If you have never lived on one of the five Great Lakes, you may not know their names. The easiest way to remember them is the acronym HOMES: Huron, Ontario, Michigan, Erie, and Superior. Cleveland sits on the shores of Lake Erie. Here is what you need to know to become a Great Lakes Local.
The Great Lakes
The Great Lakes system includes five large lakes, one small lake (Lake St. Clair), four connecting channels, and the St. Lawrence Seaway. The large lakes are Huron, Ontario, Michigan, Erie, and Superior.
The Great Lakes hold about 90% of the fresh water in the US and approximately 20% of the world's fresh water supply. Forty million residents of the United States and Canada depend on this system for clean drinking water. The ecoregion contains a variety of habitats, including aquatic, forest, marsh, wetland, and dune ecosystems. Widely varying climate, soils, and topography support more than 3,500 species of plants and animals.
Want to learn more? The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is a great source of information.
We may be biased, but we feel that Lake Erie is the best of the Great Lakes.
Lake Erie
Size and Temperature
Contrary to popular belief, you cannot see the other side of the lake, not even on a clear day. It is 241 miles wide and 57 miles straight north to Canada. Lake Erie is the fourth largest lake in the US and the 11th largest in the world. It is the shallowest of the Great Lakes, so it warms up quickly in the summer. The average water temp in July is 70°, refreshing but not shocking. In comparison, the average July temperature of Lake Ontario is 67°, Lake Michigan is 61°, Lake Huron is 59°, and Lake Superior is 44° (Brr!).
Water Quality and Recreation
Shallow depths prevent Lake Erie from absorbing as much urban and industrial discharge as deeper bodies of water. At the same time, a smaller volume of water allows quicker cleaning. Lake Erie has the shortest retention time of any of the Great Lakes: a drop of water moves through Lake Erie in 2.6 years compared with six years in Lake Ontario and 191 years in Lake Superior. Fun Fact: Every six years Lake Erie replaces all of its water. Check out the our blog post for more water quality insights.
Water quality is actively monitored by Nowcast through the US Geological Survey for some of Greater Cleveland's most popular beaches.
Vermilion Main Street Beach: A public swimming beach in downtown Vermilion featuring an observation deck, a kayak/canoe launch, benches, an ADA mobility mat, and a concession stand.
Edgewater Park: 9,000 feet of shoreline, dog and swim beaches, boat ramps, fishing pier, picnic areas and grills, and a rentable pavilion.
Huntington Reservation: Swim or a stroll along the beach and take in the beauty of Lake Erie from Bay Village.
Villa Angela Beach: A favorite location for swimming, bird and monarch butterfly observation.
Euclid Beach Park: Features a 650-foot beach with shaded picnic areas, a scenic observation pier, and a reservable pavilion.
Headland Beach State Park: Sunbathe, swim, hunt for beach glass and view the sunset. Picnicking is available throughout the park as well as seasonal concession.
These beaches and other Lake Erie spots provide extensive recreation opportunities. People use the lake for swimming, sailing, boating, crew, kayaking, paddleboarding, fishing, and much more. Due to its warm summer temperatures, swimming in Lake Erie is comfortable. Cleveland MetroParks operates many of these locations and provides frequent swimming status updates. Both Lake Metroparks and Lorain County Metro Parks also manage several Lake Erie beaches with lots of programming and recreational activities.
Kayaking on Lake Erie.
Edgewater Park.
Headlands Walking Path.
Lake Erie's warmer water means it takes longer to freeze thereby extending the shipping and recreation seasons. Freighters and tankers typically use the lake until mid-December, resuming in mid-February, two weeks earlier than Lake Michigan.
The Great Lakes St. Lawrence Seaway System
Lake Erie is vital to area commerce and an important link in the Great Lakes St. Lawrence Seaway System, a 3,700 km "marine highway" that extends from the Atlantic Ocean to the Great Lakes. Over 200 million tons of cargo travel on the waterway on an annual basis.
Ships from more than 50 nations call at Seaway ports in Canada and the US. The Port of Cleveland was the first major US port on the Great Lakes for ships transitioning to the Seaway. Check out the graphic below that shows how 1,000' freighters make their way through Cleveland to the Atlantic Ocean and around the globe.
Great Lakes St. Lawrence Seaway System. Courtesy of Seagrant.com.
Photo Credits Preview modal-
Photo Credits
Lake Erie. Courtesy of The Cleveland Traveler.
Solstice Steps at Lakewood Park, Photo Courtesy of The Cleveland Traveler.
Kayaking on Lake Erie, Courtesy of Lake Erie Adventure Company via Facebook.
Edgewater Park, Courtesy of Destination Cleveland.
Headlands Walking Path. Courtesy of Dave Kuhar.
Headlands Beach and Fairport Harbor West Breakwater Lighthouse. Courtesy of Dave Kuhar.
Sailing on Lake Erie, Photo Courtesy of Cleveland Professional 2030 Sailing Charter.
Great Lakes St. Lawrence Seaway System. Courtesy of Seagrant.com.
Comments