The Five Famous Great Lakes of
North America
By Sherri Dickie
When the last ice age ended about four thousand years ago, the glaciers
melted and formed North America's five Great Lakes. Glaciers are made up
of fallen snow accumulated over many years that compresses into large,
thickened ice masses. Lakes Superior, Michigan, Huron, Erie, and Ontario
make up the Great Lakes system. The Great Lakes contain one fifth of the
world's fresh surface water, making them the largest system of freshwater on
earth.
1
From Duluth, Michigan, at the western tip of Lake Superior to the outlet
of Lake Ontario the Great Lakes are 1,160 miles (1,867 km) in length. This
natural international boundary between Canada and the United States runs
through the center of Lake Superior, Lake Huron, Lake Erie and Lake
Ontario. All of the Great Lakes are connected to each other by either natural
and/or man-made links.
2
Lake Superior is the largest, deepest, and coldest of the Great Lakes. It is
about six hundred feet above sea level with a depth of 1,332 feet. St. Mary's
River connects Lake Superior to Lake Huron, and the Sault (pronounced
Soo) St. Marie Locks bypass the St. Mary's rapids. The city of Duluth, on
the southwestern point of Lake Superior, is the only international port
located so deep in the United States. Lake Superior's drainage basin is rich in
natural resources and scenic beauty. A drainage basin or watershed is a
region of land where water from rain or melted snow drains downhill into a
body of water, such as a river, lake, estuary, wetland, sea, or ocean.
3
Lake Michigan is the only one of the Great Lakes solely located in the
United States. Lake Michigan is connected to Lake Huron at the Straits of
Makinac. The world's largest freshwater dunes can be found on Lake
Michigan's shoreline. The dunes provide habitat for rare native plants and
animals such as the piping plover and the Pitcher's thistle. They also shelter
other important geological features such as coastal wetlands. The city of
Chicago is located on the southernmost tip of Lake Michigan.
4
Lake Huron is the second largest of the Great Lakes and has the longest
shoreline. The Detroit River, St. Clair River, and Lake St. Clair connect
Lake Huron and Lake Erie to each other. Georgian Bay, the largest bay on
the Great Lakes, is located on Lake Huron. Manitoulin Island, the world's
largest island within a freshwater lake, is also on Lake Huron. Ships pass
through Lake Huron at the Sault St. Marie locks.
5
Lake Erie and Lake Ontario are linked by the Niagara River with a
detour around Niagara Falls at the Welland Canal. Lake Erie is the warmest
and shallowest of the Great Lakes, and the only lake that freezes over during
6
the winter. It is also the busiest lake with thirteen major industrial
distribution centers.
Lake Ontario is the smallest of the Great Lakes. The city of Toronto, the
capital of Ontario, is situated on the shores of Lake Ontario. Ships navigate
back and forth along the Great Lakes, through Lake Ontario to the St.
Lawrence Seaway. From the seaway they sail on to worldwide distribution
centers by way of the Gulf of St Lawrence at the mouth of the Atlantic
Ocean.
7
Copyright © 2010 edHelper
Name
_____________________________
Date
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The Five Famous Great Lakes of North America
1. The five Great Lakes are
2. How is a glacier made?
Superior, St. Clair, Huron, Erie
and Ontario.
False
True
3. The Great Lakes make up one-
fifth of the world's freshwater.
False
True
5. What lake is famous for its dunes,
and why are the dunes important?
4. Lake Erie and Lake Ontario are
connected by:
Straits of Mackinac
Sault Ste. Marie Canal
Welland Canal
Niagara River
Name
_____________________________
Date
___________________
The Five Famous Great Lakes of North America
How have the Great Lakes led to good relations between United States and Canada?