53 Lake Superior Facts That Everyone Should Know
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Did you know that Lake Superior is the largest surface lake and the area-wise largest freshwater lake in the world?
Lake Superior is the largest lake among the five Great Lakes of North America. The Great Lakes include Lake Michigan, Lake Ontario, Lake Huron, Lake Erie, and Lake Superior.
These are freshwater lakes with varying depths situated in the upper middle East stretch of the continent of North America.
Spread over an area of about 31,700 sq. mi. (82,102.6 sq. km.
), Lake Superior contains about 2902.9 cu mi (12,100 cu km) of freshwater and has been nicknamed 'Gitche Gumee,' meaning big seawater. By area, Lake Superior is the second largest lake in the world.
In addition, it is known to be the third-largest freshwater lake in the world by volume and the largest by surface area. As for its location, it is the northernmost of the entire Great Lakes freshwater system.
The Great Lakes carry 20% of the entire freshwater in the world, 10% of which is accommodated in Lake Superior. It is said that Lake Superior can store the rest of the Great Lakes in itself.
Isle Royale, situated in Michigan, is the largest island of Lake Superior. The island has many lakes in itself, which have more islands in themselves.
According to some famous theories, if water from all the water resources of North America is drained out, then Lake Superior will be found to have the deepest point of the continent.
After reading the fun facts on Lake Superior, also check out more facts about Lake Ontario and Lake Michigan facts.
Fun Facts About Lake Superior
Above sea level, the average elevation or height of Lake Superior is 600 ft (182.9 m). Lake Superior's average maximum depth of underwater range of vision is 27 ft (8.2 m). Hence, its clarity is the maximum among the five Great Lakes. It is also the cleanest of the five lakes.
The most exclusive of all the Lake Superior facts is that the lake has been called an 'oligotrophic lake,' which means that it has high concentrations of oxygen in the deeper stretches of the lake, but it considerably lacks plant nutrients.
It is known that oligotrophication, the process of nutrient depletion, in Lake Superior is the most among all the lakes in the entire world.
More than 200 rivers contribute their water to Lake Superior.
Amazing Facts About Lake Superior
Similar to the other Great Lakes, Lake Superior is also affected by snow. But the lake's temperature is relatively moderate throughout the year compared to the land.
Even in the winter season, Lake Superior has quite unpredictable weather; the lake's temperature is not as cold as the land's. But the months of October and November are witnessed with huge storms.
The length of Lake Superior is approximately 351 mi (564.9 km), whereas its width-wise stretch covers about 159.7 mi (257 km).
As per the Environmental Protection Agency reports, the deepest point of Lake Superior is about 1312.3 ft (400 m) below the water surface.
According to the University of Wisconsin, Lake Superior takes approximately 200 or more years to fill itself with new water.
Facts About Lake Superior's Location
Lying on the edges of Wisconsin, the extent of Lake Superior is from the upper Peninsula situated in Michigan to the North of the city Ontario in Canada. Towards the West, it lies along the eastern edges of the city of Minnesota.
Lake Superior got its name from the French. In French, 'lac supérieur' means upper lake, and hence, the lake was named as 'superior' in reference to its superior size.
The name also signifies its geographical location as Lake Superior is situated on the top of the other Great Lakes towards the North, and hence, it's the most superior lake. Lake Superior drains out in Lake Huron.
Facts About Lake Superior's Fish Species
The shorelines and the tributaries of Lake Superior are home to many migrating birds and are highly suitable for fishing. Fishing in the lake's open waters is also legal, but some parts of the lake may be dangerous. A few fish species that are found in the lake are as follows:
Northern Pike: This fish prefers the shallow banks of the lake and its tributaries since those areas are rich in vegetation.
Walleye: Walleye is another variety of fish found in Lake Superior and the streams and rivers adjoining it.
Rainbow Trout & Steelhead: In the Lake Superior region, there are presently four trout species, namely rainbow trout, lake trout, brook, and brown trout.
Atlantic Salmons: Just like trout, Lake Superior contains four different species of salmon: Chinook, Coho, Atlantic as well as pink salmon.
Some other varieties of fish found in Lake Superior include burbot, lake whitefish, and kiyi.
Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created many interesting family-friendly facts for everyone to enjoy! If you liked our suggestions for 53 Lake Superior facts that everyone should know, then why not take a look at Lake Erie Canada or Lake Huron beach Ontario Canada?
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