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Lake Michigan
Lake Michigan - Landsat
Landsat
Location Great Lakes
Coordinates 44° N 87° W
Basin countries United States
Max. The Landsat program is the longest running enterprise for acquisition of imagery of Earth from space The Laurentian Great Lakes are a chain of freshwater lakes located in eastern North America, on the Canada–United States border. A drainage basin is an extent of Land where Water from Rain or Snow melt drains downhill into a body of water such as a River, length 307 mi (494 km)
Max. width 118 mi (190 km)
Surface area 22,400 sq mi (58,000 km²)[1]
Average depth 279 ft (85 m)
Max. depth 923 ft (281 m)[1]
Water volume 1,180 cu mi (4,900 km³)
Residence time (of lake water) 99 years
Shore length1 1,638 mi (2,636 km)
Surface elevation 577 ft (176 m) [1]
Islands see list
Settlements Milwaukee, Chicago, see article for others
References [1]
1 Shore length is not a well-defined measure. Lake retention time (also called the Residence time of lake water or the water age or flushing time) is a calculated quantity expressing the Chicago (ʃɪˈkɑːgoʊ is the largest City by population in the state of Illinois and the American Midwest of the United States.

Lake Michigan is one of the five Great Lakes of North America, and the only one located entirely within the United States. The Laurentian Great Lakes are a chain of freshwater lakes located in eastern North America, on the Canada–United States border. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the It is bounded, from west to east, by the U.S. states of Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, and Michigan. A US state is any one of the fifty subnational entities of the United States of America that share Sovereignty with the federal government Wisconsin ( or wɪˈskɑnsɨn (French Ouisconsin) is one of the fifty United States of America, located in the north central part of the United States The State of Illinois ( roughly ill-i-NOY is a state of the United States of America, the 21st to be admitted to the Union. The State of Indiana ( was the 19th US state admitted into the union Michigan ( is a Midwestern state of the United States of America. The word "Michigan" was originally used to refer to the lake itself, and is believed to come from the Ojibwa Indian word mishigami, meaning "great water. A lake (from Latin lacus) is a Terrain feature (or Physical feature) a body of Liquid on the surface of a world that is localized to the "[2] The lake is slightly larger than the country of Croatia. Croatia (Hrvatska ˈxȓvatska officially the Republic of Croatia ( Republika Hrvatska) is a southern Central European country at the crossroads between

Contents

Geography

Lake Michigan and the other Great Lakes
Lake Michigan and the other Great Lakes

Lake Michigan is the only one of the Great Lakes wholly within the borders of the United States; the others are shared with Canada. The Laurentian Great Lakes are a chain of freshwater lakes located in eastern North America, on the Canada–United States border. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the Country to "Dominion of Canada" or "Canadian Federation" or anything else please read the Talk Page It has a surface area of 22,400 square miles (58,016 km²),[1] making it the largest freshwater lake in the U. S. , the largest lake entirely within one country by surface area (Lake Baikal, in Russia, is larger by water volume), and the fifth largest lake in the world. It is 307 miles (494 km) long by 118 miles (190 km) wide with a shoreline 1,640 miles (2,633 km) long. The lake's average depth is 279 feet (85 m), while its greatest depth is 923 feet (281 m). [1] It contains a volume of 1,180 cubic miles (4,918 km³) of water. Its surface averages 577 feet (176 m)[1] above sea level, the same as Lake Huron, to which it is connected through the Straits of Mackinac. Lake Huron, bounded on the west by the US state of Michigan, and on the east by the province of Ontario, Canada, is one of the five Great The Straits of Mackinac (ˈmækɨnɔː like MACK-in-aw note the silent "c" is the strip of water that connects two of the Great Lakes, Lake Michigan

Major cities

Twelve million people live along Lake Michigan's shores. Many small cities in Northern Michigan are centered on a tourist base that takes advantage of the beauty and recreational opportunities offered by Lake Michigan. Northern Michigan - or more properly Northern Lower Michigan - is a region of the U Tourism is Travel for Recreational or Leisure purposes The World Tourism Organization defines tourists as people who "travel These cities have large seasonal populations that arrive from Chicago, Milwaukee, Detroit, and inland cities in Southern Michigan. Chicago (ʃɪˈkɑːgoʊ is the largest City by population in the state of Illinois and the American Midwest of the United States. Southern Michigan is a subregion of Central Michigan in the Lower Peninsula of the U The southern tip of the lake is heavily industrialized. For other uses of this term see Industry (disambiguation An industry (from Latin industrius, "diligent industrious" Cities on the shores of Lake Michigan with populations larger than 30,000 include:

Illinois

Indiana

Michigan

Wisconsin

Beaches

Sand dune on Lake Michigan at Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore
Sand dune on Lake Michigan at Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore

Lake Michigan beaches, especially those in Michigan and Northern Indiana, are known for their beauty. Chicago (ʃɪˈkɑːgoʊ is the largest City by population in the state of Illinois and the American Midwest of the United States. Evanston Illinois is an affluent suburban Chicago Municipality on Lake Michigan on the North Shore in Cook County, Illinois directly Highland Park is a city in the Moraine Township of Lake County, Illinois, United States. North Chicago is an outer suburb/exurb of the Greater Chicago area and is an incorporated city in Lake County, Illinois, United States. Waukegan ( IPA: /wɔˈkigən/ is a city in Lake County, Illinois. East Chicago is a city in Lake County, Indiana, opposite Chicago, Illinois. Hammond (ˈhæmənd is a city in Lake County, Indiana, United States. Michigan City is a city in LaPorte County, Indiana, USA It is one of two principal cities of and is included in the Michigan City- La Porte Indiana Portage (ˈpɔrtɨdʒ is a city in Portage Township, Porter County, Indiana, United States. Holland is a city in the western region of the Lower Peninsula of the U Muskegon (mus-kēg'n is a city in the US state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 40105 St Joseph is a city in the US state of Michigan. It was incorporated as a village in 1834 and as a city in 1891 Benton Harbor is a city in Berrien County in the US State of Michigan. Green Bay is a city in and the County seat of Brown County in the U Kenosha (kəˈnoʊʃə is a city in and the county seat of Kenosha County, United States. Manitowoc (ˈmænɨtəˌwɑk is a city in and the County seat of Manitowoc County, Wisconsin, United States. Racine is a city in Racine County, Wisconsin, United States, located beside Lake Michigan at the mouth of the Root River. Sheboygan is a city in and the County seat of Sheboygan County, Wisconsin, United States. In physical Geography, a dune is a Hill of Sand built by Aeolian processes. Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore is a US National lakeshore located in northwest Indiana that was authorized by Congress in 1966 The region is often referred to as the "Third Coast" of the United States, after those of the Atlantic Ocean and the Pacific Ocean. Third Coast is an American colloquialism sometimes used by locals to refer to the Great Lakes region. The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth 's Oceanic divisions The sand is soft and off-white, known as "singing sands" because of the squeaking noise (caused by high quartz content) made when one walks across it. Singing sand, whistling sand or barking sand is Sand that produces sounds of either high or low Frequency under pressure Quartz (from German) is the most abundant Mineral in the Earth 's Continental crust (although Feldspar is more common in There are often high sand dunes covered in green beach grass and sand cherries, and the water is usually clear and cold (between 55 and 70 °F [13 and 21 °C]) [1], even in late summer. Prunus pumila ( Sand cherry) is a species of Prunus native to eastern and central North America, from New Brunswick Fahrenheit is a temperature scale named after Daniel Gabriel Fahrenheit (1686–1736 a German Physicist who proposed it in 1724 The Celsius Temperature scale was previously known as the centigrade scale. Lake Michigan beaches in Northern Michigan are the only place in the world, aside from a few inland lakes in that region, where one can find Petoskey stones, the state stone. Northern Michigan - or more properly Northern Lower Michigan - is a region of the U A Petoskey stone is a rock and a fossil often pebble-shaped that is composed of a fossilized Coral, Hexagonaria percarinata.

The Milwaukee Lakefront.
The Milwaukee Lakefront.

The beaches of the western coast and the northernmost part of the east coast are rocky, while the southern and eastern beaches are sandy and dune-covered. In physical Geography, a dune is a Hill of Sand built by Aeolian processes. This is partly because of the prevailing winds from the west which also cause thick layers of ice to build up on the eastern shore in winter.

Contrary to recent reports, Chicago annually imports fresh sand to replenish its popular city beaches (similar to Key West) but much of the city waterfront is parks, stone revetments, marinas or residential developments in the north or industrial sites in the south. Key West is a city in Monroe County Florida, United States. The city encompasses Key West, the namesake island the part of Stock Island

Some environmental problems still plague the lake. Steel mills are visible along the Indiana shoreline, and the pollution caused by these mills is believed to contribute to the color of sunsets. Steel Mill was one of Bruce Springsteen 's early bands and performed regularly on the Jersey Shore, in Virginia, and also in California from 1969 Pollution is the introduction of contaminants into an environment that causes instability disorder harm or discomfort to the physical systems or living organisms they are in Also, the Chicago Tribune reported that BP is a major polluter, dumping thousands of pounds of ammonia and raw sludge into Lake Michigan every day from its Whiting, Indiana, oil refinery. The Chicago Tribune is a major daily Newspaper based in Chicago, Illinois, United States, and owned by the Tribune Company BP plc, previously known as British Petroleum, is the third largest global Energy company, a multinational oil company (" Oil major Whiting is a city in Lake County, Indiana, United States. Whiting is located on the southern shore of Lake [3]

The Chicago skyline can be seen from the Indiana shore and lower Michigan (on a clear day), but when standing on the beaches in Wisconsin it is impossible to see across the lake, providing a view similar to that of the ocean. A skyline is best described as the overall or partial view of a Silhouette of a city's tall buildings and structures consisting of many Skyscrapers

Car ferries

People can cross Lake Michigan by the SS Badger, a ferry that runs from Manitowoc, Wisconsin, to Ludington, Michigan. See also Merchant ship A ferry is a form of transport usually a Boat or Ship, used to carry (or ferry) passengers and Manitowoc (ˈmænɨtəˌwɑk is a city in and the County seat of Manitowoc County, Wisconsin, United States. Ludington is a city in the US state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 8357 The Lake Express is another ferry, established in 2004, which carries motorists across the lake between Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and Muskegon, Michigan, at a much higher speed than the S. Lake Express is a high-speed auto and passenger Ferry that is in service on a route across Lake Michigan. Muskegon (mus-kēg'n is a city in the US state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 40105 S. Badger.

Islands

Parks

The National Park Service maintains the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore and Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore. North Manitou Island is located in Lake Michigan, approximately west-northwest of Leland, Michigan. South Manitou Island is located in Lake Michigan, approximately 16 miles west of Leland, Michigan. Washington Island is an Island located about 7 miles northeast of the tip of Door Peninsula in Door County, Wisconsin. Rock Island is a wooded island off the tip of Wisconsin's Door Peninsula at the mouth of the Bay of Green Bay. The National Park Service ( NPS) is the United States federal agency that manages all National Parks, many National Monuments, and other conservation Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore is a United States National Lakeshore located along the northwest coast of the Lower Peninsula of Michigan in Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore is a US National lakeshore located in northwest Indiana that was authorized by Congress in 1966 Parts of the shoreline are within the Hiawatha National Forest and the Manistee National Forest. Hiawatha National Forest is a National Forest in the Upper Peninsula of the state of Michigan in the United States. The Huron-Manistee National Forests are actually two National forests combined in 1945 for administration purposes and which comprise of public lands including of The Lake Michigan division of the Michigan Islands National Wildlife Refuge is within the lake. The Michigan Islands National Wildlife Refuge is a portmanteau designation for eight islands in the North American Great Lakes.

There are numerous state parks located on the shores of the lake or on islands within the lake.

Lighthouses

History

Some of the earliest human inhabitants of the Lake Michigan region were the Hopewell Indians. Grand Haven State Park is a 48-acre State park in Michigan. The park is located in Grand Haven Michigan on the coast of Lake Michigan on the Grand Mere State Park is a State park in Michigan. It is located adjacent to I-94 and is mostly wooded Holland State Park is located in the US state of Michigan, in Park Township, Ottawa County, four miles west of the city of Holland PJ Hoffmaster State Park is a State park along Lake Michigan located at the southwest corner of Norton Shores Michigan in Muskegon County Illinois Beach State Park is part of the Illinois state park system and is located along Lake Michigan in northeast Illinois in unincorporated Zion Illinois and width="280px" style="margin-left 05em"> Ludington State Park is a State park located in Ludington Michigan between the shores of Lake Michigan and Hamlin Lake Muskegon State Park is a State park along Lake Michigan and Muskegon Lake near North Muskegon Michigan in Muskegon County Michigan Orchard Beach State Park is a State park in Michigan. Peninsula State Park is a Wisconsin state park with eight miles (13 km of Green Bay shoreline in Door County. Saugatuck Dunes State Park is a 1120 acre (45 km² Michigan State park. Silver Lake State Park is a State park in Michigan, located on Lake Michigan near Mears. Warren Dunes State Park is a 1952 acre (79 km² State park, located along the shore of Lake Michigan in Berrien County, Michigan, USA This United States has hundreds of Lights as well as light towers range lights and pier head lights This United States has hundreds of Lights as well as light towers range lights and pier head lights This United States has hundreds of Lights as well as light towers range lights and pier head lights This United States has hundreds of Lights as well as light towers range lights and pier head lights The Hopewell tradition (also incorrectly called the "Hopewell culture" is the term used to describe common aspects of the Native American culture that flourished along Their culture declined after 800 C. E. , and for the next few hundred years the region was the home of peoples known as the Late Woodland Indians. In the early seventeenth century, when western European explorers made their first forays into the region, they encountered descendants of the Late Woodland Indians: the Chippewa, Menominee, Sauk, Fox, Winnebago, Miami, Ottawa, and Potawatomi. The Ojibwa or Chippewa (also Ojibwe, Ojibway, Chippeway) is the largest group of Native Americans - First Nations Some placenames use other spellings see also Menomonee and Menomonie. "Outagamie" redirects here For the Wisconsin county see Outagamie County Wisconsin. The Ho-Chunk, or Winnebago (as they are commonly called are a tribe of Native Americans, native to what are now Wisconsin and Illinois. The Miami are a Native American tribe originally found in Indiana, southwest Michigan and Ohio, and now living also in Oklahoma The Potawatomi (also spelled Pottawatomie and Pottawatomi, among many variations) are a Native American people of the upper Mississippi It is believed that the French explorer Jean Nicolet discovered Lake Michigan in 1634 or 1638. Jean Nicolet (Nicollet de Belleborne (1598 - November 1, 1642) was a French Coureur de bois noted for exploring Green Bay in early [4]

After Louis Jolliet, Jacques Marquette, and Robert de LaSalle explored the area in the late seventeenth century, Lake Michigan became part of a line of waterways leading from the Saint Lawrence River to the Mississippi River and thence to the Gulf of Mexico. Louis Jolliet, also known as Louis Joliet with only one L ( September 21, 1645 &ndash 1700 was a French Canadian explorer Father Jacques Marquette ( June 1, 1637 &ndash May 18, 1675) was a French Missionary who founded Michigan René Robert Cavelier Sieur de La Salle, or Robert de LaSalle ( November 22, 1643 &ndash March 19, 1687) was a French Saint Lawrence River (in French: fleuve Saint-Laurent; Kahnawáˀkye in Tuscarora, Kaniatarowanenneh meaning big waterway The Mississippi River is the second longest River in the United States, with a length of from its source in Lake Itasca in Minnesota to The Gulf of Mexico ( Spanish: Golfo de México) is the ninth largest Body of water in the world [5]

Geology

Geologically and hydrologically, Michigan and Huron are the same body of water (sometimes called Lake Michigan-Huron), but are geographically distinct. Lake Michigan-Huron is a designation given to the body of water (part of the North American Great Lakes) traditionally considered to be two separate lakes Lake Michigan Counted together, it is the largest fresh water body in the world by surface area. The Mackinac Bridge is generally considered the dividing line between them. The Mackinac Bridge (ˈmækɨnɔː with a silent "c" at the end of the word is a Suspension bridge spanning the Straits of Mackinac to connect the Both lakes are part of the Great Lakes Waterway. The Great Lakes Waterway is a system of channels and Canals that makes all of the Great Lakes accessible to oceangoing vessels In earlier maps of the region, the name Lake Illinois has been found in place of "Michigan".

Ecology

Lake Michigan is home to a variety of species of fish and other organisms. It was originally home to lake trout, yellow perch, panfish, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, carp, bowfin, as well as some species of catfish. Lake trout ( Salvelinus namaycush) is a freshwater char living mainly in Lakes in northern North America. The yellow perch ( Perca flavescens) is a species of Perch found in the United States and Canada, where it is often referred to by the shortform A Panfish, also spelled pan-fish or pan fish, is an edible Game fish that usually doesn't outgrow the size of a frying pan The largemouth bass ( Micropterus salmoides) is a Species of Fish in the sunfish family. The smallmouth bass ( Micropterus dolomieui) is a Species of Freshwater Fish in the sunfish family ( Centrarchidae) Carp is a common name for various Freshwater Fish of the family Cyprinidae, a very large Bowfins are an order ( Amiiformes) of primitive Ray-finned fish. Catfish ( order Siluriformes) are a very diverse group of bony Fish. In recent years overfishing has caused a decline in lake trout which ultimately caused an increase in the alewife population. The alewife ( Alosa pseudoharengus) is a species of Herring. There are anadromous and landlocked forms As a result, coho and chinook salmon were introduced as a predator of alewives to decrease the alewife population. The Coho salmon, Oncorhynchus kisutch, (from the Russian кижуч kizhuch) is a Species of Anadromous Fish Lake Michigan is now being stocked with several species of fish. However, several invader species introduced, such as lampreys, threaten the vitality of fish populations. A lamprey (sometimes also called lamprey eel) is a Jawless fish with a toothed funnel-like sucking mouth

See also

Notes

  1. ^ a b c d e f g Wright, John W. (ed. ); Editors and reporters of The New York Times (2006). The New York Times Almanac, 2007, New York, New York: Penguin Books, 64. ISBN 0-14-303820-6.  
  2. ^ Superior Watershed Partnership Projects.
  3. ^ Register - New
  4. ^ Bogue, Margaret Beattie (1985). Around the Shores of Lake Michigan: A Guide to Historic Sites, pp. 7-13. University of Wisconsin Press. ISBN 0299100049.
  5. ^ Bogue (1985), pp. 14-16.

Further reading

External links

Lighthouses
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