Lake Michigan
Encyclopedia
Lake Michigan is one of the five Great Lakes
of North America
and the only one located entirely within the United States
. It is the second largest of the Great Lakes by volume and the third largest by surface area, after Lake Superior
and Lake Huron
(and is slightly smaller than the U.S. state of West Virginia
). Hydrologically
, the lake is a large bay of Lake Michigan-Huron
, having the same surface elevation as Lake Huron
(among other shared properties). It is bounded, from west to east, by the U.S. state
s of Wisconsin
, Illinois
, Indiana
, and Michigan
. The word "Michigan" originally referred to the lake
itself, and is believed to come from the Ojibwa
word mishigami meaning "great water".
. 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
. It is believed that the French explorer Jean Nicolet
was the first non-Native American to reach Lake Michigan in 1634 or 1638.
With the advent of European exploration into the area in the late 17th 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
. French coureurs des bois and voyageurs established small ports and trading communities, such as Green Bay
, on the lake during the late 17th and early 18th centuries.
The first person to reach the deep bottom of Lake Michigan was J. Val Klump
, a scientist at the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee. Klump reached the bottom via submersible
as part of a 1985 research expedition.
wholly within the borders of the United States
; the others are shared with Canada
. It has a surface area of 22400 square miles (58,015.7 km²), making it 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 (494.1 km) long by 118 miles (189.9 km) wide with a shoreline 1640 miles (2,639.3 km) long. The lake's average depth is 279 feet (85 m), while its greatest depth is 923 feet (281 m). It contains a volume of 1,180 cubic miles (4,918 km³) of water. Its surface averages 577 feet (176 m) above sea level, the same as Lake Huron
, to which it is connected through the Straits of Mackinac
.
and Milwaukee. Many small cities in Northern Michigan
and Door County, Wisconsin
are centered on a tourist
base that takes advantage of the beauty and recreational opportunities offered by Lake Michigan. These cities have large seasonal populations that arrive from the nearby urban areas such as Chicago, Milwaukee, Grand Rapids and Detroit, as well as from Southern states
, such as Florida
and Texas
. Some seasonal residents have summer homes along the waterfront and return home for the winter. The southern tip of the lake near Gary, Indiana
is heavily industrialized
. Cities on the shores of Lake Michigan include:
The Saint Lawrence Seaway
and Great Lakes Waterway
opened the Great Lakes to ocean-going vessels. Wider ocean-going container ships do not fit through the locks on these routes and has thus limited shipping on the lakes. Despite their vast size, large sections of the Great Lakes freeze in winter, interrupting most shipping. Some icebreakers ply the lakes.
The Great Lakes are also connected by canal to the Gulf of Mexico by way of the Illinois River
(from Chicago
) and the Mississippi River
. An alternate track is via the Illinois River (from Chicago), to the Mississippi, up the Ohio, and then through the Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway (combination of a series of rivers and lakes and canals), to Mobile Bay and the Gulf. Commercial tug-and-barge traffic on these waterways is heavy.
Pleasure boats can also enter or exit the Great Lakes by way of the Erie Canal and Hudson River in New York. The Erie Canal connects to the Great Lakes at the east end of Lake Erie (at Buffalo, NY) and at the south side of Lake Ontario (at Oswego, NY).
Lake Michigan has many beaches. The region is often referred to as the "Third Coast" of the United States, after those of the Atlantic Ocean
and the Pacific Ocean
. The sand is soft and off-white, known as "singing sand
s" because of the squeaking noise (caused by high quartz
content) made when one walks across it. There are often high sand dunes covered in green beach grass
and sand cherries, and the water is usually clear and cool (between 55 and 80 °F [13 and 27 °C]), even in late summer. However, because prevailing westerly winds tend to move the surface water toward the east, there is a flow of warmer water to the Michigan shore in the summer. The sand dunes located on the Michigan shore are the largest freshwater dune system in the world. In fact, in multiple locations along the shoreline, the dunes rise several hundred feet above the Lake surface. Large dune formations can be seen in many state parks, national forests and national parks along the Indiana and Michigan shoreline. Some of the most expansive and unique dune formations can be found at Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore, Saugatuck Dunes State Park, Warren Dunes State Park, PJ Hoffmaster State Park, Silver Lake State Park, Ludington State Park and Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. Small dune formations can be found on the western shore of Lake Michigan in Illinois Beach State Park and moderate sized dune formations can be found in Kohler Andre State Park and Point Beach State Forest in Wisconsin. A large Dune formation can be found in Whitefish Dunes State Park in Wisconsin in the Door Peninsula. 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 stone
s, the state stone.
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. This is partly because of the prevailing winds from the west which also cause thick layers of ice to build on the eastern shore in winter.
The Chicago city waterfront is composed of parks, beaches, harbors and marinas, and residential developments. Where there are no beaches or marinas, then stone or concrete revetments protect the shoreline from erosion. The Chicago lakefront is quite walkable as one can stroll past parks, beaches, and marinas for about 24 miles from the city southern limits with Lake Michigan to its northern city limits point.
The Chicago skyline
can be seen from the northwest Indiana shoreline and, on a clear day, extreme southwestern Michigan. When standing at the waterfront in Illinois, Wisconsin, and the lower peninsula of Michigan, it is impossible for one to see directly across the lake to another state. This gives the lake a view similar to that of an ocean. Viewing a state across the huge lake is possible from several Chicago skyscrapers. It is possible from some of the taller buildings in Chicago to make out points in Indiana and southwest Michigan such as the NIPSCO (Northern Indiana Public Service Company) cooling tower of its power plant in Michigan City, Indiana
.
The Great Lakes Circle Tour
is a designated scenic road system connecting all of the Great Lakes and the St. Lawrence River.
Some environmental problems can still plague the lake as steel mill
s operate near the Indiana shoreline. The Chicago Tribune
reported that BP
is a major polluter, dumping thousands of pounds of raw sludge into the lake every day from its Whiting, Indiana
oil refinery.
that runs from Manitowoc, Wisconsin
, to Ludington, Michigan
. The Lake Express
, established in 2004, carries motorists across the lake between Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and Muskegon, Michigan
.
maintains the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore
and Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore
. Parts of the shoreline are within the Hiawatha National Forest
and the Manistee National Forest. The Manistee National Forest section of the shoreline includes the Nordhouse Dunes Wilderness
. The Lake Michigan division of the Michigan Islands National Wildlife Refuge
is also within the lake.
There are numerous state and local parks located on the shores of the lake or on islands within the lake. A partial list follows.
to a point between Grand Haven and Muskegon, divides the lake into northern and southern basins. Each basin has a clockwise flow of water, deriving from rivers, winds, and the Coriolis effect
. Prevailing westerly winds tend to move the surface water toward the east, producing a moderating effect on the climate of western Michigan. There is a mean difference in summer temperatures of 5 to 10 degrees Fahrenheit (2 to 5 degrees Celsius) between the Wisconsin and Michigan shores.
Hydrologically Michigan and Huron are the same body of water (sometimes called Lake Michigan-Huron
), but are geographically distinct. Counted together, it is the largest body of fresh water in the world by surface area. The Mackinac Bridge
is generally considered the dividing line between them. Both lakes are part of the Great Lakes Waterway
. In earlier maps of the region, the name Lake Illinois has been found in place of "Michigan".
Historic High Water: The lake fluctuates from month to month with the highest lake levels in October and November. The normal highwater mark is 2 foot (0.6096 m) above datum (577.5 ft or 176.0 m). In the summer of 1986, Lakes Michigan and Huron reached their highest level at 5.92 feet (1.8 m) above datum. The high water records began in February 1986 and lasted through the year, ending with January 1987. Water levels ranged from 3.67 feet (1.1 m) to 5.92 feet (1.8 m) above Chart Datum. On February 21, the waters neared the all-time maximum.
Historic Low Water: Lake levels tend to be the lowest in winter. The normal lowwater mark is 1 foot (0.3048 m) below datum (577.5 ft or 176.0 m). In the winter of 1964, Lakes Michigan and Huron reached their lowest level at 1.38 foot (0.420624 m) below datum. As with the highwater records, monthly low water records were set each month from February 1964 through January 1965. During this twelve month period water levels ranged from 1.38 foot (0.420624 m) to 0.71 foot (0.216408 m) below Chart Datum.
, yellow perch
, panfish
, largemouth bass
, smallmouth bass
, bowfin
, as well as some species of catfish
. In recent years overfishing has caused a decline in lake trout, ultimately causing an increase in the alewife
population. As a result, coho
and chinook salmon
were introduced as a predator of alewives to decrease the alewife population. This program was so successful that the salmon population exploded, and the states surrounding Lake Michigan promoted Salmon Snagging. This practice has since been made illegal in all of the great lakes states with the exception of a limited season in Illinois. Lake Michigan is now being stocked with several species of fish. However, several invader species introduced such as lamprey
s, round goby
, and zebra mussel
s threaten the vitality of fish populations.
Lighthouses
Great Lakes
The Great Lakes are a collection of freshwater lakes located in northeastern North America, on the Canada – United States border. Consisting of Lakes Superior, Michigan, Huron, Erie, and Ontario, they form the largest group of freshwater lakes on Earth by total surface, coming in second by volume...
of North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
and the only one located entirely within the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It is the second largest of the Great Lakes by volume and the third largest by surface area, after Lake Superior
Lake Superior
Lake Superior is the largest of the five traditionally-demarcated Great Lakes of North America. It is bounded to the north by the Canadian province of Ontario and the U.S. state of Minnesota, and to the south by the U.S. states of Wisconsin and Michigan. It is the largest freshwater lake in the...
and Lake Huron
Lake Huron
Lake Huron is one of the five Great Lakes of North America. Hydrologically, it comprises the larger portion of Lake Michigan-Huron. It is bounded on the east by the Canadian province of Ontario and on the west by the state of Michigan in the United States...
(and is slightly smaller than the U.S. state of West Virginia
West Virginia
West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian and Southeastern regions of the United States, bordered by Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Ohio to the northwest, Pennsylvania to the northeast and Maryland to the east...
). Hydrologically
Hydrology
Hydrology is the study of the movement, distribution, and quality of water on Earth and other planets, including the hydrologic cycle, water resources and environmental watershed sustainability...
, the lake is a large bay of Lake Michigan-Huron
Lake Michigan-Huron
Lake Michigan-Huron is geologically the largest of the North American Great Lakes. Traditionally considered to be two separate lakes, Lake Michigan and Lake Huron, it is hydrologically a single body of water connected at the Straits of Mackinac....
, having the same surface elevation as Lake Huron
Lake Huron
Lake Huron is one of the five Great Lakes of North America. Hydrologically, it comprises the larger portion of Lake Michigan-Huron. It is bounded on the east by the Canadian province of Ontario and on the west by the state of Michigan in the United States...
(among other shared properties). It is bounded, from west to east, by the U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
s of Wisconsin
Wisconsin
Wisconsin is a U.S. state located in the north-central United States and is part of the Midwest. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michigan to the northeast, and Lake Superior to the north. Wisconsin's capital is...
, Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
, Indiana
Indiana
Indiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is...
, and Michigan
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
. The word "Michigan" originally referred to the lake
Lake
A lake is a body of relatively still fresh or salt water of considerable size, localized in a basin, that is surrounded by land. Lakes are inland and not part of the ocean and therefore are distinct from lagoons, and are larger and deeper than ponds. Lakes can be contrasted with rivers or streams,...
itself, and is believed to come from the Ojibwa
Ojibwe language
Ojibwe , also called Anishinaabemowin, is an indigenous language of the Algonquian language family. Ojibwe is characterized by a series of dialects that have local names and frequently local writing systems...
word mishigami meaning "great water".
History
Some of the earliest human inhabitants of the Lake Michigan region were the Hopewell Indians. Their culture declined after 800 A.D., and for the next few hundred years the region was the home of peoples known as the Late Woodland IndiansWoodland period
The Woodland period of North American pre-Columbian cultures was from roughly 1000 BCE to 1000 CE in the eastern part of North America. The term "Woodland Period" was introduced in the 1930s as a generic header for prehistoric sites falling between the Archaic hunter-gatherers and the...
. 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
Menominee
Some placenames use other spellings, see also Menomonee and Menomonie.The Menominee are a nation of Native Americans living in Wisconsin. The Menominee, along with the Ho-Chunk, are the only tribes that are indigenous to what is now Wisconsin...
, Sauk, Fox, Winnebago
Ho-Chunk
The Ho-Chunk, also known as Winnebago, are a tribe of Native Americans, native to what is now Wisconsin and Illinois. There are two federally recognized Ho-Chunk tribes, the Ho-Chunk Nation of Wisconsin and Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska....
, Miami, Ottawa
Ottawa (tribe)
The Odawa or Ottawa, said to mean "traders," are a Native American and First Nations people. They are one of the Anishinaabeg, related to but distinct from the Ojibwe nation. Their original homelands are located on Manitoulin Island, near the northern shores of Lake Huron, on the Bruce Peninsula in...
, and Potawatomi
Potawatomi
The Potawatomi are a Native American people of the upper Mississippi River region. They traditionally speak the Potawatomi language, a member of the Algonquian family. In the Potawatomi language, they generally call themselves Bodéwadmi, a name that means "keepers of the fire" and that was applied...
. It is believed that the French explorer Jean Nicolet
Jean Nicolet
Jean Nicolet de Belleborne was a French coureur des bois noted for exploring Green Bay in what is now the U.S. state of Wisconsin.-Life:...
was the first non-Native American to reach Lake Michigan in 1634 or 1638.
With the advent of European exploration into the area in the late 17th century, Lake Michigan became part of a line of waterways leading from the Saint Lawrence River
Saint Lawrence River
The Saint Lawrence is a large river flowing approximately from southwest to northeast in the middle latitudes of North America, connecting the Great Lakes with the Atlantic Ocean. It is the primary drainage conveyor of the Great Lakes Basin...
to the Mississippi River
Mississippi River
The Mississippi River is the largest river system in North America. Flowing entirely in the United States, this river rises in western Minnesota and meanders slowly southwards for to the Mississippi River Delta at the Gulf of Mexico. With its many tributaries, the Mississippi's watershed drains...
and thence to the Gulf of Mexico
Gulf of Mexico
The Gulf of Mexico is a partially landlocked ocean basin largely surrounded by the North American continent and the island of Cuba. It is bounded on the northeast, north and northwest by the Gulf Coast of the United States, on the southwest and south by Mexico, and on the southeast by Cuba. In...
. French coureurs des bois and voyageurs established small ports and trading communities, such as Green Bay
Green Bay, Wisconsin
Green Bay is a city in and the county seat of Brown County in the U.S. state of Wisconsin, located at the head of Green Bay, a sub-basin of Lake Michigan, at the mouth of the Fox River. It has an elevation of above sea level and is located north of Milwaukee. As of the 2010 United States Census,...
, on the lake during the late 17th and early 18th centuries.
The first person to reach the deep bottom of Lake Michigan was J. Val Klump
J. Val Klump
Jeffrey Val Klump is an American limnologist. He was the first person to reach the deepest spot in Lake Superior, a depth of 1333 feet , which is also the lowest point in the United States, on July 30, 1985 while aboard the R/V Seward Johnson with the Johnson-SeaLink-II submersible...
, a scientist at the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee. Klump reached the bottom via submersible
Submersible
A submersible is a small vehicle designed to operate underwater. The term submersible is often used to differentiate from other underwater vehicles known as submarines, in that a submarine is a fully autonomous craft, capable of renewing its own power and breathing air, whereas a submersible is...
as part of a 1985 research expedition.
Geography
Lake Michigan is the only one of the Great LakesGreat Lakes
The Great Lakes are a collection of freshwater lakes located in northeastern North America, on the Canada – United States border. Consisting of Lakes Superior, Michigan, Huron, Erie, and Ontario, they form the largest group of freshwater lakes on Earth by total surface, coming in second by volume...
wholly within the borders of the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
; the others are shared with Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. It has a surface area of 22400 square miles (58,015.7 km²), making it the largest lake entirely within one country by surface area (Lake Baikal
Lake Baikal
Lake Baikal is the world's oldest at 30 million years old and deepest lake with an average depth of 744.4 metres.Located in the south of the Russian region of Siberia, between Irkutsk Oblast to the northwest and the Buryat Republic to the southeast, it is the most voluminous freshwater lake in the...
, in Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
, is larger by water volume), and the fifth largest lake in the world. It is 307 miles (494.1 km) long by 118 miles (189.9 km) wide with a shoreline 1640 miles (2,639.3 km) long. The lake's average depth is 279 feet (85 m), while its greatest depth is 923 feet (281 m). It contains a volume of 1,180 cubic miles (4,918 km³) of water. Its surface averages 577 feet (176 m) above sea level, the same as Lake Huron
Lake Huron
Lake Huron is one of the five Great Lakes of North America. Hydrologically, it comprises the larger portion of Lake Michigan-Huron. It is bounded on the east by the Canadian province of Ontario and on the west by the state of Michigan in the United States...
, to which it is connected through the Straits of Mackinac
Straits of Mackinac
The Straits of Mackinac is the strip of water that connects two of the Great Lakes, Lake Michigan and Lake Huron, and separates the Lower Peninsula of Michigan from the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. It is a shipping lane providing passage for raw materials and finished goods, connecting, for...
.
Cities
Twelve million people live along Lake Michigan's shores, mainly in ChicagoChicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
and Milwaukee. Many small cities in Northern Michigan
Northern Michigan
Northern Michigan, also known as Northern Lower Michigan , is a region of the U.S. state of Michigan...
and Door County, Wisconsin
Door County, Wisconsin
Door County is a county in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. As of 2000, the population was 27,961. Its county seat is Sturgeon Bay. Door County is a popular vacation and tourist destination, especially for residents of Wisconsin and Illinois....
are centered on a tourist
Tourism
Tourism is travel for recreational, leisure or business purposes. The World Tourism Organization defines tourists as people "traveling to and staying in places outside their usual environment for not more than one consecutive year for leisure, business and other purposes".Tourism has become a...
base that takes advantage of the beauty and recreational opportunities offered by Lake Michigan. These cities have large seasonal populations that arrive from the nearby urban areas such as Chicago, Milwaukee, Grand Rapids and Detroit, as well as from Southern states
Southern United States
The Southern United States—commonly referred to as the American South, Dixie, or simply the South—constitutes a large distinctive area in the southeastern and south-central United States...
, such as Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
and Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
. Some seasonal residents have summer homes along the waterfront and return home for the winter. The southern tip of the lake near Gary, Indiana
Gary, Indiana
Gary is a city in Lake County, Indiana, United States. The city is in the southeastern portion of the Chicago metropolitan area and is 25 miles from downtown Chicago. The population is 80,294 at the 2010 census, making it the seventh-largest city in the state. It borders Lake Michigan and is known...
is heavily industrialized
Industry
Industry refers to the production of an economic good or service within an economy.-Industrial sectors:There are four key industrial economic sectors: the primary sector, largely raw material extraction industries such as mining and farming; the secondary sector, involving refining, construction,...
. Cities on the shores of Lake Michigan include:
Illinois
Indiana
|
Michigan
|
Muskegon, Michigan Muskegon is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 38,401. The city is the county seat of Muskegon County... New Buffalo, Michigan New Buffalo is a city in Berrien County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 2,200 at the 2000 census. This city is within New Buffalo Township, but is politically autonomous.-Geography:... Norton Shores, Michigan Norton Shores is a city in Muskegon County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 22,527 at the 2000 census.-Overview:Norton Shores is located on the shores of Lake Michigan in Muskegon County... Petoskey, Michigan Petoskey is a city and coastal resort community in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 6,080. It is the county seat of Emmet County.... Saugatuck, Michigan Saugatuck is a city in Allegan County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 925 at the 2010 census. The city is within Saugatuck Township, but is administratively autonomous.... Shoreham, Michigan Shoreham is a village in Berrien County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 860 at the 2000 census. The village is located within St. Joseph Charter Township on the shore of Lake Michigan, just south of the City of St... South Haven, Michigan South Haven is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. Most of the city is in Van Buren County, although a small portion extends into Allegan County. The population was 5,021 at the 2000 census.... Traverse City, Michigan Traverse City is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is the county seat of Grand Traverse County, although a small portion extends into Leelanau County. It is the largest city in the 21-county Northern Michigan region. The population was 14,674 at the 2010 census, with 143,372 in the Traverse... |
Wisconsin
|
Connection to ocean and open water
Saint Lawrence Seaway
The Saint Lawrence Seaway , , is the common name for a system of locks, canals and channels that permits ocean-going vessels to travel from the Atlantic Ocean to the North American Great Lakes, as far as Lake Superior. Legally it extends from Montreal to Lake Erie, including the Welland Canal...
and Great Lakes Waterway
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. Its principal civil engineering components are the Welland Canal, bypassing Niagara Falls between Lake Ontario and Lake Erie, and the Soo Locks, bypassing the rapids of...
opened the Great Lakes to ocean-going vessels. Wider ocean-going container ships do not fit through the locks on these routes and has thus limited shipping on the lakes. Despite their vast size, large sections of the Great Lakes freeze in winter, interrupting most shipping. Some icebreakers ply the lakes.
The Great Lakes are also connected by canal to the Gulf of Mexico by way of the Illinois River
Illinois River
The Illinois River is a principal tributary of the Mississippi River, approximately long, in the State of Illinois. The river drains a large section of central Illinois, with a drainage basin of . This river was important among Native Americans and early French traders as the principal water route...
(from Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
) and the Mississippi River
Mississippi River
The Mississippi River is the largest river system in North America. Flowing entirely in the United States, this river rises in western Minnesota and meanders slowly southwards for to the Mississippi River Delta at the Gulf of Mexico. With its many tributaries, the Mississippi's watershed drains...
. An alternate track is via the Illinois River (from Chicago), to the Mississippi, up the Ohio, and then through the Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway (combination of a series of rivers and lakes and canals), to Mobile Bay and the Gulf. Commercial tug-and-barge traffic on these waterways is heavy.
Pleasure boats can also enter or exit the Great Lakes by way of the Erie Canal and Hudson River in New York. The Erie Canal connects to the Great Lakes at the east end of Lake Erie (at Buffalo, NY) and at the south side of Lake Ontario (at Oswego, NY).
Beaches
Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceanic divisions. With a total area of about , it covers approximately 20% of the Earth's surface and about 26% of its water surface area...
and the Pacific Ocean
Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic in the north to the Southern Ocean in the south, bounded by Asia and Australia in the west, and the Americas in the east.At 165.2 million square kilometres in area, this largest division of the World...
. The sand is soft and off-white, known as "singing sand
Singing sand
Singing sand, whistling sand or barking sand is sand that produces sound. The sound emission may be caused by wind passing over dunes or by walking on the sand.Certain conditions have to come together to create singing sand:...
s" because of the squeaking noise (caused by high quartz
Quartz
Quartz is the second-most-abundant mineral in the Earth's continental crust, after feldspar. It is made up of a continuous framework of SiO4 silicon–oxygen tetrahedra, with each oxygen being shared between two tetrahedra, giving an overall formula SiO2. There are many different varieties of quartz,...
content) made when one walks across it. There are often high sand dunes covered in green beach grass
Ammophila breviligulata
Ammophila breviligulata is a species of grass that is native to eastern North America, where it grows on sand dunes along the Atlantic Ocean and Great Lakes coasts...
and sand cherries, and the water is usually clear and cool (between 55 and 80 °F [13 and 27 °C]), even in late summer. However, because prevailing westerly winds tend to move the surface water toward the east, there is a flow of warmer water to the Michigan shore in the summer. The sand dunes located on the Michigan shore are the largest freshwater dune system in the world. In fact, in multiple locations along the shoreline, the dunes rise several hundred feet above the Lake surface. Large dune formations can be seen in many state parks, national forests and national parks along the Indiana and Michigan shoreline. Some of the most expansive and unique dune formations can be found at Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore, Saugatuck Dunes State Park, Warren Dunes State Park, PJ Hoffmaster State Park, Silver Lake State Park, Ludington State Park and Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. Small dune formations can be found on the western shore of Lake Michigan in Illinois Beach State Park and moderate sized dune formations can be found in Kohler Andre State Park and Point Beach State Forest in Wisconsin. A large Dune formation can be found in Whitefish Dunes State Park in Wisconsin in the Door Peninsula. Lake Michigan beaches in Northern Michigan
Northern Michigan
Northern Michigan, also known as Northern Lower Michigan , is a region of the U.S. state of Michigan...
are the only place in the world, aside from a few inland lakes in that region, where one can find Petoskey stone
Petoskey stone
A Petoskey stone is a rock and a fossil, often pebble-shaped, that is composed of a fossilized coral, Hexagonaria percarinata. The stones were formed as a result of glaciation, in which sheets of ice plucked stones from the bedrock, grinding off their rough edges and depositing them in Michigan's...
s, the state stone.
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
Dune
In physical geography, a dune is a hill of sand built by wind. Dunes occur in different forms and sizes, formed by interaction with the wind. Most kinds of dunes are longer on the windward side where the sand is pushed up the dune and have a shorter "slip face" in the lee of the wind...
-covered. This is partly because of the prevailing winds from the west which also cause thick layers of ice to build on the eastern shore in winter.
The Chicago city waterfront is composed of parks, beaches, harbors and marinas, and residential developments. Where there are no beaches or marinas, then stone or concrete revetments protect the shoreline from erosion. The Chicago lakefront is quite walkable as one can stroll past parks, beaches, and marinas for about 24 miles from the city southern limits with Lake Michigan to its northern city limits point.
The Chicago skyline
Skyline
A skyline is the overall or partial view of a city's tall buildings and structures consisting of many skyscrapers in front of the sky in the background. It can also be described as the artificial horizon that a city's overall structure creates. Skylines serve as a kind of fingerprint of a city, as...
can be seen from the northwest Indiana shoreline and, on a clear day, extreme southwestern Michigan. When standing at the waterfront in Illinois, Wisconsin, and the lower peninsula of Michigan, it is impossible for one to see directly across the lake to another state. This gives the lake a view similar to that of an ocean. Viewing a state across the huge lake is possible from several Chicago skyscrapers. It is possible from some of the taller buildings in Chicago to make out points in Indiana and southwest Michigan such as the NIPSCO (Northern Indiana Public Service Company) cooling tower of its power plant in Michigan City, Indiana
Michigan City, Indiana
Michigan City's origins date to 1830, when the land for the city was first purchased by Isaac C. Elston. Elston Middle School, formerly Elston High School, located at 317 Detroit St., is named after the founder....
.
The Great Lakes Circle Tour
Great Lakes Circle Tour
The Great Lakes Circle Tour is a designated scenic road system connecting all of the Great Lakes and the St. Lawrence River. It consists of routes for circumnavigating the lakes, either individually or collectively.-Lake Superior Circle Tour:...
is a designated scenic road system connecting all of the Great Lakes and the St. Lawrence River.
Some environmental problems can still plague the lake as steel mill
Steel mill
A steel mill or steelworks is an industrial plant for the manufacture of steel.Steel is an alloy of iron and carbon. It is produced in a two-stage process. First, iron ore is reduced or smelted with coke and limestone in a blast furnace, producing molten iron which is either cast into pig iron or...
s operate near the Indiana shoreline. The Chicago Tribune
Chicago Tribune
The Chicago Tribune is a major daily newspaper based in Chicago, Illinois, and the flagship publication of the Tribune Company. Formerly self-styled as the "World's Greatest Newspaper" , it remains the most read daily newspaper of the Chicago metropolitan area and the Great Lakes region and is...
reported that BP
BP
BP p.l.c. is a global oil and gas company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the third-largest energy company and fourth-largest company in the world measured by revenues and one of the six oil and gas "supermajors"...
is a major polluter, dumping thousands of pounds of raw sludge into the lake every day from its Whiting, Indiana
Whiting, Indiana
Whiting is a city located in the Chicago Metropolitan Area in Lake County, Indiana, which was founded in 1889. The city is located on the southern shore of Lake Michigan. It is roughly 16 miles from the Chicago Loop and just short of two miles from Chicago's South Side. Whiting is home to Whiting...
oil refinery.
Car ferries
People can cross Lake Michigan by the SS Badger, a ferryFerry
A ferry is a form of transportation, usually a boat, but sometimes a ship, used to carry primarily passengers, and sometimes vehicles and cargo as well, across a body of water. Most ferries operate on regular, frequent, return services...
that runs from Manitowoc, Wisconsin
Manitowoc, Wisconsin
Manitowoc is a city in and the county seat of Manitowoc County, Wisconsin, United States. The city is located on Lake Michigan at the mouth of the Manitowoc River. According to the 2000 census, Manitowoc had a population of 34,053, with over 50,000 residents in the surrounding communities...
, to Ludington, Michigan
Ludington, Michigan
Ludington is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 8,357. It is the county seat of Mason County.Ludington is a harbor town located on Lake Michigan at the mouth of the Pere Marquette River...
. The Lake Express
Lake Express
Lake Express is a high-speed auto and passenger ferry that is in service on a route across Lake Michigan. Lake Express links the cities of Milwaukee, Wisconsin and Muskegon, Michigan from late spring to the fall of each year.- Background :...
, established in 2004, carries motorists across the lake between Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and Muskegon, Michigan
Muskegon, Michigan
Muskegon is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 38,401. The city is the county seat of Muskegon County...
.
Islands
- The Beaver IslandBeaver Island (Lake Michigan)Beaver Island is the largest island in Lake Michigan and part of the Beaver Island archipelago. Once home to a unique American monarchy, the island is now a popular tourist and vacation destination....
archipelago in Charlevoix County, MichiganCharlevoix County, Michigan-Airports:*Beaver Island is served by two airlines:**Welke Airport**Beaver Island Airport-Ferry service:*Beaver Island Boat Company maintains a regular auto ferry from Charlevoix:*The Ironton Ferry at Ironton, Michigan crosses the south arm of Lake Charlevoix...
, includes Beaver Island, Garden IslandGarden Island (Michigan)Garden Island is an uninhabited 4,990 acre island located in the Beaver Island archipelago in northern Lake Michigan. It is almost wholly owned by the U.S. state of Michigan and is overseen by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources as part of the Beaver Island State Wildlife Research Area....
, Grape Island, Gull IslandGull Island (Charlevoix County, Michigan)Gull Island, located in St. James Township, Charlevoix County, Michigan, is the largest of approximately one dozen islands bearing this name in Michigan. 230 acres in size, it is managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service as part of the Michigan Islands National Wildlife Refuge...
, Hat IslandHat Island (Lake Michigan)Hat Island is a small island on the eastern edge of the Beaver Island archipelago in Lake Michigan. It is about 10 acres in size and located in eastern St. James Township, Charlevoix County, Michigan...
, High IslandHigh Island (Michigan)High Island is an island in Lake Michigan and is part of the Beaver Island archipelago. It is in size. The island is owned by the U.S. state of Michigan and is managed by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources as part of the Beaver Islands State Wildlife Management Area.High Island got its...
, Hog IslandHog Island (Michigan)Hog Island, an uninhabited 2,075-acre island in Lake Michigan, is the fourth largest island in the Beaver Island archipelago. It is owned by the U.S...
, Horseshoe Island, Little Island, Pismire IslandPismire IslandPismire Island is a small island in Lake Michigan of approximately in size. It is part of the Beaver Island archipelago, the Michigan Islands National Wildlife Refuge, and the Michigan Islands Wilderness Area. It is managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service as a satellite of the Seney...
, Shoe IslandShoe Island (Lake Michigan)Shoe Island is a small island or islet in the Beaver Island archipelago in Lake Michigan. It is about in size and located in eastern St. James Township, Charlevoix County, Michigan...
, Squaw Island, Trout Island, and Whiskey Island. - The Fox IslandsFox Islands (Michigan)The Fox Islands consist of the North Fox and South Fox islands, in Lake Michigan. The uninhabited islands are approximately 17 miles northwest of Cathead Point near the tip of the Leelanau Peninsula of Michigan and about southwest of Beaver Island. The three islands form part of an archipelago...
in Leelanau County, MichiganLeelanau County, Michigan-History:The county's name is said to be a Native American word meaning "delight of life", but it is a neologism made up by Indian agent and ethnographer Henry Schoolcraft, who sometimes gave the name "Leelinau" to Native American women in his tales. He created many faux Indian place names in...
, consist of North Fox Island and South Fox Island. - The Manitou Islands, North Manitou IslandNorth Manitou IslandNorth Manitou Island is located in Lake Michigan, approximately west-northwest of Leland, Michigan. It is nearly eight miles long and over four miles wide, with of shoreline. It has a land area of 57.876 km² and has no population...
and South Manitou IslandSouth Manitou IslandSouth Manitou Island is located in Lake Michigan, approximately west of Leland, Michigan. It is part of Leelanau County and the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. The uninhabited island is in land area and can be accessed by a ferry service from Leland...
, are in Leelanau County, Michigan. - Islands within Grand Traverse BayGrand Traverse BayGrand Traverse Bay is a bay of Lake Michigan formed by part of Northern Michigan. The bay is long, 10 miles wide, and up to deep in spots. It is divided into two arms by the Old Mission Peninsula...
include Bassett Island, Bellow Island, and Marion Island. - Islands south of the Garden PeninsulaGarden PeninsulaThe Garden Peninsula is a peninsula of in length that extends southwestward into Lake Michigan from the mainland of Michigan's Upper Peninsula. The peninsula is bordered by Lake Michigan on the east, and by Big Bay de Noc on the west. The base of the peninsula is served by U.S. Highway 2, and...
in Delta County, MichiganDelta County, Michigan-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 38,520 people, 15,836 households, and 10,689 families residing in the county. The population density was 33 people per square mile . There were 19,223 housing units at an average density of 16 per square mile...
include Gravelly Island, Gull IslandGull Island (Michigan)Gull Island is the name of a dozen small islands in the U.S. state of Michigan.On Lake Huron:*In Alpena County at , just outside of Thunder Bay and within the Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary.*In Arenac County at , at the mouth of the Saginaw Bay...
, Little Gull IslandLittle Gull IslandLittle Gull Island is a small island in Long Island Sound, located approximately northeast of Great Gull Island. Both islands are located in Suffolk County, New York, and lie roughly midway between Plum Island and Fishers Island...
, Little Summer Island, Poverty IslandPoverty IslandPoverty Island is a small island in the U.S. state of Michigan. The island is within Delta County in Lake Michigan and is home to an abandoned lighthouse which is in disrepair. Poverty Island is currently owned by the federal government....
, Rocky Island, St. Martin IslandSt. Martin IslandSt. Martin Island is located off the Garden Peninsula in Delta County in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is the southernmost island in Michigan that is part of a line of islands at the mouth of the bay of Green Bay and is part of the Niagara Escarpment....
, and Summer IslandSummer IslandSummer Island is an island in Lake Michigan. It is located 2.5 miles miles off the southern tip of the Garden Peninsula in the state of Michigan...
. - Islands in Big Bay de NocBig Bay de NocBig Bay de Noc is a bay in the Upper Peninsula of the U.S. state of Michigan. The bay, which opens into Lake Michigan's Green Bay, is enclosed by Delta County...
in Delta County, MichiganDelta County, Michigan-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 38,520 people, 15,836 households, and 10,689 families residing in the county. The population density was 33 people per square mile . There were 19,223 housing units at an average density of 16 per square mile...
include Round IslandRound Island (Michigan)Round Island is an uninhabited island in Mackinac County of the U.S. state of Michigan. It is located in the Straits of Mackinac, which connect Lake Michigan and Lake Huron. The Native Americans called the island "Nissawinagong."...
, Saint Vital Island, and Snake Island. - Islands in Little Bay de NocLittle Bay de NocLittle Bay de Noc is a bay in the Upper Peninsula of the U.S. state of Michigan. The bay opens into Lake Michigan's Green Bay.The bay, consisting of approximately 30,000 acres , is enclosed by Delta County...
in Delta County, MichiganDelta County, Michigan-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 38,520 people, 15,836 households, and 10,689 families residing in the county. The population density was 33 people per square mile . There were 19,223 housing units at an average density of 16 per square mile...
include Butlers Island and Sand Island. - Wilderness State ParkWilderness State ParkWilderness State Park is an state park in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is located in Emmet County in Northern Michigan. The nearest towns are Carp Lake, Michigan and Mackinaw City, Michigan. The state park is operated by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources...
in Emmet County, MichiganEmmet County, MichiganEmmet County is a county in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the population was 31,437. The county seat is Petoskey.The county was formed April 1, 1840, from Mackinac County. It was first named Tonedagana County and renamed Emmet County on March 8, 1843...
contains Temperance Island and Waugoshance Island. - Epoufette Island, Gravel Island, Little Hog Island, and Naubinway Island are located in Mackinac County, MichiganMackinac County, Michigan-Local Airports:*Mackinac County Airport *Mackinac Island Airport -Airline service:The nearest airports with scheduled passenger service are:*Chippewa County International Airport in Sault Ste...
, in the area of Epoufette, MichiganHendricks Township, MichiganHendricks Township is a civil township of Mackinac County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 183 at the 2000 census.- Communities :...
and Naubinway, MichiganGarfield Township, Mackinac County, MichiganGarfield Township is a civil township of Mackinac County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 1,251 at the 2000 census.- Communities :...
. - Green Island and St. Helena Island are in the vicinity of the Mackinac BridgeMackinac BridgeThe Mackinac Bridge is a suspension bridge spanning the Straits of Mackinac to connect the non-contiguous Upper and Lower peninsulas of the U.S. state of Michigan. Opened in 1957, the bridge is the third longest in total suspension in the world and the longest suspension bridge between anchorages...
, in Mackinac County, MichiganMackinac County, Michigan-Local Airports:*Mackinac County Airport *Mackinac Island Airport -Airline service:The nearest airports with scheduled passenger service are:*Chippewa County International Airport in Sault Ste...
. - Islands surrounding the Door PeninsulaDoor PeninsulaThe Door Peninsula is a peninsula in eastern Wisconsin, separating the southern part of the Green Bay from Lake Michigan. The peninsula begins in northern Brown and Kewaunee counties and proceeds northeast to include all of Door County. It is the western portion of the Niagara Escarpment. Well...
in WisconsinWisconsinWisconsin is a U.S. state located in the north-central United States and is part of the Midwest. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michigan to the northeast, and Lake Superior to the north. Wisconsin's capital is...
include Chambers IslandChambers IslandChambers Island, named in honor of Col. Talbot Chambers, is a 2,834 acre island in Green Bay, about off the coast of the Door Peninsula, near Gibraltar, Wisconsin. It is part of Door County....
, Detroit Island, Hog IslandHog Island (Wisconsin)Hog Island is a bird sanctuary located off the eastern shore of Washington Island in Door County, Wisconsin. There are no residents on the island, which has a land area of . It is located in the Town of Washington. Since 1913, this sanctuary has served as a habitat for many different types of...
, Pilot Island, Plum IslandPlum Island (Wisconsin)Plum Island is an island at the western shore of Lake Michigan in the southern part of the town of Washington in Door County, Wisconsin, USA. The uninhabited island has a land area of 1.179 km² or 117.87 ha . The island is a bird sanctuary under control of the U.S. Coast Guard and will eventually...
, Rock IslandRock Island (Wisconsin)Rock Island is a wooded island off the tip of Wisconsin's Door Peninsula at the mouth of Green Bay. The uninhabited island is almost entirely owned by the Wisconsin DNR, which maintains Rock Island State Park. It is the northernmost part of the Town of Washington.-History:Rock Island was...
, and Washington IslandWashington Island (Wisconsin)Washington Island is located about 7 miles northeast of the tip of Door Peninsula in Door County, Wisconsin. The island has a year-round population of 660 people . It has a land area of 60.89 km² and comprises over 92 percent of the land area of the town of Washington, as well as all of its...
. The northern half of the peninsula is technically an island itself, due to the Sturgeon Bay Ship CanalSturgeon Bay Ship CanalThe Sturgeon Bay Ship Canal is a shipping canal connecting Sturgeon Bay on Green Bay with Lake Michigan, across the Door Peninsula, at the city of Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin....
. - Northerly IslandNortherly IslandNortherly Island is a man-made peninsula along Chicago's lakefront. The site of the Adler Planetarium, Northerly Island connects to the mainland through a narrow isthmus along Solidarity Drive dominated by Neoclassical sculptures of Kościuszko, Havliček and Copernicus...
is a 91 acres (36.8 ha) man-made island in Chicago. It is the home of the Adler PlanetariumAdler PlanetariumThe Adler Planetarium & Astronomy Museum in Chicago, Illinois was the first planetarium built in the Western Hemisphere and is the oldest in existence today. Adler was founded and built in 1930 by the philanthropist Max Adler, with the assistance of the first director of the planetarium, Philip Fox...
, the former site of Meigs FieldMeigs FieldMerrill C. Meigs Field Airport , was a single strip airport that operated from December 1948 until March 2003. It was built on Northerly Island, the man-made peninsula that was also the site of the 1933–1934 Century of Progress in Chicago....
, and the current site of the temporary concert venue Charter One PavilionCharter One PavilionCharter One Pavilion is an outdoor concert hall in Chicago. It is located on Northerly Island on the grounds of the former Meigs Field general aviation airport. Construction started in 2005. The venue seats 7,500 people and hosts many different musical artists and shows...
each summer. - Other islands include Fisherman IslandFisherman IslandFisherman Island is the southernmost island on the Delmarva Peninsula chain of barrier islands. Located at the entrance to the Chesapeake Bay, the island is subject to great changes in its landscape from waves and runoff...
in Charlevoix County, MichiganCharlevoix County, Michigan-Airports:*Beaver Island is served by two airlines:**Welke Airport**Beaver Island Airport-Ferry service:*Beaver Island Boat Company maintains a regular auto ferry from Charlevoix:*The Ironton Ferry at Ironton, Michigan crosses the south arm of Lake Charlevoix...
and Ile aux GaletsIle Aux GaletsIle aux Galets or Gallets, and also known as Skillagallee or Skillagalee Island, is located in northeast Lake Michigan approximately 7.0 miles northwest of Cross Village, Michigan...
in Emmet County, MichiganEmmet County, MichiganEmmet County is a county in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the population was 31,437. The county seat is Petoskey.The county was formed April 1, 1840, from Mackinac County. It was first named Tonedagana County and renamed Emmet County on March 8, 1843...
.
Parks
The National Park ServiceNational Park Service
The National Park Service is the U.S. federal agency that manages all national parks, many national monuments, and other conservation and historical properties with various title designations...
maintains the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore
Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore
Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore is a United States National Lakeshore located along the northwest coast of the Lower Peninsula of Michigan in Leelanau County and Benzie County....
and Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore
Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore
Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore is a U.S. National Lakeshore located in northwest Indiana and managed by the National Park Service. It was authorized by Congress in 1966. The national lakeshore runs for nearly along the southern shore of Lake Michigan, from Gary, Indiana, on the west to Michigan...
. Parts of the shoreline are within the Hiawatha National Forest
Hiawatha National Forest
Hiawatha National Forest is a National Forest in the Upper Peninsula of the state of Michigan in the United States. Commercial logging is conducted in some areas. The United States Forest Service administers this National Forest; it is physically divided into two subunits, commonly called the...
and the Manistee National Forest. The Manistee National Forest section of the shoreline includes the Nordhouse Dunes Wilderness
Nordhouse Dunes Wilderness
The Nordhouse Dunes Wilderness is a listed wilderness area within the Manistee National Forest. It is located north of Ludington, Michigan, and is best known for its 4 miles of undeveloped Lake Michigan shoreline.-Geology:...
. The Lake Michigan division of the Michigan Islands National Wildlife Refuge
Michigan Islands National Wildlife Refuge
The Michigan Islands National Wildlife Refuge is a designation for eight Michigan islands in the North American Great Lakes. Owned by the United States federal government, they were set aside for ecosystem protection purposes by President Franklin D. Roosevelt 1943.Charity, Little Charity,...
is also within the lake.
There are numerous state and local parks located on the shores of the lake or on islands within the lake. A partial list follows.
- Chicago Park District Beaches
- Duck Lake State ParkDuck Lake State ParkDuck Lake State Park is a , day-use state park located along Lake Michigan south of Whitehall, Michigan in Muskegon County. The land was purchased by the Nature Conservancy from two Boy Scout organizations and acquired by the state in 1974. It officially opened in 1988.The park, which runs along...
- Fayette Historic State ParkFayette Historic State ParkFayette Historic State Park is a state park and historic townsite near Fayette in the U.S. state of Michigan. Located on the Big Bay de Noc of Lake Michigan on the southern side of the Upper Peninsula, it was the site of an industrial community that manufactured charcoal pig iron between 1867 and...
- Fisherman's Island State ParkFisherman's Island State ParkFisherman's Island State Park is a state park just south of Charlevoix, Michigan, with five miles of the Lake Michigan shoreline. Steadily decreasing water levels have meant that the tiny island from which the park took its name has connected to the shore by a narrow strip of sand thus becoming a...
- Grand Haven State ParkGrand Haven State ParkGrand Haven State Park is a state park in Michigan. The park is located in Grand Haven, Michigan on the coast of Lake Michigan on the south side of the mouth of the Grand River and harbor....
- Grand Mere State ParkGrand Mere State ParkGrand Mere State Park is a state park in southwestern Michigan near Stevensville. It is located adjacent to Interstate 94. Protected from Lake Michigan by the dunes to the west, the park has many natural features not found throughout the rest of the state...
- Harrington Beach State ParkHarrington Beach State ParkHarrington Beach State Park is a Wisconsin state park on the shore of Lake Michigan. In addition to a mile-long beach, the park contains a white cedar swamp surrounding a lake which used to be a stone quarry.-External links:* official site...
- Holland State ParkHolland State ParkHolland State Park is located in the U.S. state of Michigan, in Park Township, Ottawa County, four miles west of the city of Holland. The park covers about on the northern side of the channel connecting Lake Macatawa with Lake Michigan, and consists of separate Lake Macatawa and Lake Michigan...
- Hoffmaster State ParkHoffmaster State ParkP.J. Hoffmaster State Park is a state park along Lake Michigan located at the southwest corner of Norton Shores, Michigan in Muskegon County and the northwest corner of Spring Lake Township in Ottawa County. It is operated by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources. The park includes of land...
- Illinois Beach State ParkIllinois Beach State ParkIllinois 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 the Village of Winthrop Harbor. The park is broken into two units that encompass an area of and contains over six miles of Lake Michigan...
- Indian Lake State Park
- Indiana Dunes State ParkIndiana Dunes State ParkIndiana DunesDesignationState Park; National Natural LandmarkLocationPorter County, Indiana, USAAddress1600 N 25 EChesterton, IN 46304Nearest CityPorter, IndianaCoordinatesAreaDate of Establishment1925...
- Ludington State ParkLudington State ParkLudington State Park is a state park located just north of Ludington, Michigan between the shores of Lake Michigan and Hamlin Lake. The park encompasses nearly and contains several ecosystems, including: forests, sand dunes, a dam, a Great Lake, and a river.-Big Sable Point Lighthouse:Ludington...
- Leelanau State ParkLeelanau State ParkLeelanau State Park is a state park located on the Leelanau Peninsula in Leelanau County, Michigan. The park encompasses the entire tip of the peninsula and features both a day-use area and campground....
- Mears State ParkMears State ParkMears State Park is a state park in Pentwater, Oceana County, Michigan. It is a sandy park directly on Lake Michigan, bordering a channel leading into Pentwater Lake. The park only covers but has swimming, camping, and picnicking areas and a one-mile hiking trail...
- Muskegon State ParkMuskegon State ParkMuskegon State Park is a state park along Lake Michigan and Muskegon Lake near North Muskegon, Michigan in Muskegon County, Michigan. The park, located four miles west of North Muskegon, has two miles of sand beach on Lake Michigan and one mile on Muskegon Lake.-Facilities and attractions:The...
- Newport State ParkNewport State ParkNewport State Park is a Wisconsin state park at the tip of Door Peninsula near Ellison Bay, Wisconsin. Protecting of shoreline on Lake Michigan, Newport is Wisconsin's only wilderness-designated state park.-External links:*...
- Orchard Beach State ParkOrchard Beach State ParkOrchard Beach State Park is a state park in Manistee Township, just north of Manistee, Michigan. Situated on a bluff overlooking Lake Michigan, the park offers a beach, campground and hiking trails.-History:...
- Peninsula State ParkPeninsula State ParkPeninsula State Park is a Wisconsin state park with eight miles of Green Bay shoreline in Door County. Peninsula is the third largest state park in Wisconsin, and is visited by an estimated 1 million visitors annually.-Points of interest:...
- Saugatuck Dunes State ParkSaugatuck Dunes State ParkSaugatuck Dunes State Park is a 1,120 acre Michigan state park. It is located on Lake Michigan between Saugatuck and Holland in Allegan County, Michigan....
- Silver Lake State ParkSilver Lake State Park (Michigan)Silver Lake State Park is a state park in Michigan, located on Lake Michigan near Mears.It is composed of mature forest land and over of sand dunes. The park is wide and long and is divided into three segments: The northern area is an all-terrain vehicle park, and is the only dunes area east of...
- Traverse City State ParkTraverse City State ParkTraverse City State Park is a state park in Traverse City, Michigan.The park is located on the densely populated shoreline of Grand Traverse Bay, an arm of Lake Michigan, and is used mainly as a campground. US-31 runs between the park and the beach area, there is an overpass where campers can get...
- Terry Andrae State ParkKohler-Andrae State ParkKohler-Andrae State Park comprises two adjacent Wisconsin state parks located in the town of Wilson, a few miles south of the city of Sheboygan. They are managed as one unit. Terry Andrae State Park, established in 1927, and John Michael Kohler State Park, established in 1966, total...
- Van Buren State ParkVan Buren State Park (Michigan)Van Buren State Park is a state park on Lake Michigan south of South Haven, Michigan, United States. The park, which is maintained and operated by the Department of Natural Resources, is located in the southwest corner of South Haven Township and the northwest corner of Covert Township, just north...
- Warren Dunes State ParkWarren Dunes State ParkWarren Dunes State Park is a Michigan state park, located along the eastern shore of Lake Michigan in Berrien County. The park's large sand dunes and lakeshore beaches make it one of the most popular of Michigan’s state parks with an average of about one million visitors annually.Large sand dunes...
- Wells State Park
- Wilderness State ParkWilderness State ParkWilderness State Park is an state park in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is located in Emmet County in Northern Michigan. The nearest towns are Carp Lake, Michigan and Mackinaw City, Michigan. The state park is operated by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources...
Lighthouses
- Illinois lighthouses
- Indiana lighthouses
- Michigan lighthouses
- Wisconsin lighthouses
Hydrology
The Milwaukee Reef, running under Lake Michigan from a point between Milwaukee and RacineRacine
-Geography:Racine is the name of several communities in the United States of America:*Racine, Wisconsin, the largest city named Racine in the United States*Racine, Minnesota*Racine, Missouri*Racine, Ohio*Racine, West Virginia*Racine County, Wisconsin...
to a point between Grand Haven and Muskegon, divides the lake into northern and southern basins. Each basin has a clockwise flow of water, deriving from rivers, winds, and the Coriolis effect
Coriolis effect
In physics, the Coriolis effect is a deflection of moving objects when they are viewed in a rotating reference frame. In a reference frame with clockwise rotation, the deflection is to the left of the motion of the object; in one with counter-clockwise rotation, the deflection is to the right...
. Prevailing westerly winds tend to move the surface water toward the east, producing a moderating effect on the climate of western Michigan. There is a mean difference in summer temperatures of 5 to 10 degrees Fahrenheit (2 to 5 degrees Celsius) between the Wisconsin and Michigan shores.
Hydrologically Michigan and Huron are the same body of water (sometimes called Lake Michigan-Huron
Lake Michigan-Huron
Lake Michigan-Huron is geologically the largest of the North American Great Lakes. Traditionally considered to be two separate lakes, Lake Michigan and Lake Huron, it is hydrologically a single body of water connected at the Straits of Mackinac....
), but are geographically distinct. Counted together, it is the largest body of fresh water in the world by surface area. The Mackinac Bridge
Mackinac Bridge
The Mackinac Bridge is a suspension bridge spanning the Straits of Mackinac to connect the non-contiguous Upper and Lower peninsulas of the U.S. state of Michigan. Opened in 1957, the bridge is the third longest in total suspension in the world and the longest suspension bridge between anchorages...
is generally considered the dividing line between them. Both lakes are part of the Great Lakes Waterway
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. Its principal civil engineering components are the Welland Canal, bypassing Niagara Falls between Lake Ontario and Lake Erie, and the Soo Locks, bypassing the rapids of...
. In earlier maps of the region, the name Lake Illinois has been found in place of "Michigan".
Historic High Water: The lake fluctuates from month to month with the highest lake levels in October and November. The normal highwater mark is 2 foot (0.6096 m) above datum (577.5 ft or 176.0 m). In the summer of 1986, Lakes Michigan and Huron reached their highest level at 5.92 feet (1.8 m) above datum. The high water records began in February 1986 and lasted through the year, ending with January 1987. Water levels ranged from 3.67 feet (1.1 m) to 5.92 feet (1.8 m) above Chart Datum. On February 21, the waters neared the all-time maximum.
Historic Low Water: Lake levels tend to be the lowest in winter. The normal lowwater mark is 1 foot (0.3048 m) below datum (577.5 ft or 176.0 m). In the winter of 1964, Lakes Michigan and Huron reached their lowest level at 1.38 foot (0.420624 m) below datum. As with the highwater records, monthly low water records were set each month from February 1964 through January 1965. During this twelve month period water levels ranged from 1.38 foot (0.420624 m) to 0.71 foot (0.216408 m) below Chart Datum.
Ecology
Lake Michigan is home to a variety of species of fish and other organisms. It was originally home to lake troutLake trout
Lake trout is a freshwater char living mainly in lakes in northern North America. Other names for it include mackinaw, lake char , touladi, togue, and grey trout. In Lake Superior, they can also be variously known as siscowet, paperbellies and leans...
, yellow perch
Yellow perch
The yellow perch is a species of perch found in the United States and Canada, where it is often referred to by the shortform perch. Yellow perch look similar to the European perch, but are paler and more yellowish, with less red in the fins. They have six to eight dark, vertical bars on their sides...
, panfish
Panfish
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 term is also commonly used by anglers to refer to any small catch that will fit in a pan, but is large enough to be legal. However its definition and usage varies with...
, largemouth bass
Largemouth bass
The largemouth bass is a species of black bass in the sunfish family native to North America . It is also known as widemouth bass, bigmouth, black bass, bucketmouth, Potter's fish, Florida bass, Florida largemouth, green bass, green trout, linesides, Oswego bass, southern largemouth...
, smallmouth bass
Smallmouth bass
The smallmouth bass is a species of freshwater fish in the sunfish family of the order Perciformes. It is the type species of its genus...
, bowfin
Bowfin
The Bowfin, Amia calva, is the last surviving member of the order Amiiformes , and of the family Amiidae...
, as well as some species of catfish
Catfish
Catfishes are a diverse group of ray-finned fish. Named for their prominent barbels, which resemble a cat's whiskers, catfish range in size and behavior from the heaviest and longest, the Mekong giant catfish from Southeast Asia and the second longest, the wels catfish of Eurasia, to detritivores...
. In recent years overfishing has caused a decline in lake trout, ultimately causing an increase in the alewife
Alewife
The alewife is a species of herring. There are anadromous and landlocked forms. The landlocked form is also called a sawbelly or mooneye...
population. As a result, coho
Coho salmon
The Coho salmon, Oncorhynchus kisutch, is a species of anadromous fish in the salmon family. Coho salmon are also known as silver salmon or "silvers". It is the state animal of Chiba, Japan.-Description:...
and chinook salmon
Chinook salmon
The Chinook salmon, Oncorhynchus tshawytscha, is the largest species in the pacific salmon family. Other commonly used names for the species include King salmon, Quinnat salmon, Spring salmon and Tyee salmon...
were introduced as a predator of alewives to decrease the alewife population. This program was so successful that the salmon population exploded, and the states surrounding Lake Michigan promoted Salmon Snagging. This practice has since been made illegal in all of the great lakes states with the exception of a limited season in Illinois. Lake Michigan is now being stocked with several species of fish. However, several invader species introduced such as lamprey
Lamprey
Lampreys are a family of jawless fish, whose adults are characterized by a toothed, funnel-like sucking mouth. Translated from an admixture of Latin and Greek, lamprey means stone lickers...
s, round goby
Round goby
The round goby, Neogobius melanostomus, is an euryhaline bottom-dwelling goby of the family Gobiidae, native to central Eurasia including the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea.-Characteristics:...
, and zebra mussel
Zebra mussel
The zebra mussel, Dreissena polymorpha, is a small freshwater mussel. This species was originally native to the lakes of southeast Russia being first described in 1769 by a German zoologist Peter Simon Pallas in the Ural, Volga and Dnieper rivers. They are still found nearby, as Pontic and Caspian...
s threaten the vitality of fish populations.
See also
Geography
- Chicago beaches
- Chicago RiverChicago RiverThe Chicago River is a system of rivers and canals with a combined length of that runs through the city of the same name, including its center . Though not especially long, the river is notable for being the reason why Chicago became an important location, as the link between the Great Lakes and...
- Grand Traverse BayGrand Traverse BayGrand Traverse Bay is a bay of Lake Michigan formed by part of Northern Michigan. The bay is long, 10 miles wide, and up to deep in spots. It is divided into two arms by the Old Mission Peninsula...
- Door PeninsulaDoor PeninsulaThe Door Peninsula is a peninsula in eastern Wisconsin, separating the southern part of the Green Bay from Lake Michigan. The peninsula begins in northern Brown and Kewaunee counties and proceeds northeast to include all of Door County. It is the western portion of the Niagara Escarpment. Well...
- Green Bay
- Lake Michigan Shore AVA
- Leelanau PeninsulaLeelanau PeninsulaThe Leelanau Peninsula is a peninsula of the U.S. state of Michigan that extends about from the Lower Peninsula of Michigan into Lake Michigan. Leelanau County encompasses the entire peninsula. It is often referred to as the "little finger" of the mitten-shaped lower peninsula.Sleeping Bear Dunes...
- Little Bay de NocLittle Bay de NocLittle Bay de Noc is a bay in the Upper Peninsula of the U.S. state of Michigan. The bay opens into Lake Michigan's Green Bay.The bay, consisting of approximately 30,000 acres , is enclosed by Delta County...
- Little Traverse BayLittle Traverse BayLittle Traverse Bay is a small bay, 170 feet deep, off Lake Michigan in the northern area of the Lower Peninsula of Michigan. Harbor Springs and Petoskey are on this bay.The Little Traverse Light marks its entrance....
- Jardine Water Purification PlantJardine Water Purification PlantThe Jardine Water Purification Plant, formerly the Central District Filtration Plant, is the largest capacity water filtration plant in the world, located at 1000 E. Ohio Street north of Navy Pier in Chicago, Illinois...
Great Lakes in general
- Great LakesGreat LakesThe Great Lakes are a collection of freshwater lakes located in northeastern North America, on the Canada – United States border. Consisting of Lakes Superior, Michigan, Huron, Erie, and Ontario, they form the largest group of freshwater lakes on Earth by total surface, coming in second by volume...
- Great Lakes Areas of ConcernGreat Lakes Areas of ConcernGreat Lakes Areas of Concern are designated geographic areas within the Great Lakes Basin that show severe environmental degradation. There are a total of 43 areas of concern within the Great Lakes, 26 being in the U.S., 17 in Canada, with five shared by the two countries.The Great Lakes, the...
- Great Lakes census statistical areasGreat Lakes census statistical areasAlong the Great Lakes, there are 27 United States census statistical areas - 10 Combined Statistical Areas, 7 Metropolitan Statistical Areas , and 3 Micropolitan Statistical Areas , as defined by the United States Census Bureau.-Table:The following sortable table lists the 27...
- Great Lakes CommissionGreat Lakes CommissionThe Great Lakes Commission is a United States interstate agency established in 1955 through the Great Lakes Compact, in order to "promote the orderly, integrated and comprehensive development, use and conservation of the water resources of the Great Lakes Basin," which includes the Saint Lawrence...
- Great Recycling and Northern Development CanalGreat Recycling and Northern Development CanalThe Great Recycling and Northern Development Canal of North America or GCNA is a water management proposal designed by Newfoundland engineer Thomas Kierans to alleviate North American freshwater shortage problems...
- Great Storm of 1913
- International Boundary Waters TreatyInternational Boundary Waters TreatyThe Boundary Waters Treaty is the 1909 treaty between the United States and Canada providing mechanisms for resolving any dispute over any waters bordering the two countries...
- List of cities along the Great Lakes
- Seiche
- Sixty Years' WarSixty Years' WarThe Sixty Years' War was a military struggle for control of the Great Lakes region in North America, encompassing a number of wars over several generations. The term Sixty Years' War is not widely known, and is used primarily by academic historians who specialize in various aspects of the conflict...
for control of the Great Lakes - Third Coast
- SnowbeltSnowbeltSnowbelt is a term describing of a number of regions near the Great Lakes in North America where heavy snowfall in the form of lake-effect snow is particularly common. Snowbelts are typically found downwind of the lakes, principally off the eastern and southern shores...
External links
- EPA's Great Lakes Atlas
- Great Lakes Coast Watch
- Michigan DNR map of Lake Michigan
- Lake Michigan Fishing
- Bathymetry of Lake Michigan
Lighthouses
- Bibliography on Michigan lighthouses
- Interactive map of lighthouses in area (northern Lake Michigan)
- Interactive map of lighthouses in area (southern Lake Michigan)
- Terry Pepper on lighthouses of the western Great Lakes
- Wagner, John L., Beacons Shining in the Night, Michigan lighthouse bibliography, chronology, history, and photographs, Clarke Historical Library, Central Michigan University]