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Physical Facts
Some Physical Features of the Great Lakes
|
Great Lake
|
Totals
|
Feature |
Units |
Superior
|
Michigan
|
Huron
|
Erie
|
Ontario
|
|
Average
Deptha |
feet |
483 |
279 |
195 |
62 |
283 |
|
meters |
147 |
85 |
59 |
19 |
86 |
Maximum
Deptha |
feet |
1,332 |
925 |
750 |
210 |
802 |
|
meters |
406 |
282 |
229 |
64 |
244 |
Volumea
|
miles3
|
2,900 |
1,180 |
850 |
116 |
393 |
5,439
|
|
km3 |
12,100 |
4,920 |
3,540 |
484 |
1,640 |
22,684
|
|
Water
Area |
miles2 |
31,700 |
22,300 |
23,000 |
9,910 |
7,340 |
94,250
|
|
km2 |
82,100 |
57,800 |
59,600 |
25,700 |
18,960 |
244,160
|
Land
Drainage Areab |
miles2
|
49,300 |
45,600 |
51,700 |
30,140 |
24,720 |
201,460
|
|
km2 |
127,700 |
118,000 |
134,100 |
78,000 |
64,030 |
521,830
|
Shoreline
Lengthc |
miles |
2,726 |
1,638 |
3,827 |
871 |
712 |
10,210d
|
|
km |
4,385 |
2,633 |
6,157 |
1,402 |
1,146 |
17,017d
|
|
Population:
|
U.S.
1990 |
425,548 |
10,057,026 |
1,502,687 |
10,017,530 |
2,704,284 |
24,707,075
|
|
Canada 1991 |
181,573 |
|
1,191,467 |
1,664,639 |
5,446,611 |
8,484,290
|
Totals:
|
|
607,121
|
10,057,026
|
2,694,154
|
11,682,169
|
8,150,895
|
33,191,365
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Retention
Time |
years
|
191
|
99
|
22
|
2.6
|
6
|
|
|
Notes:
a Measured at Low Water Datum.
b Land Drainage Area for Lake Huron
includes St. Marys River.
Lake Erie includes the St. Clair-Detroit
system.
Lake Ontario includes the Niagara River.
c Including islands.
d These totals are greater
than the sum of the shoreline length for
the lakes because they include the connecting
channels (excluding the St. Lawrence River).
Source: Great
Lakes Atlas
|
|