The Great Lakes Region
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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. -
Great Lakes Pine Barrens
Rapid Assessment Reference Condition Model The Rapid Assessment is a component of the LANDFIRE project. Reference condition models for the Rapid Assessment were created through a series of expert workshops and a peer-review process in 2004 and 2005. For more information, please visit www.landfire.gov. Please direct questions to [email protected]. Potential Natural Vegetation Group (PNVG) R6JAPIop Great Lakes Pine Barrens General Information Contributors (additional contributors may be listed under "Model Evolution and Comments") Modelers Reviewers Joshua Cohen [email protected] Vegetation Type General Model Sources Rapid AssessmentModel Zones Woodland Literature California Pacific Northwest Local Data Great Basin South Central Dominant Species* Expert Estimate Great Lakes Southeast Northeast S. Appalachians PIBA2 VAAN LANDFIRE Mapping Zones ANGE Northern Plains Southwest CAPE6 51 40 PIRE N-Cent.Rockies QUEL 50 SCSC 41 Geographic Range System occurs in northern Lower Michigan, northern Wisconsin, northern Minnesota, and eastern Ontario, north of the climatic tension zone (Curtis 1959 and is concentrated in the High Plains Subsection in northern Lower Michigan and in central Wisconsin (Vora 1993). Also occurs in several locations in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan and is associated with the upper Mississippi and St. Croix Rivers in Minnesota and Wisconsin (Comer 1996). Biophysical Site Description The Great Lakes pine barrens system is endemic to very dry, nutrient-impoverished landscape ecosystems. These ecosystems occur in landforms deposited by high-energy glacial melt waters, principally outwash plains and glacial lakebeds, underlain by well-sorted, coarse-textured sandy soils with low water retaining capacity. They also occur in bedrock-controlled landforms with shallow soils of limited moisture storage capacity (Cleland et al. -
AN OVERVIEW of the GEOLOGY of the GREAT LAKES BASIN by Theodore J
AN OVERVIEW OF THE GEOLOGY OF THE GREAT LAKES BASIN by Theodore J. Bornhorst 2016 This document may be cited as: Bornhorst, T. J., 2016, An overview of the geology of the Great Lakes basin: A. E. Seaman Mineral Museum, Web Publication 1, 8p. This is version 1 of A. E. Seaman Mineral Museum Web Publication 1 which was only internally reviewed for technical accuracy. The Great Lakes Basin The Great Lakes basin, as defined by watersheds that drain into the Great Lakes (Figure 1), includes about 85 % of North America’s and 20 % of the world’s surface fresh water, a total of about 5,500 cubic miles (23,000 cubic km) of water (1). The basin covers about 94,000 square miles (240,000 square km) including about 10 % of the U.S. population and 30 % of the Canadian population (1). Lake Michigan is the only Great Lake entirely within the United States. The State of Michigan lies at the heart of the Great Lakes basin. Together the Great Lakes are the single largest surface fresh water body on Earth and have an important physical and cultural role in North America. Figure 1: The Great Lakes states and Canadian Provinces and the Great Lakes watershed (brown) (after 1). 1 Precambrian Bedrock Geology The bedrock geology of the Great Lakes basin can be subdivided into rocks of Precambrian and Phanerozoic (Figure 2). The Precambrian of the Great Lakes basin is the result of three major episodes with each followed by a long period of erosion (2, 3). Figure 2: Generalized Precambrian bedrock geologic map of the Great Lakes basin. -
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. -
Great Lakes/Big Rivers Fisheries Operational Plan Accomplishment
U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Fisheries Operational Plan Accomplishment Report for Fiscal Year 2004 March 2003 Region 3 - Great Lakes/Big Rivers Partnerships and Accountability Aquatic Habitat Conservation and Management Workforce Management Aquatic Species Conservation and Aquatic Invasive Species Management Cooperation with Native Public Use Leadership in Science Americans and Technology To view monthly issues of “Fish Lines”, see our Regional website at: (http://www.fws.gov/midwest/Fisheries/) 2 Fisheries Accomplishment Report - FY2004 Great Lakes - Big Rivers Region Message from the Assistant Regional Director for Fisheries The Fisheries Program in Region 3 (Great Lakes – Big Rivers) is committed to the conservation of our diverse aquatic resources and the maintenance of healthy, sustainable populations of fish that can be enjoyed by millions of recreational anglers. To that end, we are working with the States, Tribes, other Federal agencies and our many partners in the private sector to identify, prioritize and focus our efforts in a manner that is most complementary to their efforts, consistent with the mission of our agency, and within the funding resources available. At the very heart of our efforts is the desire to be transparent and accountable and, to that end, we present this Region 3 Annual Fisheries Accomplishment Report for Fiscal Year 2004. This report captures our commitments from the Region 3 Fisheries Program Operational Plan, Fiscal Years 2004 & 2005. This document cannot possibly capture the myriad of activities that are carried out by any one station in any one year, by all of the dedicated employees in the Fisheries Program, but, hopefully, it provides a clear indication of where our energy is focused. -
Great Lakes Region and Outlook February 2016
El Niño Impacts Great Lakes Region and Outlook February 2016 Winter 2015/16 El Niño Update What is El Niño? Winter 2015/16 To Date An El Niño develops when sea surface temperatures are warmer than While the weather pattern this winter so far does share some similarities average in the equatorial Pacific for an extended period of time. This with the typical El Niño winter pattern, there are some differences as is important to North America because El Niño has an impact on our well. As predicted, temperatures have been above normal and in fact, weather patterns, most predominantly in the winter. December 2015 is now the warmest December on record for many locations across the Great Lakes basin (since records began in 1895). Typical El Niño Winter Pattern Snowfall has been significantly below normal across a majority of the Although each El Niño basin. As of January 31, ice cover extent on the Great Lakes is 8%, is different, there are which is significantly below normal for this time of year. In addition, ice some general patterns accumulation began late this year towards the end of December. On the that are predictable. other hand, overall precipitation has differed from the typical El Niño For instance, the polar winter pattern and conditions have been very wet. The reason for some jet stream is typically of the discrepencies from the typical pattern is that each El Niño episode farther north than can be different, and strong events in the past have brought varying usual, while the Pacific conditions to the basin. -
Lake Superior Food Web MENT of C
ATMOSPH ND ER A I C C I A N D A M E I C N O I S L T A R N A T O I I O T N A N U E .S C .D R E E PA M RT OM Lake Superior Food Web MENT OF C Sea Lamprey Walleye Burbot Lake Trout Chinook Salmon Brook Trout Rainbow Trout Lake Whitefish Bloater Yellow Perch Lake herring Rainbow Smelt Deepwater Sculpin Kiyi Ruffe Lake Sturgeon Mayfly nymphs Opossum Shrimp Raptorial waterflea Mollusks Amphipods Invasive waterflea Chironomids Zebra/Quagga mussels Native waterflea Calanoids Cyclopoids Diatoms Green algae Blue-green algae Flagellates Rotifers Foodweb based on “Impact of exotic invertebrate invaders on food web structure and function in the Great Lakes: NOAA, Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory, 4840 S. State Road, Ann Arbor, MI A network analysis approach” by Mason, Krause, and Ulanowicz, 2002 - Modifications for Lake Superior, 2009. 734-741-2235 - www.glerl.noaa.gov Lake Superior Food Web Sea Lamprey Macroinvertebrates Sea lamprey (Petromyzon marinus). An aggressive, non-native parasite that Chironomids/Oligochaetes. Larval insects and worms that live on the lake fastens onto its prey and rasps out a hole with its rough tongue. bottom. Feed on detritus. Species present are a good indicator of water quality. Piscivores (Fish Eaters) Amphipods (Diporeia). The most common species of amphipod found in fish diets that began declining in the late 1990’s. Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha). Pacific salmon species stocked as a trophy fish and to control alewife. Opossum shrimp (Mysis relicta). An omnivore that feeds on algae and small cladocerans. -
Danahub 2021 – Reference Library E & O E Overview the Great Lakes Region Is the Living Hub of North America, Where It
Overview The Great Lakes region is the living hub of North America, where it supplies drinking water to tens of millions of people living on both sides of the Canada-US border. The five main lakes are: Lake Superior, Lake Michigan, Lake Huron, Lake Ontario and Lake Erie. Combined, the Great Lakes contain approximately 22% of the world’s fresh surface water supply. Geography and Stats The Great Lakes do not only comprise the five major lakes. Indeed, the region contains numerous rivers and an estimated 35,000 islands. The total surface area of the Great Lakes is 244,100 km2 – nearly the same size as the United Kingdom, and larger than the US states of New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Vermont and New Hampshire combined! The total volume of the Great Lakes is 6x1015 Gallons. This amount is enough to cover the 48 neighboring American States to a uniform depth of 9.5 feet (2.9 meters)! The largest and deepest of the Great Lakes is Lake Superior. Its volume is 12,100 Km3 and its maximum depth is 1,332 ft (406 m). Its elevation is 183 m above sea level. The smallest of the Great Lakes is Lake Erie, with a maximum depth of 64 m and a volume of 484 Km3. Lake Ontario has the lowest elevation of all the Great Lakes, standing at 74 m above sea level. The majestic Niagara Falls lie between Lakes Erie and Ontario, where there is almost 100 m difference in elevation. Other Rivers and Water Bodies The Great Lakes contain many smaller lakes such as Lake St. -
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 -
Line 5 Straits of Mackinac Summary When Michigan Was Granted
Line 5 Straits of Mackinac Summary When Michigan was granted statehood on January 26, 1837, Michigan also acquired ownership of the Great Lakes' bottomlands under the equal footing doctrine.1 However before Michigan could become a state, the United States first had to acquire title from us (Ottawa and Chippewa bands) because Anglo-American law acknowledged that we owned legal title as the aboriginal occupants of the territory we occupied. But when we agreed to cede legal title to the United States in the March 28, 1836 Treaty of Washington ("1836 Treaty", 7 Stat. 491), we reserved fishing, hunting and gathering rights. Therefore, Michigan's ownership of both the lands and Great Lakes waters within the cession area of the 1836 Treaty was burdened with preexisting trust obligations with respect to our treaty-reserved resources. First, the public trust doctrine imposes a duty (trust responsibility) upon Michigan to protect the public trust in the resources dependent upon the quality of the Great Lakes water.2 In addition, Art. IV, § 52 of Michigan's Constitution says "conservation…of the natural resources of the state are hereby declared to be of paramount public concern…" and then mandates the legislature to "provide for the protection of the air, water and other natural resources from 3 pollution, impairment and destruction." 1 The State of Michigan acquired title to these bottomlands in its sovereign capacity upon admission to the Union and holds them in trust for the benefit of the people of Michigan. Illinois Central Railroad Co. v. Illinois, 146 U.S. 387, 434-35 (1892); Nedtweg v. -
What Are the Current Pressures Impacting Lake Erie
STATE OF THE GREAT LAKES 2005 WHAWHATT AREARE THETHE CURRENTCURRENT PRESSURESPRESSURES IMPIMPACTINGACTING LAKELAKE ERIE?ERIE? Land use practices, nutrient inputs, and the introduction of non-native invasive species are the greatest threats Land use, nutrient inputs, natural resource use, chemical and biological contaminants, and non- to the Lake Erie ecosystem. Natural resource use and chemical and biological contaminants also continue to native invasive species are the greatest threats to the Lake Erie ecosystem. impact the Lake Erie basin. Pressures and Actions Needed Land use Lake Superior Land use changes, including urban development and sprawl, intensification of agriculture, and Lake Huron construction of shore structures continue to negatively impact water quality and quantity, and Lake Ontario fish and wildlife habitats in Lake Erie and its Lake Michigan tributaries. Unless significant changes are made, this trend is expected to continue as demand for land Lake Erie conversion and use in the Lake Erie basin intensifies. In some areas of the Lake Erie watershed, over 90 actually render the ecosystem more susceptible to percent of the land has been converted to future invasions. Increased water transparency due to agriculture, urban and industrial use. A major focus the combined effects of nutrient control and zebra on the rehabilitation of remaining natural habitats mussel filtering has reduced habitat for walleye, and the physical processes that support them is which avoid high light conditions. Increased water required in order to restore Lake Erie's aquatic transparency combined with lower Lake Erie water ecosystems. Through best management practices, we levels has resulted in an increase of submerged must undertake rural, urban and industrial land use aquatic plants. -
The Laurentian Great Lakes
The Laurentian Great Lakes James T. Waples Margaret Squires Great Lakes WATER Institute Biology Department University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee University of Waterloo, Ontario, Canada Brian Eadie James Cotner NOAA/GLERL Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior University of Minnesota J. Val Klump Great Lakes WATER Institute Galen McKinley University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Atmospheric and Oceanic Services University of Wisconsin-Madison Introduction forests. In the southern areas of the basin, the climate is much warmer. The soils are deeper with layers or North America’s inland ocean, the Great Lakes mixtures of clays, carbonates, silts, sands, gravels, and (Figure 7.1), contains about 23,000 km3 (5,500 cu. boulders deposited as glacial drift or as glacial lake and mi.) of water (enough to flood the continental United river sediments. The lands are usually fertile and have States to a depth of nearly 3 m), and covers a total been extensively drained for agriculture. The original area of 244,000 km2 (94,000 sq. mi.) with 16,000 deciduous forests have given way to agriculture and km of coastline. The Great Lakes comprise the largest sprawling urban development. This variability has system of fresh, surface water lakes on earth, containing strong impacts on the characteristics of each lake. The roughly 18% of the world supply of surface freshwater. lakes are known to have significant effects on air masses Reservoirs of dissolved carbon and rates of carbon as they move in prevailing directions, as exemplified cycling in the lakes are comparable to observations in by the ‘lake effect snow’ that falls heavily in winter on the marine coastal oceans (e.g., Biddanda et al.