The Great Lakes Michael W. Rowan, Ph.D..

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Presentation transcript:

The Great Lakes Michael W. Rowan, Ph.D.

The Great Lakes Began to form ~500,000 years ago Took present shape ~10,000 years ago Watershed area = 196,000 sq. miles 34 million people (27.5 million U.S., 6.4 million Canada) Water surface area = 94,700 sq. miles U.S. Great Lakes shoreline > U.S. east coast shoreline

Unique ecosystem, and unique resources Largest surface freshwater system on earth Contains 84% of North America’s surface freshwater Contains 21% of the world’s surface freshwater

Characteristic Superior Michigan Huron Erie Ontario Length (miles) 350 307 206 241 193 Width (miles) 160 118 183 57 53 Depth, Average & Max. (feet) 489 / 1,333 279 / 923 195 / 750 62 / 210 283/802 Volume (cubic miles) 2,935 1,180 849 116 393 Surface Area (sq. miles) 31,700 22,300 23,000 9,910 7,340 Drainage Basin Area (sq.miles) 49,300 45,600 50,700 22,700 23,400 Shoreline (miles) 2,730 1,640 3,830 871 712 Elevation (feet) 601 577 569 243 Outlets St. Mary's River Mackinac Straits St. Clair River Niagara Falls St. Lawrence River Chicago River Welland Canal Water Replacement Time (yrs) 173 62 21 2.7 6 Human Population 672,116 12,052,743 2,960,359 12,532,977 5,692,178 Source:   Sea Grant and MSU Extension, 2000

Great Lakes Environmental Issues Invasive species Nonpoint source pollution Urban sprawl Mercury in fish Contaminated sediments (dredging?) Nutrient loading Water diversion Climate change Endocrine disrupters Atmospheric deposition

Erie – Our Great Lake Smallest in volume, depth, retention time, watershed area Largest human population Warmest, most nutrient-rich, and most productive Fishery is more productive than the fisheries of other four Great Lakes combined Largest percentage of land in agriculture

Cuyahoga River Fire November 1952

Brown Bullhead (Ameiurus nebulosus) Ubiquitous benthic catfish distributed throughout the great lakes Vulnerable to many hydrophobic contaminants (PAHs) Sediment PAHs linked to high tumor rates and changes in blood variables 2. Its constant association with the sediment renders it vulnerable to. . . .

BROWN BULLHEAD (Ameiurus nebulosus) noticeyellow/brown color Smooth, long barbels (a form of chemical sensory) Tri-C Eastern Campus BIO 2806 - Environmental Science for Educators: Promoting Watershed Stewardship July 2007

Tri-C Eastern Campus BIO 2806 - Environmental Science for Educators: Promoting Watershed Stewardship July 2008

Something Fishy 34 species of Lake Erie Fish are rare, threatened, or endangered Blue pike – extinct Lake sturgeon, brook trout, lake trout, . . . Fish consumption advisories due to mercury and PCBs

CREDITS Thanks to Michael Rowan, PhD from Tri-C East who donated his Power Point slides so graciously. Course: “Promoting Watershed Stewardship” for Environmental Science Educators

Educator Resources Great Lakes Environmental Atlas - USEPA Great Lakes science activities – OSU/Ohio Sea Grant NASA - Visible Earth – satellite images of the Great Lakes Animation: lake effect snow Great Lakes Commission International Joint Commisison Great Lakes Information Network Lake Erie: Beyond the Surface -Channel 3