Another issue is if you are out there swimming, a massive wave can disorient or drown you. But a vast re-engineering over the past century has transformed Okeechobee into something life-threatening as much as life-giving. Erie is the most southerly, shallow, and biologically diverse of all of the Great Lakes. A Ship Graveyard in Lake Erie November 8, 2020 JPEG The name Lake Erie is believed to have originated as a shortened version of erielhonan a word meaning "long-tailed cat" in the language of the Iroquois tribe that once lived along the lake's southern shores. Lake Erie is like March, but in reverse:The lake's watersarrivequietly, like a lamb, but goout roaring like a lion. It warms quickly in the spring and summer and cools quickly in the fall. Here you will find a quaint, maritime-like town and sweeping, sandy beaches. They are doing their best to prevent any illegal dumping of pollutants into the water. Its shallow depth makes it the warmest Great Lake and a favourite destination for summer recreationists and migrating birds. Approximately twelve million people live in the watershed, including seventeen metropolitan areas with more than 50,000 residents. Second, if you run into trouble while swimming, there will be no one around to help you. Ms. Remote Sensing. Those characteristics are shared by the lake. Canyon Lake Texas: The Most Beautiful Place in Texas. From the supply of freshwater to the soil itself, the Great Lakes create rich agricultural lands. If youre going to the western end of Lake Erie this month, check the Lake Erie HAB forecast here before you go. It is the essential source of information and ideas that make sense of a world in constant transformation. If you decide to swim in these areas, wear a swimming cap and goggles and stay away from the edges where the water is particularly turbulent. Its easier to see how shallow it is in this diagram from Michigan Sea Grant. Many recreational activities are available at Lake Erie, including swimming, fishing, boating, and hiking. The reason for this is that lake water can contain harmful bacteria and other contaminants that can cause skin irritation, rashes, and other health problems. A lock (LockA locked padlock) or https:// means youve safely connected to the .gov website. This shallow depth makes the lake very dangerous during storms. With a mean surface height of 570 feet (170 metres) above sea level, Erie has the smallest mean depth (62 feet) of the Great Lakes, and its deepest point is 210 feet. An official website of the United States government. These events negatively impact the lakes critical $12.9 billion tourism industry and world class fishery. We must work together to understand and protect this critical ecosystem. Excessive algal growth in Lake Erie threatens the ecosystem and human health of a waterbody that provides drinking water for 12 million people in the U.S. and Canada. Third, if you get lost while swimming, no one will help you find your way back. In fact, half of Canada's prime agricultural lands sit on the north shores of Lake Erie and across to Lake Ontario. Luckily, steps were taken to reclaim the lake before it was totally destroyed. To revisit this article, visit My Profile, thenView saved stories. Battle of Lake Erie The first European to see Lake Erie, when the Iroquois inhabited the region, was probably the French Canadian explorer Louis Jolliet in 1669, although some credit the Frenchman tienne Brl with its exploration as early as 1615. fromLake Erie Binational Nutrient Management Strategy, 2011. The water is cold and can cause hypothermia (a condition in which the bodys temperature drops below 95 degrees Fahrenheit). Several shipwrecks have been in the lake, and many people have died. Since the 1970s, intensive cleanup efforts have decreased pollution levels, but only partially. Lake Erie formed when the glaciers retreated and left behind high-ground sand ridges. . Lake Erie is home to an abundance of boats and swimmers, making it one of the most popular places for recreational boating. You have risks to swimmers and boaters alike. Gene Ware is the author of 10 books. There are also concerns that long-term exposure could lead to organ damage and the risk of certain neurological disorders. Secure .gov websites use HTTPS The drop from Lake Huron to Lake Erie is less than 11 feet. Footnote 4 The direction of flow through the lake is west to east, so loadings to the western basin also have a significant impact on conditions in . Runoff from pesticides has been the leading factor in this toxic algae. About one third of the total population of the Great Lakes basin resides within the Lake Erie watershed. In order to avoid this, swim parallel to the shore until you are free from the current. The western basin is very shallow, with an average depth of 7.4 metres (24 ft) and a maximum depth of 19 metres (62 ft). To revisit this article, select My Account, thenView saved stories, 2023 Cond Nast. 2. In Ohio alone, recreational fishing for the lake's prized walleye, perch and other species brings in more than $1 billion a year. Eries sandy shores touch the Province of Ontario and four U.S. states New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Michigan. Lake Erie is 210 feet (64 meters) deep at its deepest point. With an average depth of just 24 feet (7 meters), this area is especially hazardous to ships because it features several rocky outcrops, shoals, and islands. Poor water quality can cause severe illnesses, especially with E-Coli in particular. The first was published Feb. 20 and can be found atbit.ly/3pnMzN5. If youre planning a trip to Lake Erie, be sure to read this guide first to make safe choices! In this guide, we explain what causes the threat and how you can avoid it. The Northeast Ohio, Akron, and Toledo sewer districts are estimated to contribute the bulk of the sewage that find its way into the lake. (Solved), Why Do People Hate Jordan Peterson? A group of 18 people were stranded on Lake Erie with all-terrain vehicles after an ice crack left them without a way back to land. Save your favourite destinations, activities, and articles to start creating your very own personalized Great Lakes Guide. Other prominent ports are Sandusky, Huron, Lorain, and Fairport Harbor (in Ohio), Erie (in Pennsylvania), and Port Colborne (in Ontario). These images of the five Great Lakes show ice beginning to build up around the shores of each of the lakes, with snow on the ground across virtually the entire scene. In contrast, Lake Superior has more than 30 times the water volume of Lake Erie, and its average depth is 483 feet. I can understand that what is known as the Lake Erie Quadrangle a 2,500-square-mile section of the lake located between Long Point, Ontario, and Erie has claimed more than450 shipwrecks over the years. Invasive zebra and quagga mussels, which arrived in the Great Lakes in the 1980s, cover most surfaces of the wreck. Lake Superior emerges, well, superior in terms of total surface area, water volume, and both average and . It only measures 210 at its deepest point. All maps, graphics, flags, photos and original descriptions 2023 worldatlas.com. Flight Center. Land Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. An earlier proposal for a 60,000-acre system was scuttled when agricultural operators, primarily sugar cane growers, objected. This is why on any lake you'll usually see the near-shore shallow water freezing before more distant deeper water. While thats a few feet below the dikes potential danger zone, history has shown that Okeechobee can swell by that much in less than a month. The comments section is closed. Its average depth is just 62 feet, yet it is usually a mere 30 feet or less in the western basin. We also provide tips on getting help if you get into trouble. Theyve done their best to clean it up. The water temperature can vary widely depending on where you are swimming. Swimmers itch is not serious and can be treated with over-the-counter medicines. However, it is important to be aware of the dangers of the lake before participating in any of these activities. In the mid-2000s, for example, a particularly rainy period raised Okeechobees level by about four feet in just a month. This project has received funding support from the Government of Ontario. Point Pelee National Park lies on the northwestern shore in southern Ontario. All rights reserved. Copyright 2022 lakeaccess.org - Sitemap, 22 Best Lakes in Arizona North to South. Toledo Metropolitan Area Council of Governments ($497,258) for agricultural watershed management implementation. . Yet critics worry its still not enough, particularly as the world keeps warming. It started in the 1990s from severe pollution. Erie is the most biologically productive and diverse of all the Great Lakes due to its warm . WIRED is where tomorrow is realized. Erie is the most southerly, shallow, and biologically diverse of all of the Great Lakes. June 11 was a Sunday a boat day near Stuart on the coast. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); "Outside My Window" Copyright 2023 Kate St. John All Rights Reserved. Despite being the shallowest Great Lake, Lake Erie provides the most fish of all the Great Lakes. Stratification refers to the layering that occurs, particularly in the warmer months, where a warmer, less dense layer of water (the epilimnion) overlies a colder denser layer (the hypolimnion). These increased nutrient levels cause periodic algal blooms, creating dead zones by using up all the oxygen in the water. Stratification refers to the layering that occurs, particularly in the warmer months, where a warmer, less dense layer of water (the epilimnion) overlies a colder denser layer (the hypolimnion). The lighter swirls in the lake are plumes of sediment churned up by storm winds and discharged by rivers. Among the obstacles is Kelleys Island, about 10 miles offshore of Sandusky. Theyre worried about the next several weeks. Open lake phosphorus concentrations declined due to the joint efforts made. Alongside this astounding biodiversity, more than 11 million people get their drinking water from the Lake Erie watershed. Here you will find a wide variety of produce, including fruit, grains, and other crops. To avoid these dangers, wear a life jacket when swimming and during big waves, drink plenty of water, be aware of the signs of drowning, know how to swim if you get into trouble, and shout for help if you are in danger. During the 1960s water quality issues in the Great Lakes became a concern and Lake Erie was perceived to be "dying". Lake Erie is the shallowest of Great Lakes with an average depth of 62 feet. Point Pelee is a dark sky reserve, free from artificial light pollution, highlighting skies peppered with millions of stars. Bring plenty of food and water, and make sure your boat is in good condition. The ailing vessel sank about 3 miles offshore, descending 43 feet to the lakes muddy bottom, where the remains can still be found today. Lake Erie is richer in nutrients and fish than the other basins of the lake. Lake Erie has killed several people. Obtaining the land through eminent domain wasnt an option after the Florida Legislature in 2017 prohibited allowing the state to force a sale. JavaScript appears to be disabled on this computer. . Like all of the small islands in this area, there are several nearby shipwrecks, but Kelleys began to attract extra attention when Tom Kowalczk, a member of CLUE, discovered the remains of what may be the oldest wreck in Lake Erie. Even though Lake Erie has some problems, it remains a major place for people to fish, swim, boat, sunbathe and generally enjoy themselves. The releases were necessary because an old fear had returned. These blooms can release toxins that can harm humans and animals, so avoiding contact with them is essential. In contrast, the Bermuda Triangle has claimed only 115 ships and is five times as large. Official websites use .gov The shallowness of the lake actually makes the waves worse., Storms and waves are probably the number one reason ships sank in Lake Erie, said Magee, the co-founder of a Cleveland-based group of underwater explorers (CLUE) that search for Lake Erie shipwrecks. Everybody keeps their fingers crossed that we wont have a rainy summer, and that the toxins that are in the lake, stay in the lake, he said. While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement and Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement and Your California Privacy Rights. Fish is bountiful in the central basin when walleye migrate from the western basin in mid-summer. Photographs courtesy of David VanZandt (Cleveland Underwater Explorers). " Average surface water temperature in the lake has rebounded to within 1.68 degrees of the average of the . Intense pollution of the lake resulted in the closing of many beaches and resorts in the 1960s, but by the late 1970s the environmental damage had begun to be arrested. Dan Egan is the author of The Devils Element: Phosphorus and a World Out of Balance and a journalist in residence at the Center for Water Policy at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukees School of Freshwater Sciences. Water can appear calm and easy, but there may be rip currents that are just beneath the surface. Drownings can occur in Lake Erie, but they are less common than on other Great Lakes. It produces a liver toxin that can be deadly. Not only that, but most of the water that flows through the lake moves north and empties out through the Niagara River before entering Lake Ontario. The dangers of ingesting microplastics have yet to be fully understood, and there is no way to protect oneself from them currently. However, the lakes average depth is only 62 feet (19 meters). You also have to worry about being dragged against the bottom that is full of rocks. There are shoes you can purchase that are designed specifically for swimming. There are rocks within the Lake Erie watershed that date back 400 million years ago, formed from an ancient tropical ocean reef habitat. Keep hydrated and wear life jackets when visiting the lake. A Harmful Algal Bloom in Lake Erie from 2013. Check the weather forecast before you go, and be prepared for rough conditions. Recent years have seen record-setting algal blooms and associated dead zones oxygen depleted areas created when algae die and decompose set records in recent years. Walleye, yellow perch, lake sturgeon, brook trout, lake whitefish, muskellunge, and introduced salmon species are among the many kinds of fish in the Great Lakes. This particular brand of algae is incredibly toxic to animals and people alike. Land Any closer and she risked choking on the lakes lung-burning fumes. Lake Erie is thought to have been one of the first of the lakes to be formed. Lake Erie is talked about a lot for how many drownings have happened there. He serves on the board of the Presque Isle Light Station and is past chairman of the boards of the Tom Ridge Center Foundation and the Presque Isle Partnership. The water in Lake Erie is notoriously cold, even in the summer months. The photograph above shows a railing on the Sultan, a wooden cargo ship that went down in shallow waters about 8 miles northeast of Cleveland. Its a beautiful lake, but sometimes it can be dangerous or even deadly. Similar in motion to a seesaw, a seiche is a standing wave in which the largest vertical oscillations are at each end of a body of water with very . In the Battle of Lake Erie, an important engagement of the War of 1812, U.S. Commodore Oliver H. Perry defeated a British squadron at Put-in-Bay, Ohio, and secured the Northwest for the United States. The first step is to visit this warm, productive, shallow, diverse, and sandy lake and experience firsthand all that Lake Erie has to offer. The immediate dangers include lung infections and gastrointestinal distress. Today, Lake Erie has the Great Lakes' most abundant fish population, in part because it is so nutrient-rich. But in recent years her relationship with the lake has soured. In the mid-2000s, for example, a particularly rainy period raised Okeechobee's level by about four feet in just a month. Lake Erie, fourth largest of the five Great Lakes of North America. On a morning jog in the city of Pahokee a few weeks ago, she kept at least 100 yards from the shoreline, and with good reason. Its also a good idea to do more research on how to identify these areas because they will show signs. Because of its small size and shallow character, the lake has a comparatively short water-retention time of 2.6 years. Many conservationists welcomed the decision to build a smaller reservoir as a major step in the right direction. Image of the Day Why Is Biodiversity Critical To Life On Earth? During a recent visit to the site, Tim Harper, an engineer with the South Florida Water Management District, parked his pickup and asked his passengers to take in the endless sea of sugar cane that will one day be lake bottom. Its best to monitor these levels before you decide to go out for a trip to the beaches. A flotilla of Floridians landed on a sandbank a couple of miles offshore and soaked up sun and drinks in thigh-deep waters. A massive algal bloom and storm-churned sediment color the Great Lakes in this image from October 9, 2011. The fishing industry on Lake Erie has an estimated economic output of $1 billion annually and supports over 10,000 jobs per annum. Even though it is the warmest lake during the summer, Lake Erie freezes over during most winters much more than any other great lake due to its shallow depth. The lake was heavily polluted in the early 20th century due to industrial runoff and waste, which has continued to cause problems even after intensive cleanup efforts began in the 1970s. If youre planning on boating in Lake Erie, you must be aware of the dangers. So how shallow is Lake Erie? Port Stanley is another popular spot. Samples, of the Friends of the Everglades, shares that concern. An estimated 22,720 square miles of land directly drain into the lake with Detroit River providing 80 to 90 percent of the lake's water. Here are five reasons why Lake Erie is so Dangerous: 1. Updates? The lake gets its name from the Erie people who are the Native American people that lived on the lakes southern shore. An 18-year, $1.5 billion dike-fortification project was completed last January. Omissions? That is why they advise you to always check weather and water conditions before you decide to have a fun day on the lake. (5 Reasons Why), Why Is The Hudson River So Dirty? Rehabilitating the Herbert Hoover Dike in 1968. Merriam-Webster defines eutrophication as "the process by which a body of water becomes enriched in dissolved nutrients (as phosphates) that stimulate the growth of aquatic plant life, usually resulting in the depletion of dissolved oxygen. Each year, there are reports of people getting sick after swimming in Lake Erie. No locks are required for ships to navigate the waterways between the lakes. The state and the Army Corps of Engineers are trying to reduce the toxic flows to the coasts with a controversial re-engineering plan that has been decades in the making, including building a new lake from scratch to contain and decontaminate Okeechobees discharges. If you are not a strong swimmer and get caught in one of these underwater currents you are at risk of drowning. The most common illness is swimmers itch, which causes a red, itchy rash. (This is different from red tide, another type of toxic algal bloom.). (Lakes Michigan and Huron are superimposed on each other because they have the same pool level, 577 feet above sea level. The shores of the lakes left behind trails which became roads. 4. The lakes oldest rocks are about 400 million years old. The Nature Conservancy ($650,000) for invasive species control. Fields of sugar cane dominate the landscape south of Lake Okeechobee. Despite its smaller size, we eat more fish from Lake Erie than all of the other Great Lakes combined! The untreated sewage contains viruses, bacteria and parasites like Salmonella which pose a threat to the 11 million people who depend on the lake for drinking water. The walleye population in Lake Erie has exploded during the past few years -- the fishing is considered to be great, and fisheries managers say it will likely get better in the near future as younger fish grow to keeping size. (photo and first two maps from Wikimedia Commons, Great Lakes system profile from Michigan Sea Grant, Great Lakes Suface Temperature from NOAA; click on the captions to see the originals). But despite its popularity, Lake Erie is riddled with dangers that can cause severe injury or death. Since the dike severed the lakes natural flow into the Everglades, the corps now operates canals to carry much of the outflows eastward to the city of Stuart on the Atlantic coast, and west to Fort Myers on the Gulf Coast. Today, this resilient little lake continues to be a home to valuable habitats supporting thousands of plant and animal species and over 12 million people. Another danger to be aware of in Lake Erie is the presence of harmful algae blooms. This is the second of two columns on the Great Lakes. By using sunscreen, you can avoid getting sick from the cyanobacteria that cause toxins in the water. More: Storm watching at Presque Isle State Park, I have read at least six books on the Great Lakes that call Lake Erie the graveyard of the Great Lakes. Lake Eries sandy shores are critical stopover grounds for thousands of migratory birds and butterflies each year. Toxic algal blooms now regularly infest much of its 730-square-mile surface during the summer, producing fumes and waterborne poisons potent enough to kill pets that splash in the contaminated waters, or send their owners to the doctor from inhaling the toxins. Canal Point Sugarcane Field Station. The shoreline is unstable and prone to erosion. Why Is Lake Erie So Dangerous? Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. U.S.D.A.-A.R.S. The central basin is quite uniform in depth, with an average depth of 18.3 metres (60 ft) and a maximum depth of 25 metres (82 ft). To avoid swimming near these dangerous areas, it is crucial to be aware of warning signs such as large pools of water or mud or unusual odors. Trevor Bach. During the same week the image was captured, powerful winds produced a standing wave called a seiche that pushed so much water and sediment to the eastern side of the lake that water levels rose 7 feet (2 meters) in Buffalo even as they dropped by 7 feet in Toledo. Matthew Niksa. This isnt specific to just Lake Erie, but lakes all over, especially shallower ones. The 10,500-acre reservoir and the recently completed 6,500-acre artificial wetlands, designed to absorb phosphorus, are the centerpiece of a growing system of canals, gates, pumps and engineered wetlands built to clean the outflows so they can once again drift south into the Everglades as well as provide drinking water to booming South Florida. Finally, if you are attacked by a fish or other creature while swimming, there will be no one around to help you. An ancient river formed the lowland areas where Lake Erie now sits. However, its still a good idea to not ingest the water at all because of this. This means on a per area basis lakes bury over 100 times more carbon than the oceans. The lake was named after the Erie Indians who once inhabited the shores. Lake Erie is the fourth in line of the five Great Lakes and happens to be fourth largest by surface area 9,940 square miles. More: Historic Erie Land Lighthouse operations turned over to Presque Isle Lighthouse staff. Thats the solution.. As you can see, Lake Erie has a lot of things that can make it dangerous. The lake provides drinking water for about eleven million of these inhabitants. Story by Adam Voiland. If youre not a strong swimmer, its essential to stay close to the shore and not venture out too far. E-Coli can make you severely ill and even cause death. Other common causes of foundering here included collisions and fires. Most of the eastern and western shorelines are made of clay and silt deposits, making Eries shoreline more likely to erode than the resistant dolomite rock of many other Great Lake shorelines. The Army Corps of Engineers said it is doing its best to protect the ecological health of the peninsula, the people who live downstream and the farmers. Stratification can occur in the western basin but does not last very long. Spring brings a symphony of songbirds, while fall brings the Monarch Butterflies and impressive, predatory Raptors (a type of predatory bird). Canatara Park Beach is a Blue Flag Beach for the 2023 season*. The lake gets its name from the Erie people who are the Native American people that lived on the lake's southern shore. Lake Erie is one of the most dangerous bodies of water in the United States. Remote Sensing. An estimated eight billion gallons of sewage waste is dumped into Lake Erie. Most of the water that flows through Lake Erie exits through the raging Niagara Falls, connecting Lake Erie to Lake Ontario.

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