Great Lakes Fact Sheet (PDF)

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Great Lakes Fact Sheet • The total area of the five Great Lakes is more than 94,000 square miles (larger than the states of New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Vermont, and New Hampshire combined). • Only Lake Michigan is entirely within the United States. The other four Great Lakes are also bordered by Canada. • The Great Lakes are home to about 35,000 islands. • Chicago is the largest city located on the Great Lakes. • The Great Lakes make up 95 percent of the U.S. freshwater supply. • Only one percent of the water in the Great Lakes system is replenished each year; the remaining 99 percent is a one-time gift from the melting glaciers. • The Great Lakes coastal wetlands ﬁlter water, provide homes for wildlife, and help prevent erosion. • The world's largest freshwater dunes lie on Lake Michigan's shoreline. • Lake Superior is the largest, coldest, and deepest (the average depth is 482 feet) of the five Great Lakes. • Lake Erie is the warmest and shallowest of the five Great Lakes. • Lake Ontario is the smallest of the five Great Lakes. • Lake Huron has the longest shoreline of the five Great Lakes. • In May 2004, President Bush issued an executive order recognizing the Great Lakes as a “national treasure.” • The Great Lakes contain 250 different species of fish. • Since the 1800s, more than 160 aquatic invasive species have become established in the Great Lakes. • About 120 bands of Native Peoples have occupied the Great Lakes basin over the course of history. • Lake Huron was the first of the Great Lakes to be discovered by European explorers. • About 10 percent of the U.S. population and 31 percent of the Canadian population live in the Great Lakes basin. • The Great Lakes provide drinking water for 40 million people. • About 80 percent of the U.S. Great Lakes shoreline is privately owned and not accessible to the public. In contrast, just 20 percent of the Canadian Great Lakes shoreline is in private hands. • The Great Lakes are considered by many to be the economic engine of the Midwest region. • About 40 percent of the Canadian and 15 percent of the U.S. gross domestic product originates within the Great Lakes basin. .

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The Lake Michigan Natural Division Characteristics
The Lake Michigan Natural Division Characteristics Lake Michigan is a dynamic deepwater oligotrophic ecosystem that supports a diverse mix of native and non-native species. Although the watershed, wetlands, and tributaries that drain into the open waters are comprised of a wide variety of habitat types critical to supporting its diverse biological community this section will focus on the open water component of this system. Watershed, wetland, and tributaries issues will be addressed in the Northeastern Morainal Natural Division section. Species diversity, as well as their abundance and distribution, are influenced by a combination of biotic and abiotic factors that define a variety of open water habitat types. Key abiotic factors are depth, temperature, currents, and substrate. Biotic activities, such as increased water clarity associated with zebra mussel filtering activity, also are critical components. Nearshore areas support a diverse fish fauna in which yellow perch, rockbass and smallmouth bass are the more commonly found species in Illinois waters. Largemouth bass, rockbass, and yellow perch are commonly found within boat harbors. A predator-prey complex consisting of five salmonid species and primarily alewives populate the pelagic zone while bloater chubs, sculpin species, and burbot populate the deepwater benthic zone. Challenges Invasive species, substrate loss, and changes in current flow patterns are factors that affect open water habitat. Construction of revetments, groins, and landfills has significantly altered the Illinois shoreline resulting in an immeasurable loss of spawning and nursery habitat. Sea lampreys and alewives were significant factors leading to the demise of lake trout and other native species by the early 1960s.
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Physical Limnology of Saginaw Bay, Lake Huron
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Lake Huron Scuba Diving
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AN OVERVIEW of the GEOLOGY of the GREAT LAKES BASIN by Theodore J
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GLRI Fact Sheet
WISCONSIN PROJECTS FOR 2010-2011 Great Lakes Restoration Initiative Federal funds support critical restoration and protection work on Wisconsinʼs Great Lakes Wisconsinʼs agencies and Priorities for the Great Lakes. GLRI funds will help Wisconsin address Great Lakes Drainage Basins in Wisconsin organizations received almost $30 these priorities on Lake Michigan and Lake Superior million in grants for the first year of the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative – a Lake Superior. federal basin-wide effort to restore and Economic Benefits of Restoration protect the Great Lakes. Restoring the Great Lakes will bring great benefits to our state. Work done A Vital Economic Asset under the GLRI will create jobs, The Great Lakes have had profound stimulate economic development, and Lake effects on our environment, culture, Michigan improve freshwater resources and ! and quality of life. They have fueled shoreline communities. A study our economic growth in the past and – conducted by the Brookings Institution if properly restored and protected – will Map Scale: found that fully implementing the 1 inch = 39.46 miles help us revitalize our economy in the regional collaboration strategy will future. generate $80-$100 billion in short and Lake Superior and Lake Michigan are affected by the actions of people throughout their watersheds. Lake Lake Michigan and Lake Superior long term benefits, including: Superior’s watershed drains 1,975,902 acres and provide: • $6.5-$11.8 billion in benefits supports 123,000 people. Lake Michigan’s watershed from tourism, fishing and drains 9,105,558 acres and supports 2,352,417 • Sport fishing opportunities for people. more than 250,000 anglers, recreation.
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Great Lakes/Big Rivers Fisheries Operational Plan Accomplishment
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Nipigon Bay Area of Concern Status of Beneficial Use Impairments September 2010
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Lake Superior Food Web MENT of C
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2018 Roadmap to Fishing Lake Superior: Have a Super Time!
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Mackinac County
MACKINAC COUNTY S o y C h r t o u Rock r u BETTY B DORGANS w C t d 8 Mile R D n 6 mlet h o i C d t H o y G r e e Island LANDING 4 CROSSING B u N a Y o d Rd R R R 4 e 8 Mile e y 4 1 k t R k d n 2 ix d t S 14 7 r i Advance n p n 17 d i m Unknow d o e a F u 5 C 123 t e T 7 x k d y O l a o s e i R i R 1 Ibo Rd 1 r r e r Sugar d C M o d Island R a e d R 4 p y f e D c E e S l e n N e i 4 C r a R E R o Y d R L 221 e v a i l 7 R h d A i w x d N i C n S a e w r d g d p e n s u d p 5 a c o r R a r t e B U d d T Island in t g G i e e a n r i g l R R n i o R a d e e R r Rd d o C C o e d d 9 Mile e c 4 r r g k P r h d a L M e n M t h R v B W R R e s e 2 r R C R O s n p N s l k n RACO ea l e u l 28 o ROSEDALE n i R C C d 1 y C l i ree a e le Rd e k a U d e v i 9 Mi e o S y r S a re e d i n g C R R Seney k t ek N e r h C Shingle Bay o U e i u C s R D r e U essea S Sugar B d e F s h k c n c i MCPHEES R L n o e f a a r s t P x h B y e d ut a k 3 So i r k i f u R e t o 0 n h a O t t 1 3 R r R d r r A h l R LANDING 3 M le 7 7 s i T o 1 E d 0 M n i 1 C w a S t U i w e a o s a kn ECKERMAN t R R r v k C o n I Twp r C B U i s Superior e e Island h d d e b Mile Rd r d d Mile Rd 10 e a S f 10 o e i r r q l n s k i W c h n d C u F 3 Columbus u T l McMillan Twp ens M g C g a h r t E a h r 5 Mo reek R n E T 9 H H q m REXFORD c e i u a DAFTER n R W r a l k 5 o M r v Twp Y m r h m L e e C p e i e Twp F s e STRONGS d i Dafter Twp H ty Road 462 East R t d e a Coun P n e e S n e r e v o v o s l d C i R m s n d T o Twp h R t Chippewa l p R C r e NEWBERRY U o e R a n A
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Line 5 Straits of Mackinac Summary When Michigan Was Granted
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