Climate ChangeIncreasing air and water temperatures mean increased evaporation from the lakes, declining lake levels, and worsened water quality.
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Threats & ConservationThe source of toxic pollutants includes decades of industrial waste, raw sewage overflows, runoff from cities, and mining operations. Excess nutrients that throw the ecosystem out of balance enter the lakes from agricultural runoff and untreated sewage.
The Great Lakes are struggling under the combined weight of many ailments, from invasive species and toxic chemicals to the nutrient runoffs that fuel Lake Erie's chronic algae problem. And in many cases, climate change is making it worse.
Significant progress has been made in reducing toxic chemicals in the Great Lakes, but some chemicals, such as PCBs, still pose a threat to human health and the environment. polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), are higher in the waters of lakes Erie and Ontario than in other lakes.
No. People are not capable of changing things on that scale. We could easily pollute the water and make it undrinkable, but we can't drain the lakes, because there is just too much water there, and it's constantly refilled from too many sources, including rain and snow melt.
The Great Lakes Storm of 1913 is still the deadliest and most destructive natural disaster to hit the five lakes in recorded history, killing more than 250 people, destroying 19 ships and stranding 19 others.
Lake Superior is the Cleanest and Clearest Great LakeBecause of its somewhat isolated location and long cold winters, not much farming is done along Superior's shores. This means lower amounts of nutrients, sediments, and organic material are floating around the lake.
During the 1960s, Lake Erie was declared a “dead lake” due to eutrophication and pollution. The children's book, The Lorax, written by Dr. Seuss, actually included the following line referring to fish: “They will walk on their fins and get woefully weary in search of some water that isn't so smeary.
NOAA works through the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative to improve fish passage, clean up debris, restore coastal wetlands, and remove invasive species in the Great Lakes region.
The State of the Great Lakes 2022 Report by the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy have analyzed and reported that Lake Superior and Lake Huron are rated as “good” ecosystems as Lake Michigan and Lake Ontario are rated “fair” and Lake Erie was ranked as “poor.”
The primary reason for shipwrecks on the Great Lakes is stormy weather, specifically in the upper portions of Lake Michigan, Lake Huron and Lake Superior. In the late fall and early winter, weather can be particularly treacherous. Most Great Lakes shipwrecks occurred in the late fall.
Onondaga Lake, New YorkThe most polluted lake in the United States is Onondaga Lake. Onondaga Lake is a lake in Central New York, immediately northwest of and adjacent to Syracuse, New York. It is not only one of the most polluted lakes in the country but also takes a spot among the most polluted lakes in the world.
But there can be more danger in these Great Lakes waves than what you'd find in the ocean. The Great Lakes are more than capable of generating waves over 10 feet high, despite being smaller than our oceans. This lack in size actually increases the danger over the water.
Geology of Lake InferiorLake 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.
How it could work: With 20% of the available surface fresh water in the world, the Great Lakes are essentially massive reservoirs that could quench the thirst of states like Arizona and California.
Drinking Water - State of the Great Lakes. The 2012 Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement states that “the Waters of the Great Lakes should be a source of safe, high quality drinking water”. Approximately 8.5 million Canadians and 19.5 million Americans get their drinking water from the surface waters of the Great Lakes.