Do You Know These Lake Erie Facts?

Tuesday,November 12, 2013 |Erie Times-News |GoErie.com | 9D Reconnect with your environment SP23485

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ANNA McCARTNEY/Contributed photo

Lake Erie and the other Great Lakes supply one-fifth of the world’sfreshwater and attract billions of dollars in tourism. Do you know these Lake Erie facts? By ANNA McCARTNEY directly into Lake Erie; Contributing writer however,ifthe drainage areas of the upper Great ▀Lake Erie is the 11th Lakes (Superior,Michigan, largest lake in the world (by and Huron) are included, surface area) is bordered the total drainage area of by four states (New York, Lake Erie is 263,650 square Pennsylvania, Ohio, and miles (682,850 sq. km). Michigan) and one Canadi- ▀Its retention/replace- an province (Ontario), and ment time is 2.6 years, it provides drinking water which is the shortest of the to about 13 million people Great Lakes. who live in the watershed. ▀Water flow from the De- ▀It is the southernmost, troit River makes up 80 to shallowest, warmest and 90 percent of the flow into most biologically produc- the lake. tive of the five Great Lakes. ▀The outlet for Lake ANNA McCARTNEY/Contributed photo ▀Three basins make Erie is the Niagara River; up the lake. Its maximum consequently,itisLake Lake Erie’srich historyand the opportunities it provides for recreation and tourism make it afavorite destination for depth is 210 feet (64 m) and Erie that feeds water to millions. Protecting it will require more informed citizens and agreater level of binational, regional and local occurs in the eastern basin. Niagara Falls. communication and cooperation than ever before. Average depths in the ba- ▀Basin rainfall is about sins are: western, 24 feet (7.3 35 inches per year. m); central, 60 feet (18.3 m); ▀About 34 to 36 inches of and eastern, 80 feet (24.4 m). water evaporate from the ▀ Its length is about 241 lake surface per year. miles (388 km) long, at its ▀Because it is so shal- Big business widest is about 57 miles low,Erie is the only Great (92 km), and it has about Lake that is entirely above 871 miles (1,402 km) of sea level (the bottom of the shoreline. The length of other Great Lakes extend Pennsylvania’sshoreline below sea level). Protecting Lake Erie watershed is large task is 76.6 miles. ▀The water surface area ANNA McCARTNEY,a is 9,910 square miles (25,667 communications and By ANNA McCARTNEY ers throughout the coun- sq. km) and the volume is education specialist for Contributing writer try.Boat owners spend an 116 cubic miles (483 cu. km). Pennsylvania Sea Grant, average of $3,600 per year ▀ 22,720 square miles can be reached by e-mail at Did you know that the on their boats, according to (58,845 sq. km) of land drain [email protected]. 11th largest lake in the the Great Lakes Commis- world (by surface area) is sion Recreational Boating in our backyard? report. And of course sum- Youmay have enjoyed mer draws millions to Lake walking on Lake Erie’s Erie beaches to cool off. beaches or swimming, However,because it has boating or fishing in its the highest human popu- water.You might even lation density,the most realize it’syour source of farmland and the largest drinking water.But how number of major cities, much do you know about ecological problems usu- what makes Lake Erie ally show up first in Lake great? Or what do you Erie. The activities of all know about the troubling the people who visit or human-related ecological live in the region can cre- changes that are diminish- ate huge problems that can ing this important freshwa- ANNA McCARTNEY/Contributed photo sink an economy based on ter ecosystem? the very benefits too often Because of its social, en- Boaters and anglers who fish Lake Erie by boat, shore or taken for granted. vironmental and economic pier,and on the ice during the winter,provide an Lake Erie is once again ANNA McCARTNEY/Contributed photo importance, shouldn’t you economic boon to the region throughout the year. showing signs of neglect. know more about Lake Sedimentation, coastal North East Middle School students and their science Erie and how you can development and urban teacher,Ian Williams, collect trash and data on Freeport protect it? By joining us and agricultural runoff Beach. here each Tuesday,you affect Lake Erie more so can learn about avoidable than any of the other Great problems and what others Lakes. Toxic harmful al- North East students are doing to protect our gae blooms have returned freshwater resources, in- to cover its surface. The cluding Lake Erie. “dead zone” where fish clean up local beach The Lake Erie water- can’t survive is growing shed is home to about 13 in the central basin. Inva- By ANNA McCARTNEY and clean up abeach. — million people, supports sive species are crowding Contributing writer Kasey Seymour,eighth grade one of the largest fresh- out its native plants, fish This is the first time I water fisheries in the and mussels. New threats North East Middle ever did acleanup on the world and provides many from degradation and School students, led by beach. Ithought it was recreational and tourism depletion of groundwater science teacher Ian Wil- going to be boring, but it opportunities. There are and streams and rivers liams, descended on Free- wasn’t and Ifound it hard more fish harvested annu- that feed the lake are also port Beach in their effort to believe the amount of ally from Lake Erie than growing. to become Great Lakes garbage we picked up. — all of the other Great Lakes In coming weeks you can Great Stewards. They are Ryan Slater,eighth grade combined. Lake Erie com- become an expert on Lake one of nine Erie County This experience inspired mercial fishermen har- Erie by readingabout the groups involved in the PA me to go to other beaches vested close to 30.2 million NASA plants andanimals and Sea Grant/NOAA BWET and pick up trash. —Alexis pounds of fish in 2008, with people that rely on its service-learning project. Burkhart, eighth grade yellow perch and walleye Sedimentation, urbanization and agricultural runoff are freshwater.You will also Students removed 111 Iamglad Iexperienced the most lucrative species. responsible for harmful algal blooms and other problems read tales about its rivers pounds of trash, kept data this cleanup. Iwill do more AU.S. Fish and Wild- that affect Lake Erie more than any of the other Great and tributaries. on items they collected in the future and am glad life survey also shows Lakes. and shared their comments my school has this program. that recreational fish- Next week: The Lake Erie about the event below: —Justin Luebbert, seventh ing throughout the Great Economic Analysis. From is known for its birding, food web. After seeing all of this grade Lakes is most popular on 1990 to 2009, more than boating, water trails and garbage today Irealized Lake Erie. Charter fish- 37,000 charter trips were access to history.Accord- how much we need to keep ANNA McCARTNEY, ing has been amajor eco- reported to have left from ing to Ohio Sea Grant, ANNA McCARTNEY,a our world clean. —Marissa acommunications and nomic contributor,accord- Lake Erie ports, contribut- Lake Erie and its associ- communications and Hodges, sixth grade education specialist for ing to the 2009 Michigan ing an economic impact of ated habitats are among education specialist for Ihad agreat experience Pennsylvania Sea Grant, Charter Fishing Report more than $47.5 million to the most bird-rich ecosys- Pennsylvania Sea Grant, cleaning up litter.Ifeel ev- can be reached by e-mail at put out by Michigan Sea coastal communities. tems in the United States can be reached by e-mail at eryone should take aday [email protected]. Grant/the MSU Center for In addition, Lake Erie and ahuge draw for bird- [email protected]. This page brought to you by: Why do you think Lake Erie should be protected? Have you been involved in stewardship projects to protect or restore the Lake Erie ecosystem? Share your ideas and projects for possible publication in the “your Check out these websites space” feature. Send them to axm40@ to learn more: psu.edu.

http://coastwatch.glerl.noaa.gov/ www.education.noaa.gov/ Freshwater/ www.perry200.com/ www.paseagrant.org