Mysterious Great Lakes. Great Lakes of North America Proximity of settlements

The Great Lakes of North America are a unique natural system consisting of five large lakes connected to each other by rivers and straits. What lakes are honored to be called great, what is the history of their occurrence, and where they are located, we will find out in this article.

General information

The Great Lakes are located on the territory of two states: Canada and the United States of America. They belong to the Atlantic Ocean basin, and the occupied area is 245.2 thousand square meters. km. with a volume of water 22671 cubic meters. km. This water system includes five major freshwater lakes and numerous very small lakes and rivers.

Rice. 1. Great lakes.

In terms of the size of the occupied area, the Great Lakes surpass even Lake Baikal by about 7.5 times. Despite this, Baikal holds a larger amount of water, which indicates the shallow depth of the Great Lakes. The average depth of Lake Baikal is 744 meters, and the depth of the North American Pearl is 147 meters.

The Great Lakes include:

Lake Superior;
Lake Huron;
Lake Michigan;
Lake Erie;
Lake Ontario.

All lakes are interconnected by rivers, canals and straits and together form a unique water system that exists only in North America.

Origin story

The Great Lakes system originates 12 thousand years ago, when the territory of modern North America was covered with ice. Under the influence of tectonic processes, depressions were formed - pits, which gradually filled with fresh water. Where did the water come from? The fact is that the climate gradually changed and the mainland became warmer. The ice melted, and the resulting water filled the depressions, thereby forming lakes.

Lake Michigan

Lake Michigan is the fourth largest freshwater lake in the world. Its peculiarity lies in the fact that it is located exclusively in the United States. All the other "big five" lakes occupy space in both the US and Canada. Scholars often do not separate Huron and Michigan into separate lakes, but treat them as a single entity. After all, they are on the same level and are connected by a deep strait.

In the language of the Indians who originally lived on these lands, the name mishigami is translated as "big water".

Lake Erie

Most of Lake Erie is located in the United States, in Canada it washes the shores of the province of Ontario. It is connected to Lake Ontario by the Niagara River. It is in the bed of this river that the world-famous Niagara Falls is located. Compared to the rest, the lake is not at all deep, the water in it warms up well, which contributes to the reproduction of many species of fish.

Lake Ontario

The last lake in the Great Lakes is Lake Ontario. It is the smallest in this water system. Its area is 20 thousand sq. km. It is connected to the Atlantic Ocean by the St. Lawrence River. Since the Atlantic Ocean is very close, the water in the lake almost never freezes.

In our view, the lake is a small, beautiful, picturesque place for recreation, swimming, fishing. For those who are accustomed to ordinary small bodies of water, it is difficult to imagine that it can be so huge that the horizon is not visible! The great lakes of the world are worthy of admiration! What are they and where are they located?

Tenth place

In tenth place is a huge lake called Nyasa. It is located simultaneously in several Malawi, Mozambique and Tanzania. It occupies a large area - 31.1 thousand square kilometers. Its maximum depth is 706 meters! In this place, in the northern part of Nyasa, the bottom is much lower than sea level. Beautiful nature, steep rocky shores and clear water are admirable. Part of the lake is located in a rocky wide depression. The lake is rich in fish (240 species), crocodiles, hippos, and water birds have found shelter here. Scientists call Nyasa the birthplace of colorful aquarium fish. But the lake is not so calm: strong storms and surf often make navigation difficult.

ninth place

The great lakes of Canada have long been famous for their beauty! Big is the largest in this country and the fourth largest in all of North America. It is located at 185 meters above sea level. There are practically no settlements here. The only place where people live is the southwestern part of the lake called Deline.

Eighth place

Baikal is a lake that is known for its beauty. It is not only the largest in the Great Lakes of the World category, but also the deepest! This small sea is located in the south of Eastern Siberia. It is the largest reservoir. The unique flora and fauna amazes everyone who had the honor to visit here. In the cold season, the lake freezes completely and only in summer is navigation carried out here. The shape of Baikal resembles a crescent moon. Its width ranges from 23 to 81 km.

Seventh place

The great lakes of the world are admirable. And in seventh place is Lake Olkhon. It occupies a huge area of 31,692 sq. km. For comparison, this is the approximate area of countries such as Denmark, Belgium or the Netherlands. Mountain ranges surround the lake on all sides. The nature here is just magical!

Sixth place

In central Africa, there is a beautiful huge lake Tanganyika. It is not only one of the largest, but also one of the oldest. At the same time, the lake is located in countries such as the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Burundi, Tanzania and Zambia. Lake Tanganyika, about 649 km long and about 45-81 km wide, is located at an altitude of 774 meters above sea level in the zone of tectonic faults. Hippos, crocodiles and birds are found here. Developed shipping and fishing. The water temperature varies depending on the climate and depth (25-30 degrees). Since there is no current, in the lower layers of the lake the temperature barely reaches 6 degrees!

Fifth place

The Great Lakes are a true wonder of nature. One of these wonders is the Aral Sea, which occupies the fifth position. Since the end of the twentieth century, the water level here has been constantly decreasing, but it is still considered one of the largest lakes in the world! Unfortunately, due to the fact that the lake was tested here, it became abandoned. In addition, the wind brings various pesticides and chemicals here from the fields. Unfortunately, it is already impossible to save the Aral Sea...

Fourth place

It is one of the largest lakes in the world. It is located entirely in the United States and is connected to several rivers. Its area is about 57,753 km2, Lake Michigan is 500 km long and 191 km wide. Just imagine its size! On its banks are cities such as Chicago, Michigan, Evanston, Milwaukee, Gary, Green Bay and Hammond.

Third place

It is located in the USA and Canada and is famous for its beauty, fauna and flora. Most often, hydrologists group Lakes Michigan and Huron together, but this is a moot point. Its area is 60 thousand square kilometers.

Second place

In second place is Lake Superior - the coldest, largest and deepest of all lakes in the world. The origin of the lake is glacial. There are rocky shores, insanely beautiful flora and fauna - a lot of fish and animals, various plants.

First place

In first place in the category "Great Lakes of the World" - the Caspian Sea. Despite the fact that it is most often called the sea, in fact it is only a huge lake. The length of the coastline is 6,700 kilometers, and if we take into account the islands - 7,000 km. The largest lake in the world - Caspian - a real sea in the middle of the continent!

All of us at the word "lake" imagine a kind of quiet body of water, surrounded by a visible line of the coast. There will be no such lakes in this article.
Have you ever heard of lakes where storm surges occur and are larger than some seas? I present to your attention a selection of "the largest lakes in the world", which includes the 10 largest lakes.
10th place
So, at the end of the list of the largest lakes in the world, we have a lake called Nyasa. It is located simultaneously in Africa, in Mozambique, Tanzania and Malawi.

It is located in a discharge depression at an altitude of 472 m. The area is 30.8 thousand sq. km. Depth up to 706 m (in the northern part of the reservoir, where its bottom lies significantly below sea level). The shores are steep and rocky, high, especially in the north and northeast.

The southern part of the basin lies in a wide depression, the banks are framed by a narrow strip of the coastal plain. The average annual inflow of water into the lake (river runoff plus precipitation) is about 72 km2, evaporation is about 66 km3.

The lake is rich in fish (about 230 species), in particular species of tilapis, crocodiles, hippos, and many waterfowl. With the light hand of some scientists, it is called the birthplace of aquarium fish. Also, Lake Nyasa is characterized by severe storms and surfs near steep banks, which impede navigation (passengers are transported only during the day).

Small, isn't it? There are 9 more such “crumbs” ahead, and they will be by no means less ...
9th place
On the 9th place - Big Bear Lake.

Great Bear Lake is the largest lake in Canada and the fourth largest in North America. The lake is located on the Arctic Circle, between 65 and 67 degrees north latitude and 118 and 123 degrees west longitude, at a level of 186 m above sea level.

The lake has an outflow through the Great Bear River into the Mackenzie River. The only settlements on the lake are Deline on the southwest end and Echo Cove on the northeast side.

On this lake you can see such beauty.

8th place
In eighth place in the list of the largest lakes in the world is Baikal, which is also the deepest lake on the planet.

Baikal is a lake of tectonic origin in the southern part of Eastern Siberia, the deepest lake on the planet Earth, the largest natural reservoir of fresh water. The lake and coastal areas are distinguished by a unique diversity of flora and fauna, most of the species are endemic. Locals and many in Russia traditionally call Baikal the sea.

More than half of the year the lake is ice-bound, the freezing period is January 15 - May 1, navigation is carried out from June to September. Since 1956, the lake has been an integral part of the Irkutsk (Baikal) reservoir of long-term regulation, formed by the dam of the Irkutsk hydroelectric power station.

Baikal is located in the center of Asia, in Russia, on the border of the Irkutsk region and the Republic of Buryatia. The lake stretches from north to southwest for 636 km in the form of a giant crescent. The width of Baikal ranges from 25 to 80 km.

Olkhon Island

The water surface area is 31,722 sq. km, which is approximately equal to the area of countries such as Belgium, the Netherlands or Denmark. The length of the coastline is 2,100 km.

The lake is located in a kind of basin, surrounded on all sides by mountain ranges and hills. At the same time, the western coast is rocky and steep, the relief of the eastern coast is more gentle (in some places the mountains recede from the coast for tens of kilometers).

7th place
Lake Tanganyika is a large lake in Central Africa. This is one of the largest lakes in the world and is equally ancient in origin. In terms of volume and depth, Tanganyika ranks second after Lake Baikal. The shores of the lake belong to four countries - the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Tanzania, Zambia and Burundi.

The lake is about 650 km long and 40-80 km wide. The area is 34 thousand sq. km. Lies at an altitude of 773 meters above sea level in the tectonic basin of the East African Rift Zone. Coastal landscapes, as a rule, are huge rocks and only on the eastern side of the coast are gentle. On the west coast, the steep side walls of the East African Rift Zone, which form the coastline, reach 2,000 m in height. The coastline is dotted with bays and bays. The largest of them is Burton Bay. The lake is fed by several tributaries. The only outflowing river - Lukuga (Lukuga) begins in the middle part of the west coast and flows west, connecting with the Zaire River, which flows into the Atlantic.

The lake is home to hippos, crocodiles, and a lot of waterfowl. Fishing and shipping are well developed.

The antiquity of the lake and the long period of isolation resulted in the development of a large number of endemic organisms, including those from the family Cichlidae (cichlids). Of the more than 200 species of fish living in the lake, about 170 are endemic.

Tanganyika is inhabited to about a depth of 200 m, below this mark there is a high concentration of hydrogen sulfide and life is absent to the very bottom. This layer of the lake is a huge "burial ground" consisting of organic silt and sedimentary mineral compounds.

The water temperature of Tanganyika strictly differs in layers. So, in the upper layer, the temperature ranges from 24 to 30 degrees, with a decrease at great depths. Due to the different density of water and the absence of a bottom current, the layers do not mix, and the temperature at the lower horizons reaches only 6-8 degrees.

The depth of the temperature jump layer is about 100 m. The Tanganika water is very transparent (up to 30 m). Many salts are dissolved in it in small concentrations, so that in its composition it resembles a highly diluted marine one. Water hardness (mainly due to magnesium salts) ranges from 8 to 15 degrees. Water has an alkaline reaction, pH 8.0 - 9.5.

The lake was discovered in 1858 by English travelers R. Burton and J. Speke.

6th place
The sixth among the largest lakes in the world is the Aral Sea.

The Aral Sea is an endorheic salt lake in Central Asia, on the border of Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan. Since the 1960s of the XX century, the sea level (and the volume of water in it) has been rapidly decreasing due to the withdrawal of water from the main supply rivers Amu Darya and Syr Darya for irrigation purposes. Prior to the start of shallowing, the Aral Sea was the fourth largest lake in the world.

Collector-drainage waters coming from the fields into the Syrdarya and Amudarya channels have caused deposits of pesticides and various other agricultural pesticides, appearing in places on 54 thousand square kilometers of the former seabed covered with salt. Dust storms carry salt, dust and pesticides to a distance of up to 500 km. Sodium bicarbonate, sodium chloride and sodium sulfate are airborne and destroy or slow down the development of natural vegetation and crops. The local population suffers from a high prevalence of respiratory diseases, anemia, cancer of the larynx and esophagus, as well as digestive disorders. Diseases of the liver and kidneys, eye diseases have become more frequent.

In 2001, as a result of a drop in the water level, Vozrozhdeniye Island was connected to the mainland. On this island, the Soviet Union tested bacteriological weapons: the causative agents of anthrax, tularemia, brucellosis, plague, typhoid, smallpox, as well as botulinum toxin were tested here on horses, monkeys, sheep, donkeys and other laboratory animals. This is the reason for the fear that deadly microorganisms have retained their viability, and infected rodents may become their distributors in other regions.

According to the calculations of scientists, it is no longer possible to save the Aral Sea. Even if we completely refuse to take water from the Amu Darya and Syr Darya, the previous water level in it will be restored no earlier than in 200 years.
The Aral Sea once occupied 68 thousand square kilometers and was the fourth largest in the world. Now its area is about 10% of that recorded in the 60s of the last century. Pictures from 1989 and 2003:

This is a photo from 2008

From the 1950s to the present, projects have been repeatedly proposed for the construction of a canal for transferring water from the Ob basin to the Aral Sea basin, which would significantly develop the economy of the Aral Sea region (in particular, agriculture) and partially revive the Aral Sea. Such construction will require very large material costs (on the part of several states - Russia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan), therefore, there is no talk of the practical implementation of these projects yet.

Some scientists predict the complete disappearance of the Aral Sea by 2020...

5th place
In the middle of the list of the largest lakes in the world is Lake Michigan - one of the North American Great Lakes.

The only one of the Great Lakes that is entirely within the United States. Located south of Lake Superior, connected to Lake Huron by the Mackinac Strait, to the Mississippi River system - the Chicago-Lockport Canal.

From the point of view of hydrography, Michigan and Huron form a single system, but geographically they are considered to be separate lakes.

The area of Michigan is about 57,750 km2 (the third largest among the Great Lakes), about 500 km long, about 190 km wide. The surface height above sea level is 177 m (as in Huron), the depth is up to 281 m. It is covered with ice for about four months a year. Islands - Beaver, North Manitou, South Manitou.

The states of Michigan, Indiana, Illinois and Wisconsin have access to the lake. Major cities on Lake Michigan include Chicago, Evanston and Highland Park (Illinois), Milwaukee and Green Bay (Wisconsin), Gary and Hammond (Indiana).

The name of the lake comes from the word mishigami, which means "big water" in the Ojibwa language. The first European to discover the lake was the Frenchman Jean Nicolet in 1634.

4th place
Lake Huron is the fourth largest lake in the world. It is a lake in the USA and Canada, one of the North American Great Lakes. Located east of Lake Michigan, connected to it by the Strait of Mackinac. From the point of view of hydrography, Michigan and Huron form a single system (they are connected by the Mackinac Strait), but geographically they are considered to be separate lakes.

The Huron area is about 59.6 thousand km2 (the second largest among the Great Lakes). The surface height above sea level is about 176 m (as in Michigan), the depth is up to 229 m.

The states of Michigan and the Canadian province of Ontario have access to the lake. The main ports on Huron are Saginaw, Bay City, Alpina (USA) and Sarnia (Canada).

The name of the lake, introduced by the French, comes from the name of the Huron Indian tribe.

Manitoulin is located on Huron - the largest island in the world, located in a fresh lake.

3rd place
Closes the top three largest lakes of Victoria - a lake in East Africa, in Tanzania, Kenya and Uganda. Located in the tectonic trough of the East African Platform, at an altitude of 1134 m. This is the 2nd largest freshwater lake in the world after Lake Superior and the largest lake in Africa

The lake was discovered and named after Queen Victoria by British traveler John Henning Speke in 1858.

The area of Lake Victoria is 68 thousand sq. km, the length is 320 km, the maximum width is 275 km. It is part of the Victoria Reservoir. Lots of islands. The high-water Kagera River flows in, the Victoria Nile River flows out. The lake is navigable, the locals are engaged in fishing on it.

The northern coast of the lake crosses the equator. The lake with a maximum depth of 80 m belongs to fairly deep lakes.

Unlike its deep-water neighbors, Tanganyika and Nyasa, which lie within the gorge system of Africa, Lake Victoria fills a shallow depression between the eastern and western sides of the Great Gorge valley. The lake receives a huge amount of water from the rains, more than from all its tributaries.

30 million people live in the vicinity of the lake. On the southern and western shores of the lake, the Haya people live, who knew how to grow coffee long before the arrival of Europeans. Main ports: Entebbe (Uganda), Mwanza, Bukoba (Tanzania), Kisumu (Kenya), near the northern coast of Kampala, the capital of Uganda.

2nd place
In second place is Lake Superior, the largest, deepest and coldest of the Great Lakes and, concurrently, the largest freshwater lake in the world.

In the north, Lake Superior is bounded by the territory of the Canadian province of Ontario, in the west by the US state of Minnesota, in the south by the states of Wisconsin and Michigan.

The basins of Lake Superior and the northern part of Lake Huron were worked out in the crystalline rocks of the southern part of the Canadian Shield, the basins of the other lakes - in the thickness of limestones, dolomites and sandstones of the Paleozoic of the North American Platform. The basin of the Upper Lake was formed as a result of tectonic movements, pre-glacial river and glacial erosion.

The origin of the water mass of the Upper Lake is associated with the melting of the ice sheet, during the retreat of which a number of large lakes were formed in this area, which repeatedly changed their outlines.

In the northern part of the Great Lakes, the coastline is dissected, the islands and shores (up to 400 m high) are rocky, steep, very picturesque, especially the shores of Lake Superior and the northern part of Lake Huron.

Fluctuations in the level of the Upper Lake are artificially regulated for the purposes of navigation, energy, etc. The amplitude of seasonal fluctuations is 30-60 cm, the highest level is observed in summer, the lowest in winter. Short-term level fluctuations caused by strong surge winds and seiches reach 3-4 m, the height of the tides is 3-4 cm

1 place
The Caspian Sea leads the rating of "The largest lakes in the world" - despite the fact that it is called a sea, in fact it is the largest closed lake on the planet. It is located at the junction of Europe and Asia, and is called the sea only because of its size. The Caspian Sea is a drainless lake, and the water in it is salty, from 0.05 ‰ near the mouth of the Volga to 11-13 ‰ in the southeast.

The Caspian Sea is similar in shape to the Latin letter S, its length from north to south is about 1200 kilometers, from west to east - from 195 to 435 kilometers, an average of 310-320 kilometers.

The Caspian Sea is conditionally divided according to physical and geographical conditions into 3 parts - the Northern Caspian, the Middle Caspian and the Southern Caspian. The conditional border between the North and Middle Caspian runs along the line Chechen (island) - Tyub-Karagansky cape, between the Middle and South Caspian - along the line Zhiloy (island) - Gan-Gulu (cape). The area of the Northern, Middle and Southern Caspian is respectively 25, 36, 39 percent of the total area of the Caspian Sea.

The length of the coastline of the Caspian Sea is estimated at about 6500 - 6700 kilometers, with islands - up to 7000 kilometers. The shores of the Caspian Sea in most of its territory are low-lying and smooth. In the northern part, the coastline is indented by water channels and islands of the Volga and Ural deltas, the shores are low and swampy, and the water surface is covered with thickets in many places.

The east coast is dominated by limestone shores adjacent to semi-deserts and deserts. The most winding coasts are on the west coast in the area of the Apsheron Peninsula and on the east coast in the area of the Kazakh Gulf and Kara-Bogaz-Gol.

The territory adjacent to the Caspian Sea is called the Caspian Sea.

The area and volume of water in the Caspian Sea varies significantly depending on fluctuations in water levels. With a water level of 26.75 m, the area is approximately 371,000 km square kilometers, the volume of water is 78,648 cubic kilometers, which is approximately 44 percent of the world's lake water reserves. The maximum depth of the Caspian Sea is in the South Caspian depression, 1025 meters from its surface level. In terms of maximum depth, the Caspian Sea is second only to Baikal (1620 m) and Tanganyika (1435 m). The average depth of the Caspian Sea is 208 meters. At the same time, the northern part of the Caspian Sea is shallow, its maximum depth does not exceed 25 meters, and the average depth is 4 meters.

The Great Lakes of America: unique freshwater mirrors

Lakes are often called the pearls of the Earth. There are hundreds of thousands of them on our planet: completely different, large and small, tropical and polar. Each of them has its own peculiarity, its own, albeit small, secret. Among this great diversity there is a scattering of lakes known to the whole world, which are truly the decoration of the whole continent. These are the American Great Lakes.

Without them, the North American continent is unthinkable.

This unique lake system is located on the border of the USA and Canada. Even an attempt to describe them turns, in essence, into a listing of records. Most guides inform that the system consists of the "magnificent five": Lakes Superior, Huron, Michigan, Erie and Ontario. Sometimes Lake St. Clair is added to them, although it is much smaller in area.

There is one more feature. Lakes Huron and Michigan are interconnected not just by rivers, like all other lakes of the system, but by a wide strait. In addition, their surface level is exactly the same. Based on this, strictly hydrographically, this couple should be considered one body of water, but such an approach is inconvenient in the economic sense, and it contradicts, so to speak, the well-established folk habit.

The Great Lakes are striking in their scale. Their total area is a little more than 244 thousand km², the volume of water is 22,671 km³. Hydrologists have calculated that the Great Lakes contain 18% of the world's fresh water. And how not to compare them with the pearl of Russia, Lake Baikal! It is about 7.5 times smaller in area, but there is even a little more water in Baikal than in the Great Lakes - 24% of the world's freshwater reserves!

The comparison, in particular, makes it unequivocal that despite the vast area, the Great Lakes are relatively shallow. Indeed, the largest among them, the Upper, has an average depth of only 147 meters (at Baikal it is 744 meters).

The northern shores of the lakes are predominantly wooded, sparsely populated, suitable for recreation and tourism. A network of important industrial centers arose along the southern coasts.

All lakes are interconnected by rivers and narrow straits. Several hundred rivers flow into them, but they are all small, of local importance. Only one large river flows out of the system - the St. Lawrence. It carries the fresh water of the lakes to the Atlantic Ocean.

The flow of water in this river significantly exceeds the amount that comes into lakes with small streams. The fact is that the food of the giants occurs mainly due to underground sources and precipitation.

The relief of the mainland in the place where the lakes are located has a general slope from north to south. Thus, the northernmost of the giants, Lake Superior, also has the highest height above sea level. The farther south, the level of the next lake is slightly lower. The largest difference is between lakes Erie and Ontario: the Niagara track flows between them with its world-famous waterfall.

The lakes are incredibly rich in fish, this is a real Klondike for fishing lovers. It is estimated that the Great Lakes are home to 174 species of fish!

History of the Great Lakes System of America

Geologists have determined that the Great Lakes system was formed, by historical standards, quite recently, about 12 thousand years ago. At that time, almost the entire surface of North America was covered with a thick layer of ice, apparently reaching at least a kilometer. The mass of ice pushed through the earth's crust, forming a kind of lens. These lenses gradually deepened under the influence of the glacier: he raked out their bottom, like a gigantic bulldozer.

When the ice age on the planet ended, the mass of ice melted, and part of its waters turned out to be in depressions, as if in a trap. Thus formed what is now called the Great American Lakes. Studying the chemical composition of the fossils, scientists came to the conclusion that in ancient times the water temperature in the lakes was much lower than now.

The amount of water reserves in the lake system is slowly but steadily decreasing. However, this trend is observed throughout the planet.

Brief description of the Great Lakes of America

Each of the Great American Lakes is unique, worthy of a separate large description. Only the most general information can be listed here.

Lake Superior

Even among such gigantic reservoirs, it is a giant! Suffice it to say that the volume of water in the lake is approximately equal to the total volume in the remaining four lakes of the Big Five. Among his records, the following should be mentioned:

The largest freshwater lake in the world by area;
The deepest among the Great Lakes;
The northernmost in this group, and the most elevated relative to the World Ocean - 186 m above its level;
During storms, the wave height here exceeds 10 meters.

The upper one is located mostly in Canada, its northern shores are usually rocky, covered with forests, the southern ones are gentle and sandy. The St. Marys River flows out of it, flowing into the Huron. Washes the states - Minnesota and Michigan.

Lake Huron

The coastline of Lake Huron is incredibly indented, and is more than 6 thousand km! (For comparison - from Moscow to Madrid only 3440 km). As already mentioned, the lake is connected to Lake Michigan by a wide (3 km wide) Strait of Mackinac.

It is characteristic that there are about 30 thousand islands on Huron, among them the largest is Manitoulin Island. It is remarkable at least for the fact that it bears the title of the largest earthly island located in a freshwater lake. The state of Luxembourg would fit on it, and there would still be some free space left. There are also lakes on Manitoulin, among them a large one - Manitou. And this is not the whole “matryoshka”, Manitou has its own islands with lakes!

The average depth of Huron is 59 meters. It borders the US state of Michigan and the Canadian province of Ontario.

Lake Michigan

Of all the Great Lakes, only it is located exclusively in the United States. Its average depth is 85 meters, the length of the coastline is over 1.5 thousand km. The lake is covered with ice for several months of the year. The reservoir suffers from industrial load, because such a large city as Chicago is located in the immediate vicinity. In recent decades, the country's authorities have been doing a lot to improve the ecological picture in Michigan, and there are great successes in this direction.

Lake Erie

Stretched from southwest to northeast for 390 km. The average depth is 19 meters. It is mainly located in the United States, but also enters the Canadian province of Ontario. Due to the shallow depth, the waters of the lake warm up well, so there is excellent fishing, as well as many farms breeding fry. However, the so-called "dead zones" associated with phosphorite pollution are also observed in the lake. These zones have been significantly reduced in the last 20 years. The shores of Erie are also famous for their vineyards, because the climate here is milder than in places similar in latitude, but far from the water.

Lake Ontario

The smallest in area among the "big five", with an average depth of 86 meters. It closes the entire system, dumping water into the Atlantic. The largest cities in the area are Toronto, Kingston and Rochester. The proximity of the ocean and shallow depth lead to the fact that the lake never freezes, there are almost no storms here. There are many nature reserves, places for organized family holidays on the coast; No wonder the name of the lake from the language of the Huron Indians is translated as “beautiful”.

Interesting facts about America's Great Lakes

The entire system of the Great American Lakes is a huge network of canals, rivers, shipping routes, the total length of which exceeds 3 thousand km. Lakes provide work and water to tens of millions of people. The total length of the coastline of the unique lake system is about 18 thousand km, which significantly exceeds the length of the US land border!

It is noteworthy that storms with huge waves often occur on lakes, especially the largest ones. It is estimated that over 600 ships have sunk in the waters of the Five over the past two centuries!

During World War II, American pilots used the Great Lakes to practice takeoffs and landings on aircraft carriers. 18,000 pilots were trained, and about 300 aircraft were sunk!

Quite mystical is an obscure phenomenon when on the lakes, in completely calm, calm weather, giant waves rise, with crushing force flying onto the shores. The Indians called this phenomenon "three sisters." Scientific explanations boil down to the fact that the bottom of the lakes sometimes experiences sharp fluctuations. It remains a mystery that, at the same time, the surrounding seismic stations do not record any tremors.

Entire books can be written about the Great American Lakes. They were the cradle for many Indian tribes, the first European settlements were formed around them. And now these natural pearls have become indispensable for the two great powers, the USA and Canada, successfully fitting into their economy and culture, being an adornment of the whole continent, and in fact, the property of the entire planet.

The Great Lake is one of the most popular places for fishing in the entire Vladimir region. The reservoir is located not far from Vyazniki, and it will be convenient to get here both from Vladimir and Nizhny Novgorod. Don't miss your chance and be sure to take a ride to the pond next weekend.

Peculiarities

The Great Lake is the second largest body of water in the region and at the same time acts as one of the most popular places for fishing. Fish such as tench, roach, rotan and pike are found in this reservoir, and they are caught just fine here. The only negative is that during the period of fish spawning, the authorities of the region introduce temporary fishing restrictions, and therefore, before going to the lake, it is necessary to check the spawning schedule and the bans on fishing.

The reservoir will also be of interest to fans of eco-tourism and lovers of clean, gas-free corners of nature. Not far from the wetlands of the land, you can pick cranberries, lingonberries, blueberries and blueberries. In the lakeside groves you can see birches, larches, pines and spruces, as well as hear the gentle singing of nightingales. Of the other birds in the reservoir, there are blue-gray gulls, white jocks, great grebes and sea eagles.

Sadly, due to the lack of proper care, the Great Lake began to gradually overgrow. Here you can increasingly see reed islands, clusters of black alder and cattail. But at the same time, the most beautiful white water lilies appear here, which are especially pleasant to admire in summer.

There are two islands on the reservoir - a large island Berezovy and a very small island Sosnovka. However, these islands will not be particularly interesting to visit, so it is not necessary to look at them at all.

How to get there

The Great Lake is located in the Vyaznikovsky district of the Vladimir region, not far from the regional center. From Vladimir to this reservoir you will need to drive about 130 kilometers, and from Nizhny Novgorod - 120 kilometers. To get here from Vladimir, we recommend using the railway and getting to the Vyazniki station, and then transfer to a regular bus and get to the village of Malye Udoli. If you go to the lake by car, then go to it along the highway to Nizhny Novgorod and pass Bogolyubovo, Penkino, Pavlovskoye and Chudinovo. In Vyazniki, leave the main road, find the road that crosses the Klyazma, and follow it to Zaborochya, and then to Maly Udoli. The reservoir you need is located 3 kilometers from the indicated settlement.

Coordinates 56°16′47″N (56.279684) 42°18′17″E (42.304754)

Object data:

Area 2.8 km²

Depth up to 2.05 m

Nature

Restrictions

Guides nearby

Community

Severe preppers