What if Lake Michigan dried up?

While our growing zone might be reduced to a shorter No. 3 without the lake, our overall temperatures might increase, say the experts. “Spring and summer would definitely be warmer without the lake, but winters would be considerably colder,” says Dan.



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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.

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Due to their vast volumes, the lakes cool slowly through the fall, when evaporation increases into the cooler, drier air. Ice cover, which varies from year to year, curbs evaporation during the cold months.

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According to the average of their simulation ensemble, by 2040–2049, the average annual water levels of Lake Superior, Michigan-Huron, and Erie are projected to increase by 0.19, 0.44, and 0.28 m, respectively, relative to 2010–2019 under the Representative Concentration Pathway (RCP) 8.5 scenario.

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Those findings are consistent with a study from Michigan Technological University. That study found Lake Superior is expected to rise on average by 7.5 inches while levels on the Lake Michigan-Huron system is projected to increase 17 inches by 2050 due to climate change.

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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.

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The water that replenishes the Great Lakes comes from precipitation, which is driven by the region's climate.

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Threats to the Great Lakes' ecosystems, include invasive species, climate change, pollution, and habitat destruction. Climate change affects water temperatures, weather patterns, and lake levels.

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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.

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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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Current pressures on the Lake Michigan ecosystem include increasing use of groundwater by a growing basin population, disruption of the aquatic food web, and habitat alteration.

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The average underwater visibility of Lake Superior is about 8 metres or 27 feet, making it the cleanest and clearest of the Great Lakes.

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Pollution from over a century of intensive development remains in the sediment of many Great Lakes tributaries, harming fish and wildlife and leaving water unsafe for people. These sites are being cleaned up through the Great Lakes Legacy Act by the U.S. EPA in partnership with local, state, and private organizations.

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Climatic conditions control precipitation (and thus groundwater recharge), runoff, and direct supply to the lakes as well as the rate of evaporation. These are the primary driving factors in determining water levels.

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Swimmers didn't find it too appealing, but it was popular for those who wanted to fish for trout. However, an analysis of satellite images between 1998 and 2012 showed that Lake Michigan and Lake Huron are now clearer than Lake Superior, which had always been the clearest of the Great Lakes in the past.

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So you know how when you go for a dip in the ocean and you come out covered in salt crust and with the distinct stench of rotting seaweed? Yeah, that doesn't happen in the Great Lakes. The water may be colder, but it's wonderfully clean.

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