All About the Great Lakes
The Great Lakes are a group of five huge freshwater lakes between the United States and Canada. Here's the 411 you need on the greatest lakes of all.
Great Lake - Lake Superior
Lake Superior is the largest freshwater lake in the world. It's 31,820 square miles (82,414 square km), 350 miles (563 km) long and 160 miles (257 km) at its widest part. Lake Superior is bordered on the west by Minnesota, on the north and east by Ontario, Canada, and on the south by Michigan and Wisconsin. Lake Superior is also the deepest of the Great Lakes; it's 1,302 feet (397 m) at it's deepest! Lake Superior drains into Lake Huron through the St. Mary's River and receives the waters of many small streams. The water in Lake Superior is generally less polluted than the other Great Lakes - a US-Canadian pact was established to prevent pollution in 1972.
Great Lake - Lake Erie
Lake Erie is the fourth largest (or second smallest) of the great lakes. It's 9,940 square miles (25,745 square km), 241 miles (388 km) long and 57 miles (92 km) wide at its widest point. It's bordered on the north by Ontario, Canada, on the east by New York, on the south by Pennsylvania and Ohio, and on the west by Michigan. It is the shallowest of the Great Lakes, with a maximum depth of 210 feet (64 m), making it the only one with a floor above sea level. Lake Erie is part of the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence Seaway system and is linked to Lake Huron and to Lake Ontario by the Niagara River, which is Lake Erie's only natural outlet.
Great Lake - Lake Huron
Lake Huron is the second largest of the Great Lakes. It's 23,010 square miles (59,596 square km), 206 miles (332 km) long and 183 miles (295 km) at its greatest width. Lake Huron sits between Ontario, Canada and Michigan. At it's deepest, Lake Huron is 750 feet (229 m). Lake Huron receives the waters of Lake Superior through the St. Mary's River and those of Lake Michigan and drains into Lake Erie.
Great Lake - Lake Ontario
Lake Ontario is the smallest and lowest of the Great Lakes. It's 7,540 square miles (19,529 square km), 193 miles (311 km) long and 53 miles (85 km) at its widest. Lake Superior sits between Ontario, Canada and New York. Lake Ontario is mainly fed by the waters of Lake Erie, which are transported via the Niagara River. Lake Ontario drains into the St. Lawrence River.
Great Lake - Lake Michigan
Lake Michigan is the third largest of the Great Lakes and the only one entirely within the United States. It's 22,178 square miles (57,441 square km), 307 miles (494 km) long and 120 miles (193 km) at its widest point. Lake Michigan is bordered by Michigan (duh), Indiana, Illinois and Wisconsin. The lake is 923 feet (281 m) deep. It's only natural outlet is the The Straits of Mackinac, which connect the lake with Lake Huron. Many islands are found in the northern part of the lake.
