Invasive zebra mussels are mostly responsible for the increased clarity of Lake Michigan. About 25 years ago, Lake Michigan's water was somewhat of a brownish-green color, very different from the pristine blue-green appearance of today.
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Lake Michigan is generally clean and safe for swimming but it can become contaminated with harmful bacteria.
It gets more complicated when there are suspended solids in the water. The solids reflect light, making the color of the lake seem greenish or murky. Lake Michigan looks bluer than it did in the past. Clearer, bluer water is a sign that something is removing phytoplankton, which includes a form of green algae.
A north-northeast wind has pushed the warmer surface water along the Michigan shore back toward the middle of Lake Michigan and brought up colder water from well beneath the surface. This process is called upwelling.
There are nearly 1,500 shipwrecks sprawled across Lake Michigan's sandy floor, many dating back to the early 1800s! Swallowed by the water from ferocious storms, high waves, or fire, what remains of them now are wooden ribs, frames, and memories.
Lake Michigan has the longest stretch from north to south of all the Great Lakes, giving it a very diverse climate, which allows for a wide variety of plant and animal species. The lake boasts a variety of natural habitats, including tallgrass prairies, wide savannas, and the world's largest freshwater sand dunes.
Because of their sea-like characteristics, such as rolling waves, sustained winds, strong currents, great depths, and distant horizons, the five Great Lakes have long been called inland seas.
Lake Surface TemperatureSurface temperatures of Lake Michigan follow a monthly pattern with the warmest temperatures occurring in late summer and early fall and the coolest temperatures occurring in late winter and early spring (Figure 17).
Though not as warm as the oceans, temperatures of Lake Michigan do rise to the high 60s in July and August to make swimming enjoyable, and definitely refreshing! Rarely do temperatures make it to the 70s, unless air temperatures stay up in the 90's for many continuous days.