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How cold is the bottom of Lake Superior?

While the temperature of the surface of Lake Superior varies seasonally, the temperature below 110 fathoms (660 ft; 200 m) is an almost constant 39 °F (4 °C).



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Three distinct layers develop: The top layer stays warm at around 65–75 degrees F (18.8–24.5 degrees C). The middle layer drops dramatically, usually to 45–65 degrees F (7.4–18.8 degrees C). The bottom layer is the coldest, staying at around 39–45 degrees F (4.0–7.4 degrees C).

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As the summer camping season peaks, the surface temperatures of Lake Superior gradually go from freezing, to tolerable, to relaxing. Our Daily Dips in August at Agawa Bay are by far the warmest and most comfortable since the surface water maxes out at about 20°C (68°F).

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Lake Superior freezes at least in part every year and less frequently in its entirety. The last year that it froze completely was in February 1994. It almost froze completely in March 2003 and this photograph was taken by the GOES satellite on March 7, 2003.

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Yes, Lake Superior is safe for swimming.

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Lake Superior is barely developed, compared to the other Great Lakes. This has allowed it to remain relatively undisturbed and free from much of the pollution and habitat destruction that the other lakes have suffered.

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Lake Superior is the largest freshwater lake in the world by surface area and the third-largest by volume, holding 10% of the world's surface fresh water.



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Lake Superior is the largest freshwater lake in the world by surface area and the third-largest by volume, holding 10% of the world's surface fresh water.

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According to the National Center for Cold Water Safety, water temperatures below 70 degrees Fahrenheit should be treated with caution. Water temperatures between 50 and 60 degrees Fahrenheit makes it difficult to control your breathing, and anything lower than 40 degrees is painfully cold.

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Lake Superior is the world's largest freshwater lake by area (31,700 mi2 /82,100 km2). It is also the coldest and deepest of the Great Lakes, with a maximum depth of 406 meters (1,332 feet).

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At some point, the ice layer itself on a lake will act as an insulator, preventing the cold air above the ice to remove heat from the unfrozen water below. This is why lakes don't typically freeze completely from top to bottom.

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Sea lampreys are the Great Lakes' biggest predators. They attach to valuable fish and feed on their victims blood and body fluids.

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Lake sturgeon are the largest fish in Lake Superior. They are among the oldest fish in the lake too.

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Geology of Lake Inferior Lake Inferior is an underground lake that is located beneath Lake Superior. It is believed to be formed by a process known as karstification, which is the dissolution of limestone and dolomite rock. This process creates sinkholes, caves, and underground rivers and lakes.

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Contaminant levels in fish due to Chemicals of Mutual Concern (CMCs) has become a growing concern amongst consumers within the Lakehead Watershed. Lake Superior fish are a still nutritious food source and may safely be consumed by following the Guide to Eating Ontario Fish.

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Alligators are rarely found in the Great Lakes. Although some alligators thrive in freshwater, it's just too cold in the north for them to survive. They don't typically live farther north than North Carolina. It's unclear how the alligator arrived to Lake Michigan.

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Yes you can drink lake superior water. However, if drinking straight from the lake it always recommended to boil the water before consuming. Many cities and towns along the lake utilize its water.

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Lake Erie is the fourth-largest lake in North America (by surface area) and the eleventh-largest worldwide. It is the Great Lakes' southernmost, shallowest, and smallest by volume. By the 1960s, Lake Erie had become the most polluted of the Great Lakes, owing to the substantial industrial presence along its coasts.

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Lake Michigan wrecks: the oldest and the mostest Lake Michigan contains more shipwrecks than any of the other Great Lakes, as well as the oldest recorded one: the French ship Griffon, the first European vessel to sail the Lakes.

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Lake Superior in a nutshell: The world's largest lake by surface area. The largest of the Great Lakes. Contains more water than all four other Great Lakes combined. Water flows from Lake Superior out to Lake Huron.

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Lake Superior is truly an inland sea. Weather, navigation and buoyage are taken seriously and monitored by federal maritime agencies.

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