The Great Lakes - by Jacob Eapen

The Great Lakes

The five Great Lakes are Lake Superior, Lake Michigan, Lake Huron, Lake Erie, and Lake Ontario. Lake Superior’s average depth is 483 feet and the amount of water in it is 2,900 cubic miles. The flow rate of this lake is 180 years and is one of the largest lakes in the world. Lake Michigan’s average depth is 279 feet and the amount of water in it is 1,180 cubic miles. The flow rate of Lake Michigan is 70 years. Lake Huron’s average depth is 195 feet and the amount of water in it is 850 cubic miles. Lake Huron’s flow rate is 25 years and the average temperature is 4 to 10 degrees C (40 to 50 degrees F). Lake Erie’s average depth is 62 feet and the amount of water in it is 62 cubic miles. The flow rate of Lake Erie is 3 years and the average temperature is 4 to 10 degrees C (40 to 50 degrees F). Lake Ontario’s average depth is 283 feet and the amount of water in it is 393 cubic miles. Lake Ontario’s flow rate is 8 years.

According to the New Groiler Multimedia Encyclopedia 1994 the Great Lakes were formed by Ice Age glaciers which melted and retreated about 18,000 years ago.

Some environmental problems for the Great Lakes is industries using the lakes as a dump and chemicals being poured into the lakes or chemicals coming from rivers that flow into the lakes. Other problems are algae and fish dying from pollution.

Ocean going ships go through the Anticosti Isle, then down the St. Lawrence River into Lake Ontario to get to the Great Lakes. They get out of the Great Lakes by going through the St. Lawrence River, into the Anticosti Isle, and then into the Atlantic Ocean.