Since there’s less algae, the water is less green. “20 years ago Lake Michigan’s color was driven by phytoplankton absorption. Due to the reduction of phytoplankton from the mussels invasion, pure water scattering is now the dominant factor in water color,” they said.
Why is Lake Michigan’s water so blue?
The blue in Lake Michigan and Lake Huron is sediment brought to the surface when strong winds churned the lakes. The green in Lake Erie and in Lake Huron’s Saginaw Bay is algae, which builds on the surface when winds are calm.
Which Great Lake has the clearest water?
Lake Superior
Lake Superior is the largest, cleanest, and wildest of all the Great Lakes.
Why does Lake Michigan look like the ocean?
The answer lies largely in the underlying geology. The lake is a fjord-like bay that was carved by glaciers during the last glaciation (ice age). As glaciers retreated during the end of the glaciation, they carved lakes and glacial till.
Why are Great Lakes so clear?
Fahnenstiel, a senior research scientist at Michigan Tech University, says it’s partly due to less runoff of phosphorous, which is common in farm fertilizer. But the dominant factor, he says, is the explosion of invasive zebra and quagga mussels in the lakes in the past twenty years or so.
Can I drink Lake Michigan water?
Lake Michigan, by volume, is the second largest Great Lake and the only one located totally within the United States. It serves as a source of drinking water, as a place for swimming and fishing, and as a scenic wonderland. Water from Lake Michigan enters the intake crib at depths of 20 to 30 feet.
Are there sharks in any of the Great Lakes?
Sharks do not live in the Great Lakes, but many fishes are mostly drawn to this water body as their natural habitat.
What’s the dirtiest Great Lake?
Lake Erie
The most polluted Great Lake is Lake Erie.
What is the dirtiest lake in America?
Onondaga Lake in Syracuse, N.Y., has often been called the most polluted lake in America.
What is the purest lake in the world?
Blue Lake
Blue Lake (below), in New Zealand’s South Island, is the clearest lake in the world. It is fed by water from Lake Constance, above. Both are found just next to Mount Franklin, in the Tasman District’s Nelson Lakes National Park.
How deep is Lake Michigan?
Approximately 118 miles wide and 307 miles long, Lake Michigan has more than 1,600 miles of shoreline. Averaging 279 feet in depth, the lake reaches 925 feet at its deepest point.
Is Lake Michigan actually a sea?
Thousands of years ago, the melting mile-thick glaciers of the Wisconsin Ice Age left the North American continent a magnificent gift: five fantastic freshwater seas collectively known today as the Great Lakes — Lake Superior, Lake Huron, Lake Michigan, Lake Erie and Lake Ontario.
Is Lake Michigan really an ocean?
Lake Michigan is one of the five Great Lakes of North America. It is the second-largest of the Great Lakes by volume (1,180 cu mi (4,900 km3)) and the third-largest by surface area (22,404 sq mi (58,030 km2)), after Lake Superior and Lake Huron.
What is the cleanest lake in the United States?
Crater Lake, Oregon
Because Crater Lake isn’t fed by any streams or rivers, scientists consider it to be the cleanest lake in the US and the entire world. It is also the clearest, with visibility up to 100 feet and sunlight pervading down some 400 feet.
Is Lake Michigan safe to swim in?
Always use caution and never swim alone. A Moderate Swim Risk implies that breaking waves and currents are expected at the beach. Stay away from dangerous areas like piers, breakwalls, and river outlets at these times.
What is the clearest water in the world?
The Weddell Sea has been claimed by scientists to have the clearest waters of any ocean in the world.
Can you drink straight from the Great Lakes?
The Great Lakes are an abundant source of fresh drinking water; with proper treatment, that water is safe to enjoy. At Efilters.net, our experts provide high-quality water filtration systems for your home or business.
Who drinks water from Lake Michigan?
More than 6 ½ million Illinois residents get their drinking water from Lake Michigan. As northeastern Illinois’ supply of groundwater shrinks, more municipalities are considering joining that number.
Do they put bleach in city water?
It’s not necessarily appealing in terms of drinking, which leads to the question of: is there chlorine in tap water? The answer is “yes.” Though not as much as what is used to disinfect public pools, nearly all tap water contains chlorine, since it’s the main disinfection method for city water supplies.
Are there piranhas in Lake Michigan?
Piranhas
While there’s been no official report of an actual piranha being caught in Lake Michigan, they have been found in smaller lakes around Michigan.
Whats the biggest fish in Lake Michigan?
Lake sturgeons are the only sturgeon species endemic to the Great Lakes basin and are the largest freshwater fish indigenous (native) to that system.