Why are Lake Michigan and Huron different lakes?

Because of the relatively small depth and width of the Straits of Mackinac compared to the water bodies it connects, the distinct basins that these occupy, and historical naming convention, Lake Michigan and Lake Huron are usually considered distinct.



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P.H. Hoeft State Park. Located along a sandy stretch of Lake Huron Beach, P.H. Hoeft State Park features some of Lake Huron's only sand dunes. The crystal-clear Lake Huron water is perfect for swimming and splashing, and there's a children's playground, too.

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Lake Huron was originally called La Mer Douce, or “the freshwater sea,” by French explorers. It later got its name from the Huron people who lived along its shores. It forms the eastern outline of Michigan's Mitten, including the distinctive Thumb which is dotted with port towns and shelters Saginaw Bay.

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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). By most measures, it is the healthiest of all the Great Lakes.

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Not only is this lake massive - spanning 307 miles in either direction - but its shores also run parallel, causing unique wave shapes. The shapes of these waves are what contribute to rip tides, which are one of the most dangerous things swimmers can encounter in the water.

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The blue in Lake Michigan and Lake Huron is sediment brought to the surface when strong winds churned the lakes. The green in Lake Erie and in Lake Huron's Saginaw Bay is algae, which builds on the surface when winds are calm.

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Lake Michigan is the only Great Lake that is entirely within U.S. territory. The Great Lakes touch 8 states – but Michigan is the only state that touches four lakes, with borders on Superior, Michigan, Huron and Erie.

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Europeans derived Lake Michigan's name from the Anishinaabemowin word mishigami, meaning “big lake.” It is the second largest Great Lake by volume and third by area surface; it is the only one located entirely within the United States.

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Situated in south-east Siberia, the 3.15-million-ha Lake Baikal is the oldest (25 million years) and deepest (1,700 m) lake in the world. It contains 20% of the world's total unfrozen freshwater reserve.

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Lake Erie is the shallowest, warmest, and most productive of the Great Lakes. Three distinct basins provide a variety of offshore habitats. The Detroit River, Maumee River, and smaller tributaries drain into the western basin, which averages 24 feet deep and contains extremely nutrient-rich water.

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Although no one recommends drinking water directly from Lake Huron (seagull feces is one of the pollutants that can create issues), many shoreline municipalities receive their treated drinking water from the lake.

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Lake Michigan in particular is the roughest of the Great Lakes, and poses a major risk to those thinking of taking a dip.

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