October 31, 2024 | Jane O'Shea

25 Little Known Facts About The Great Lakes (With Photos)


Diving Into The 5 Waters

Did you know about the antidepressant fish in the Great Lakes? Or about its sunken ships and terrorizing pirates? There is so much to know about Lake Michigan, Superior, Huron, Erie, and Ontario—and you've come to the right place to learn about them.

Great Lakes

21% of Earth's Fresh Water

The Great Lakes, rightly named, hold so much water that if you poured it out, it could cover 48 contiguous United States under 9.5 feet of water. That's like six quadrillion gallons and about 21% of Earth's surface freshwater.

21% Of Earth's Fresh WaterNASA, Wikimedia Commons

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Superior Makes Its Sister Lakes Look Tiny

As the name suggests, Lake Superior holds enough water to flood both North and South America. This colossal freshwater giant contains a mind-boggling 2,900 cubic miles of water, which makes up 10% of Earth's surface containing freshwater.

Lake SuperiorNASA, Wikimedia Commons

Record-Breaking Shorelines

The Great Lakes have a huge shoreline that stretches an amazing 10,500 miles. Now this is almost half the Earth's circumference. Michigan has the longest Great Lakes shoreline of any U.S. state (3,288 miles), while Wisconsin comes next with 820 miles of beaches and hidden coves.

ShorelinesYinan Chen, Wikimedia Commons

Exploding Ice Volcanoes

In really cold winters, ice volcanoes pop up along the shores of the lakes, especially near spots like Presqu'ile Park. Big waves from storms cut through the thick ice, making cone-shaped mounds that burst with water and slush. These naturally protect the southern shorelines from wearing away.

Ice VolcanoesJohn Winkelman, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons

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6,000 Sunken Ships

Did you know that there are over 6,000 spooky shipwrecks scattered across the bottom of the Great Lakes? The most dangerous area, known as the 'Shipwreck Coast' near Thunder Bay, Michigan, has taken down many ships. The combination of storms and hidden reefs makes these waters pretty unpredictable.

Shipwreck CoastNOAA's National Ocean Service, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons

World's Largest Lake Island

Apparently, the biggest island in the lake is Manitoulin Island, which is located in Lake Huron in Ontario. It's a whopping 2,766 square kilometers (1,068 square miles) big and not only holds the title for the largest lake island in the world but also has over 100 lakes of its own.

Manitoulin IslandXander Ashburn, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons

Massive Snow Creator

The lakes make their own crazy weather, causing huge snowstorms known as the "lake effect." When super-cold winds blow over warmer waters, they pick up moisture and dump tons of snow. This creates distinct snow belts along the eastern and southern shores, such as in Wisconsin, Michigan, etc.

Snow CreatorNASA, Wikimedia Commons

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Vanishing Ships & UFOs

Might sound crazy, but Lake Michigan has its own version of the Bermuda Triangle. Ships and planes have disappeared from there without any explanation. Apparently, the mystery started back in 1891 when a schooner vanished during clear weather. After that, there were years of strange events and UFO sightings.

UFOGeorge Stock, Wikimedia Commons

14,000-Year-Old Lakes

These huge lakes came up around 14,000 years ago when massive glaciers dug deep holes into North America. They were created by the retreating Laurentide Ice Sheet. As these ice sheets moved back north, their melting ice filled up the massive holes, creating this freshwater paradise.

Ice SheetUnknown author, Wikimedia Commons

Pirates Of The Great Lakes

Back in the 1800s, there were freshwater pirates causing trouble on Lake Michigan. They weren't after gold but after the valuable timber. These pirates were pretty infamous for causing a lot of deforestation, and they even forced everyone to leave Singapore, Michigan, which is now completely underwater.

Pirates Of The Great LakesJacques-Nicolas Bellin, Wikimedia Commons

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Colorful Glass Beaches

On the coastlines of Lake Erie, you can find these fascinating purple and blue beach glass pieces. They used to be industrial light bulb insulators, made from a type of glass called Vitrite. Now, they've been smoothed out by the waves and currents, but beachcombing still takes place.

Beach glassShorelineGalesPhotography, Shutterstock

Superior's Preserved Dead

The icy waters of Lake Superior keep those who expire in its depths from coming back up. When the huge SS Edmund Fitzgerald sank in 1975, they couldn't find any of the 29 crew members, and they joined many others in the lake's eternal rest.

Shipwrecks FactsWikimedia Commons

9,000-Year-Old Underwater Camps

Scientists recently uncovered 9,000-year-old caribou hunting grounds that are 40 meters beneath Lake Huron's surface. These prehistoric structures on the Alpena-Amberley Ridge have a lot to tell about ancient human life during a time when water levels were significantly lower.

Lake Huron In Winter - 2018NASA, Wikimedia Commons

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Indigenous Lake Names

The names of the lakes carry the wisdom of the indigenous people. For instance, Erie means "long tail," Michigan stands for "great water," and Ontario signifies "beautiful lake." Also, Lake Huron was called "Karegnondi," meaning "Lake of the Hurons," which connects us to the ancient roots of these waters.

Great LakesShutterstock

3-Million-Year-Old Ecosystems

Hidden under Lake Huron, there are some really intriguing sinkholes that have ecosystems just like the oceans on Earth 3 million years ago. These underwater time capsules have high levels of sulfur and low oxygen. They also host colorful microbial mats, composed of cyanobacteria.

Microbial MatKennethcgass, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons

Fluorescent Beach Rocks

Spectacular Yooperlites can be seen around the coastlines of Michigan's Upper Peninsula. These are nothing but rocks that change when you shine ultraviolet light on them. As special sodalite-rich rocks, they glow brightly in the dark, which makes them great for a nighttime treasure hunt at the beach.

YooperliteJames St. John, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons

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100 Million Tons Of Cargo

The shipping industry in this area moves approximately 200 million tons of cargo every year. There are specially designed boats called "lakers" that carry important stuff like iron ore, grain, and coal through connected waterways. This activity all in all powers the region's economy.

Tons Of CargoZars, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons

160 New Species Found

Scientists found over 160 new microbe species in the lakes between 2012 and 2019. Their work involves sampling and analysis of water from all five Lakes. And it turns out that every drop of water is filled with a million bacteria and ten million viruses.

SpeciesNASA, Wikimedia Commons

The Great Lakes' Greatest Mystery

Here's an interesting fact about two French minesweepers. It is said that Inkerman and Cerisoles mysteriously vanished during a fierce 1918 Lake Superior blizzard. The incident claimed 78 lives and is still the biggest unexplained tragedy in the history of Great Lakes maritime.

Inkerman And CerisolesUnknown author, Wikimedia Commons

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Powering 3.8 Million Homes

The Great Lakes produce a ton of hydroelectric power, with Niagara Falls alone providing energy for over 3.8 million homes. As a renewable energy source, it has been driving development in the region since the early 1900s.

Hydroelectric PowerOntario Power Generation, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons

Antidepressant Fish

Well, it has been discovered that fish in the Great Lakes have high levels of human antidepressants in their brains. And the levels are like twenty times higher than in the water. Apparently, as more people take these medications, they end up in the lakes through sewage systems.

Antidepressant FishUnited States Fish and Wildlife Service., Wikimedia Commons

300-Pound Ancient Fish

Now, the ancient lake sturgeon fish, which haven't changed since dinosaur times, can reach up to 300 pounds and live for 150 years. These incredible fish used to be all over the Great Lakes until too many were caught in the 19th century, and then they almost disappeared.

Ancient FishCacophony, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons

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Natural Fruit Belt

The lakes create "fruit belts" by their shores, keeping the temperatures just right for growing crops that are usually found in the South. In turn, this weather helps Michigan's well-known cherry orchards and Ontario's successful wineries to thrive in places where they normally wouldn't be able to.

Cherry OrchardMartha Dol., CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons

Twin Lakes In Space

Just so you know, there exists a lake on Saturn's moon Titan called Ontario Lacus that looks a lot like Lake Ontario. Plus, they're almost the same size and shape. Scientists study this cosmic twin to learn more about liquid formations on other planets.

Twin Lakes In SpaceNASA, Wikimedia Commons


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