, connected by rivers and straits, is located on the border of the United States of America and Canada. These are five large lakes - Upper, Michigan, Huron, Erie, Ontario. And the largest of them, and at the same time the largest lake in North America - Lake Superior. The area of this lake is 82.4 thousand km².
In the language of the Ojibwe Indian tribe, the lake is called Gichigami, which means "big water". This great lake is celebrated in Longfellow's Song of Hiawatha. Like the entire Great Lakes system, Lake Superior was formed as a result of the melting of glaciers. According to scientists, the basin of the lake was formed during tectonic activity, and 25-30 thousand years ago, the glaciers that covered this part of the American continent began to melt.
Upper Lake
Lake Superior is unique in nature. It is located quite high above sea level (183 m). Its maximum depth is 406 meters. The upper lake is not protected mountain ranges, therefore, the winds blowing from the ocean can freely "walk" on the lake. As a result, on the surface of the lake, big waves which sometimes lead to coastal destruction.
Lake Superior is the coldest of the Great Lakes. In summer, the water in the Upper Lake warms up only to 5–12 ° C. Lake Upper is connected to Lake Huron via the St. Mary's River. The lake is fed by rains and rivers flowing into it. Therefore, in winter, the water level in the lake decreases slightly, because there is little rain at this time.
Lakeside
The coastline of the Upper Lake is quite indented. Northern shores the lakes are rocky and high, and can reach heights of up to 400 meters. Southern shores mostly low and sandy. There are also many islands on Lake Superior, the largest of which are Isle Royal, Saint Ignace, Mishipikoten and Aposle.
By the way, Lake Superior is
