Great Lakes Location of the Great Lakes in North America The Great Lakes, also called the Great Lakes of North America, are a series of large interconnected freshwater lakes in the east-central interior of North America that connect to the Atlantic Ocean via the Saint Lawrence River. August 12, 2011. Historically, the Great Lakes, in addition to their lake ecology, were surrounded by various forest ecoregions (except in a relatively small area of southeast Lake Michigan where savanna or prairie occasionally intruded). Additional reporting by Alina Bradford, Live Science Contributor. Caught in a 1679 storm while trading furs between Green Bay and Michilimacinac, she was lost with all hands aboard. Great Lakes | Names, Map, & Facts | Britannica While the area had been inhabited for a very long time before European explorers arrived, tienne Brl (circa 1592-1632), an advance man for the French explorer Samuel de Champlain (circa 1567-1635), is generally credited as the first European to discover the Great Lakes. Because the lake maritime community largely developed independently, it has some distinctive vocabulary. In the 19th and early 20th centuries, iron and other ores such as copper were shipped south on (downbound ships), and supplies, food, and coal were shipped north (upbound). When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. It has been estimated that the foundational geology that created the conditions shaping the present day upper Great Lakes was laid from 1.1 to 1.2billion years ago,[14][54] when two previously fused tectonic plates split apart and created the Midcontinent Rift, which crossed the Great Lakes Tectonic Zone. It is a dangerous region where huge ships and even a commercial airline have vanished. Royce has published two novels: Ardent Spirit, historical fiction inspired by the true story of Odawa-French Fur Trader, Magdelaine La Framboise, and PILZ, a legal thriller which drew on her experiences as a First Assistant Attorney General for the State of Michigan. Studies conducted by the Environmental Protection Agency have shown that when the mercury comes in contact with many of the bacteria and compounds in the fresh water, it forms the compound methyl mercury, which has a much greater impact on human health than elemental mercury due to a higher propensity for absorption. And that is pretty scary. Both served as training ships to qualify naval aviators in carrier landing and takeoff. [65], The Great Lakes: An Environmental Atlas and Resource Book (1972) notes: "Only pockets remain of the once large commercial fishery. Photosynthesis carried out by diatoms constitutes about one fifth of the total photosynthesis.[where?] Federal and state regulations control substances like PCBs. In September 1679, Le Griffon headed a course from Lake Michigan to Lake Erie. Although the lakes contain a large percentage of the world's fresh water, the Great Lakes supply only a small portion of U.S. drinking water on a national basis. Dispersed throughout the Great Lakes are approximately 35,000 islands. [19] The straits are five miles (8km) wide[14] and 120 feet (37m) deep; the water levels rise and fall together,[20] and the flow between Michigan and Huron frequently reverses direction. [14] At least two human water use activities have been identified as having the potential to affect the lakes' levels: diversion (the transfer of water to other watersheds) and consumption (substantially done today by the use of lake water to power and cool electric generation plants, resulting in evaporation). The smallest of the Great Lakes, Lake Ontario largely gets the nod over Lake Erie because of that whole Ohio debacle plus, you know, the algae blooms. [68][69] According to the Inland Seas Education Association, on average a new species enters the Great Lakes every eight months. Removal of trees also destabilized the soil, with greater volumes washed into stream beds causing siltation of gravel beds, and more frequent flooding. In total, there are 16 lakes and tarns as well as numerous small reservoirs, so it helps to know what each has to . Through the program a coalition of federal agencies is making grants to local and state entities for toxics cleanups, wetlands and coastline restoration projects, and invasive species-related projects. [121] There are no plans to raise her as the site is being treated as a war grave. Microplastics can also come from synthetic clothing washed down our drains. Which Great Lake is the Deepest (And How Do They Compare to the Deepest She was possibly the first large ship to disappear in the Lake Michigan Triangle. The Lake District is famous for its lakes - the clue's in the name - and there are some really beautiful choices among them. Show more Show more Sport fishing, commercial fishing, and Native American fishing represent a U.S.$4billion a year industry with salmon, whitefish, smelt, lake trout, bass and walleye being major catches. More recently an electric fence has been set up across the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal in order to keep several species of invasive Asian carp out of the lakes. The process is only well-documented in the Great Lakes, and has been credited with sparing the southern shorelines from worse rocky erosion.[53]. Scientists, non-scientists, and just plain hucksters began hypothesizing about what caused the disappearances. An alternate track is via the Illinois River (from Chicago), to the Mississippi, up the Ohio, and then through the TennesseeTombigbee Waterway (a combination of a series of rivers and lakes and canals), to Mobile Bay and the Gulf of Mexico. Travel with Awe and Wonder: Nashville and West to Arizona, Through the Eyes of an Educator: From Waiting to ActionEmpowering Our Inner Badass, https://www.thevintagenews.com/2021/06/24/lake-michigan-triangle/, https://www.alpenalibrary.org/greatlakesmaritime, https://research.lib.buffalo.edu/greatlakes/shipwrecks, https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/a7910b2eaa04450aaff93fa9de4821b8. The lakes are prone to sudden and severe storms, in particular in the autumn, from late October until early December. The production, consumption, and throwing away of plastics seems to remain the core of Great Lakes trash problem.[96]. Several species of exotic water fleas have accidentally been introduced into the Great Lakes, such as the spiny waterflea, Bythotrephes longimanus, and the fishhook waterflea, Cercopagis pengoi, potentially having an effect on the zooplankton population. Mirror, Mirror On the Wall, Which Great Lake is the Greatest of All An international ferry across Lake Ontario from Rochester, New York, to Toronto ran during 2004 and 2005 but is no longer in operation. In fact, two major suppliers of fish in the 1830s were the fur trading companies Hudson's Bay Company and the American Fur Company. She holds a bachelors degree in communications from Glassboro State College (now known as Rowan University) in New Jersey. Its about a place where many doomed vessels disappeared. 16 Most Dangerous Lakes in the US [Update 2023] - USA by Numbers It was more economical to transport the ingredients for steel to centralized plants rather than to make steel on the spot. Great Lakes Aquatic Invasive Species - The Nature Conservancy for 1+3, enter 4. As the surfaces of Lakes Superior, Huron, Michigan, and Erie are all approximately the same elevation above sea level, while Lake Ontario is significantly lower, and because the Niagara Escarpment precludes all natural navigation, the four upper lakes are commonly called the "upper great lakes". Hundreds of ships have met their end on the lakes. [66] The mollusks are efficient filter feeders, competing with native mussels and reducing available food and spawning grounds for fish. S, Lake Michigan is one of the most dangerous lakes in the US. The Great Lakes are dotted with more than 35,000 islands. Even though this lake is a popular recreational destination for both residents and visitors alike, it is frequently ranked as the most dangerous lake in the US. Lake Superior - Wikipedia He is among 94 drowning victims in the Great Lakes so far in 2020, according to the Great Lakes Surf Rescue Project. Located in central North America, it is the northernmost and westernmost of the Great Lakes of North America, straddling the Canada-United States border with the Canadian province of Ontario to the north and east and the U.S. states of . The main business of many of the passenger lines in the 19th century was transporting immigrants. There are numerous theories about the fate of Le Griffon. [99] Large diatoms require more carbon uptake than smaller diatoms. The hidden danger in the Great Lakes - YouTube Currently, there are more than 140 federal programs designated for environmental restoration and management of The Great Lakes, according to the EPA. "[90] The commission reported that all urban sewage treatment systems on the U.S. side of the lakes had implemented secondary treatment, as had all on the Canadian side except for five small systems. A Ship Graveyard in Lake Erie - NASA Earth Observatory The lakes, called "the nation's fourth seacoast," are on the U.S. and Canadian border, touching Ontario in Canada and Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania and New York in the United States. [69] Introductions into the Great Lakes include the zebra mussel, which was first discovered in 1988, and quagga mussel in 1989. [100] There is a positive correlation between the surface area and the chlorophyll concentration of diatom cells.[101]. However, it is only the third largest of the Great Lakes when measured by water surface (22,300 square miles / 57,800 square km). This is similar to the effect of warmer air dropping snow as it passes over mountain ranges. [56] Since the glaciers covered some areas longer than others, this glacial rebound occurred at different rates. During World War II, the risk of submarine attacks against coastal training facilities motivated the United States Navy to operate two aircraft carriers on the Great Lakes, USSSable and USSWolverine. [111], The catch from these waters was sent to the growing market for salted fish in Detroit, where merchants involved in the fur trade had already gained some experience handling salted fish. One of the most well-known incidents occurred on November 10, 1975, when the Edmund Fitzgerald, a large cargo ship carrying iron ore, encountered a severe storm that killed the ship's 29 crew members. The Most Dangerous Great Lake: More Reasons Why Lake Michigan Is So Dangerous The Great Lakes are known to be dangerous to shipping, and they are full of shipwrecks - far more than many people may realize. This led to the launch of the bi-national Great Lakes Fishery Commission. Future US, Inc. Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street, One such merchant was John P. Clark, a shipbuilder and merchant who began selling fish in the area of Manitowoc, Wisconsin where whitefish was abundant. The SS Edmund Fitzgerald // Lake Superior Any Gordon Lightfoot fan is probably familiar with the wreck of the SS Edmund Fitzgerald. [83] Blue-green algae, or cyanobacteria blooms,[84] have been problematic on Lake Erie since 2011. 1. A view of Niagara Falls (Horseshoe Falls) from the Canadian side. Live Science is part of Future US Inc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. . [72] Five years after first being observed in the St. Clair River, the round goby can now be found in all of the Great Lakes. Despite their vast size, large sections of the Great Lakes freeze over in winter, interrupting most shipping from January to March. Sailors of bulk freighters transferring cargoes from Lake Superior and northern Lake Michigan and Lake Huron to ports on Lake Erie or Ontario commonly refer to the latter as the lower lakes and Lakes Michigan, Huron, and Superior as the upper lakes. Why Lake Michigan is Called the 'Deadliest' of the Great Lakes - 99.1 WFMK Cason J. Callaway laid up in Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin. A valley was formed providing a basin that eventually became modern day Lake Superior. The eastern shore of Lake Michigan and the southern shore of Lake Erie have many successful wineries because of the lakes' moderating effects, as do the large commercial fruit and wine growing areas of the Niagara Peninsula located between Lake Erie and Lake Ontario. This bill, which reauthorized the National Sea Grant Program, contained a line declaring Lake Champlain to be a Great Lake. With an area of 68,870 km, Lake Victoria is regarded as the largest of the African Great Lakes. Need a diving lesson or want to go with a group? - Quora. Related to the lake effect is the regular occurrence of fog, particularly along the shorelines of the lakes. In 1950, the tale of the Bermuda Triangle was spawned. In 1996, a rare tropical or subtropical storm was observed forming in Lake Huron, dubbed the 1996 Lake Huron cyclone. The approximate 6,000 ships that have succumbed to raging storms attest to the power of the Great Lakes. Hydrologically, Michigan and Huron are a single body of water joined at the Straits of Mackinac. An Astonishing Number Of Ships Have Sunk In The Great Lakes Large U.S. ships hauled most of the iron ore on the lakes (79%) from U.S. mines to U.S. mills. Along its northern and eastern borders, Wisconsin has 192 beaches in counties that abut Lake Michigan and Lake Superior. International treaties regulate large diversions. State of the Great Lakes 2022 Report. [14], A notable modern phenomenon is the formation of ice volcanoes over the lakes during wintertime. As I traveled, writing and compiling information for my three-volume travel series that explores Michigan's coasts, I heard or read the tales left behind by those ill-fated ships. The list includes the Lady Elgin, the Rosa Belle, and the Carl D. Bradley. Swimming In The Great Lakes Requires Greater Caution, Officials Say Dive into Michigan Shipwrecks at these 12 Underwater Preserves Dozens of other Areas of Concern have received partial cleanups such as the Rouge River (Michigan) and Waukegan Harbor (Illinois). "Chapter 1:Introduction to Lake St. Clair and the St. Clair River", "Movement Would Thrust Greatness on Lake St. Clair", "State of the Great Lakes 2009 Highlights (PDF)", "Lakes Michigan, Huron hit record low water level", "Lake Michigan-Huron Water Levels from Harbor Beach, MI - 9075014 2020 - 2021", "Genesee, Oakland counties adopt historic name for water group", "Ice Volcanoes of the Lake Erie Shore Near Dunkirk, New York, U.S.A.", "Origin and evolution of the Great Lakes", "Lake levels report weighs Great Lakes basin's glacial legacy", "Great Lakes Water Levels Sensitive To Climate Change", "Gobies up, alewives down in Lake Michigan", "Predicting Invasive Species in the Great Lakes", "Briefing Paper: Great Lakes Nonindigenous Invasive Species", "Risk Assessment for Asian Carps in Canada", "Deepwater demersal fish community collapse in Lake Huron", "Minuscule microbes wield enormous power over the Great Lakes. Concerns by the mid-19th century included obstructions in the rivers which prevented salmon and lake sturgeon from reaching their spawning grounds. Except when the water is frozen during winter, more than 100 lake freighters operate continuously on the Great Lakes,[123] which remain a major water transport corridor for bulk goods. Population centers on the peninsulas include Grand Rapids, Flint, and Detroit in Michigan along with London, Hamilton, Brantford, and Toronto in Ontario. 3. Med Marine & Mainport (Celtic Tugs) Celebrate Ceremony of Celtic Treaty In 2002, 162million net tons of dry bulk cargo were moved on the Lakes. The first of 43 "Great Lakes Areas of Concern" to be formally "de-listed" through successful cleanup was Ontario's Collingwood Harbour in 1994; Ontario's Severn Sound followed in 2003. Foreign boats are known as "salties". Logging, urbanization, and agriculture uses have changed that relationship. [102][103] The peoples of the Great Lakes traded with the Hopewell culture from around 1000 AD, as copper nuggets have been extracted from the region and fashioned into ornaments and weapons in the mounds of Southern Ohio. [12] There are also several thousand smaller lakes, often called "inland lakes", within the basin.[13]. The influx of parasitic lamprey populations after the development of the Erie Canal and the much later Welland Canal led to the two federal governments of the United States and Canada working on joint proposals to control it. Even late in winter, the lakes often have no icepack in the middle. [87][86], Until 1970, mercury was not listed as a harmful chemical, according to the United States Federal Water Quality Administration. The number of such overflow events in Ontario, for example, is flat according to the International Joint Commission. The Great Lakes Waterway enables modern travel and shipping by water among the lakes. One of the more common sights on the lakes has been since about 1950 the 1,000-by-105-foot (305 by 32m), 78,850-long-ton (80,120-metric-ton) self-unloader. Fish and Wildlife Service estimated in 2007 that the economic impact of the zebra mussel could be about $5billion over the next decade. Since that time, the eight Great Lakes Governors and the Premiers of Ontario and Quebec have negotiated the Great Lakes-Saint Lawrence River Basin Sustainable Water Resources Agreement[129] and the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence River Basin Water Resources Compact[130] that would prevent most future diversion proposals and all long-distance ones. [93] Plastics in the water break up into very small particles known as microplastics. In the early 21st century, Lake Superior's shores are 91% forested, Lake Huron 68%, Lake Ontario 49%, Lake Michigan 41%, and Lake Erie, where logging and urbanization has been most extensive, 21%. This most recent project focuses on providing travelers with interesting background for the places they plan to visit. 20% of the worlds fresh water, and 84% of North Americas fresh water. Rogue Waves - National Geographic Society Lake Michigan is one of the five Great Lakes and is located near the border between the USA and Canada. LANSING A 12-year-old Tennessee boy drowned in Lake Michigan after being swept off the pier in Frankfort Sept. 21. Given the name, however, it's unlikely that anyone would be surprised. On May 21, 1891, the three-masted schooner, Thomas Hume, was sailing to her home port in Muskegon. Running cut logs down the tributary rivers into the Great Lakes also dislocated sediments. For the African Great Lakes, see, Large bays and related significant bodies of water, "Evolution of the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement", Paul Muldoon and Lee Botts, Michigan State University Press, 2005, Burkhardt Steffen, Amoroso Gabi, Riebesell Ulf, Sltemeyer Dieter, (2001), CO. Brian N. Popp, Edward A. Major ports on the Great Lakes include Duluth-Superior, Chicago, Detroit, Cleveland, Twin Harbors, Hamilton and Thunder Bay. [71] The ruffe, a small percid fish from Eurasia, became the most abundant fish species in Lake Superior's Saint Louis River within five years of its detection in 1986. While it is similar in width and length to Lake Erie, it is much deeper and holds about four times the water volume (393 cubic miles/1,640 cubic km). Periodic mass die-offs result in vast numbers of the fish washing up on shore; estimates by various governments have placed the percentage of Lake Michigan's biomass which was made up of alewives in the early 1960s as high as 90%. The prevailing winds from the west pick up the air and moisture from the lake surface, which is slightly warmer in relation to the cold surface winds above. [36] The water level of Lake MichiganHuron had remained fairly constant over the 20th century[37] Recent lake levels include record low levels in 2013 in Lakes Superior, Erie, and Michigan-Huron,[38] followed by record high levels in 2020[39] in the same lakes. The Great Lakes Circle Tour is a designated scenic road system connecting all of the Great Lakes and the Saint Lawrence River.[126]. [61], The Great Lakes are an important source of fishing. But many species remain a mystery", Recovery of Lake Erie Walleye a Success Story, Historical Perspecivie Of The Phosphate Detergent Conflict, "Large Lake Erie algal bloom nearing Colchester tested for toxicity", "Lake Erie Water Quality Past Present and Future", "14th Biennial Report on Great Lakes Water Quality", New Report: Solving Region's Sewage Crisis Will Create Jobs, Restore Great Lakes, "Antidepressants are finding their way into fish brains", "U of T researchers discover microplastics in all samples of Great Lakes fish", "Industrial plastic is spilling into Great Lakes, and no one's regulating it, experts warn", "How a fleet of robots could help solve the Great Lakes plastic pollution problem", "Monitoring algal blooms in the Great Lakes Basin", "Evidence for early hunters beneath the Great Lakes", "Great Lakes Fleet Page Vessel Feature Burns Harbor", Lake Champlain, The Sixth Great Lake? "[62], By 1801, the New York Legislature found it necessary to pass regulations curtailing obstructions to the natural migrations of Atlantic salmon from Lake Erie into their spawning channels. A large bloom does not necessarily mean the cyanobacteria will produce toxins", said Michael McKay, of the University of Windsor. Early European settlers were astounded by both the variety and quantity of fish; there were 150 different species in the Great Lakes. It has an unusual water flow that goes in almost a cul-de-sac formation, moving slowly in a circular pattern. The storm resulted in the loss of more than 250 lives and caused millions of dollars in damage. Rather large severe thunderstorms covering wide areas are well known in the Great Lakes during mid-summer; these Mesoscale convective complexes or MCCs[59] can cause damage to wide swaths of forest and shatter glass in city buildings. These fast-growing planktivorous fish have heavily colonized the Mississippi and Illinois river systems. His former homes, Dove Cottage ( wordsworth . Lake Ontario: Ontario is the Huron word for "lake of shining water." It has a maximum depth of 1,332 feet (406 meters). Lake Michigan is being called the "deadliest" of all the Great Lakes. The water level in Lake Ontario has remained relatively constant in the same time period, hovering around the historical average level. Some water is diverted through the Chicago River to operate the Illinois Waterway, but the flow is limited by treaty. Why are so many of the Great Lakes extremely dangerous? - Quora WKYT reports the collision happened just south of the Woodson Bend Resort boat dock near Bronston. This temperature buffering produces areas known as "fruit belts", where fruit can be produced that is typically grown much farther south.
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