Lake Superior
Landsat image
Coordinates	47.7° N 87.5° WCoordinates: 47.7° N 87.5° W
Lake type	Rift lake
Primary sources	Nipigon, St. Louis, Pigeon, Pic, White, Michipicoten, Kaministiquia Rivers
Primary outflows	St. Marys River
Catchment area	49,305 sq mi (127,700 km²)
Basin countries	Canada, United States
Max. length	350 mi (560 km)
Max. width	160 mi (260 km)
Surface area	31,820 sq mi (82,400 km²) [1] Canadian portion 11,081 sq mi (28,700 km²)
Average depth	482 ft (147 m)
Max. depth	1,332 ft (406 m)[1]
Water volume	2,900 cu mi (12,000 km³)
Residence time (of lake water)	191 years
Shore length1	2,725 mi (4,385 km)
Surface elevation	600 ft (180 m)[1]
Islands	Isle Royale, Apostle Islands
Settlements	Duluth, Minnesota Superior, Wisconsin Thunder Bay, Ontario Marquette, Michigan Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario
1 Shore length is not a well-defined measure.

Lake Superior is the largest of the five Great Lakes of North America. It is bounded to the north by Ontario, Canada and Minnesota, USA, and to the south by the U.S. states of Wisconsin and Michigan. It is the largest freshwater lake in the world by surface area and is the world's third-largest freshwater lake by volume.^[2] Lac-Supérieur is a municipality situated in the regional county municipality of The Laurentians in Quebec, Canada Categories: | ... Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 800 × 409 pixelsFull resolution (1278 × 653 pixel, file size: 325 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) Lake Superior, Landsat photography File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Map of Earth showing lines of latitude (horizontally) and longitude (vertically), Eckert VI projection; large version (pdf, 1. ... For other uses, see Lake (disambiguation). ... The Rift Valley lakes are a group of lakes formed in the Great Rift Valley which runs from south-western Asia through the whole eastern side of the African continent from north to south, with branches into Central Africa. ... The Nipigon River is about 48 km (30 miles) long and 50 to 200 m (165 to 656 ft) wide in Ontario, Canada. ... The Saint Louis River is a river in Minnesota that flows into Lake Superior. ... The Pigeon River forms part of the border between the State of Minnesota and the Province of Ontario on the north shore of Lake Superior. ... The Pic River is a river in Thunder Bay District, Ontario which flows from its headwaters east of Longlac and empties into Lake Superior south of the town of Marathon. ... White River (population 1000), is a township located in Ontario, Canada, on the intersection of Highway 17 and Highway 631. ... The Michipicoten River is a river in northern Ontario, Canada, which flows from Lake Wabatongushi and empties into Michipicoten Bay on Lake Superior. ... The Kaministiquia River is a Canadian river which empties into western Lake Superior at the city of Thunder Bay. ... The St. ... A drainage basin is the area within the drainage basin divide (blue outline), and drains the surface runoff and river discharge (green lines) of a contiguous area. ... A drainage basin is the area within the drainage basin divide (blue outline), and drains the surface runoff and river discharge (green lines) of a contiguous area. ... A measure based on the volume of water in a lake and the mean rate of outflow. ... Isle Royale is an island of the Great Lakes, located in the northwest of Lake Superior. ... Ashland County, Wisconsin from 1895 U.S. Atlas with Apostle Islands located in the north. ... Location in St. ... The Fairlawn Mansion, a 42 room mansion built in 1890 by Superiors three-time mayor Martin Pattison, is now a museum Downtown Superior, Duluth is on the horizon. ... Nickname: Motto: Superior by nature Location of Thunder Bay, Ontario Coordinates: , Country Canada Province Ontario Region Northwestern Ontario District Thunder Bay District CMA Thunder Bay Settled 1679 as Fort Caministigoyan See histories of Port Arthur and Fort William Amalgamation 1 January 1970 Government [1][2]  - Type Municipal Government  - Mayor Lynn... Marquette is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. ... Nickname: Location of Sault Ste. ... Nickname: Motto: Naturally Gifted Coordinates: , Country Canada Province Ontario District Algoma District Incorporated 1887 (town), 1912 (city) Government  - City Mayor John Rowswell  - Governing body The Corporation of the City of Sault Sainte Marie  - MPs Tony Martin  - MPPs David Orazietti Area  - City  276 sq mi (715 km²) Elevation  630 ft (192... The Great Lakes from space The Laurentian Great Lakes are a group of five large lakes in North America on or near the Canada-United States border. ... North American redirects here. ... This article is about the Canadian province. ... Capital Saint Paul Largest city Minneapolis Largest metro area Minneapolis-St. ... Motto: (traditional) In God We Trust (official, 1956–present) Anthem: The Star-Spangled Banner Capital Washington, D.C. Largest city New York City Official language(s) None at the federal level; English de facto Government Federal Republic  - President George W. Bush (R)  - Vice President Dick Cheney (R) Independence - Declared - Recognized... Federal courts Supreme Court Circuit Courts of Appeal District Courts Elections Presidential elections Midterm elections Political Parties Democratic Republican Third parties State & Local government Governors Legislatures (List) State Courts Local Government Other countries Atlas  US Government Portal      A U.S. state is any one of the fifty subnational entities of... This article is about the U.S. state. ... This article is about the U.S. State. ... Lakes with a surface area of more than 4,000 km², listed by area. ... Lakes with a water volume over 100 km3, listed by volume. ...

Name

In the Ojibwe language, the lake is called Gichigami, meaning "big water". It is also known as "Gitche Gumee" as recorded by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow in The Song of Hiawatha. Lake Superior is also referred to as "Gitche Gumee" in the song "The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald", by Gordon Lightfoot. Ojibwe, Ojibwa, Chippewa or Anishinaabemowin in Eastern Ojibwe syllabics) is the third most commonly spoken Native language in Canada (after Cree and Inuktitut), and the fourth most spoken in North America (behind Navajo, Cree, and Inuktitut). ... Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (February 27, 1807 – March 24, 1882) was an American poet whose works include Paul Reveres Ride, A Psalm of Life, The Song of Hiawatha and Evangeline. He also wrote the first American translation of Dante Alighieris Divine Comedy and was one of the five members... Statue of Hiawatha carrying Minnehaha at Minnehaha Park in Minneapolis, Minnesota. ... The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald is a song written and performed by Gordon Lightfoot in commemoration of the sinking of the bulk carrier SS Edmund Fitzgerald on Lake Superior on November 10, 1975. ... Gordon Meredith Lightfoot Jr. ...

The lake was named le lac supérieur, or "Upper Lake," in the seventeenth century by French explorers because it was located above Lake Huron.(Nute, 1946) See also explorations, sea explorers, astronaut, conquistador, travelogue, the History of Science and Technology and Biography. ... Ipperwash Beach, Lake Huron. ...

Hydrography

Lake Superior and the other Great Lakes

Lake Superior in winter, as seen from Duluth in December 2004

Lake Superior is the largest freshwater lake in the world by surface area. Lake Baikal in Russia is larger by volume, as is Lake Tanganyika. The Caspian Sea, while larger than Lake Superior in both surface area and volume, is saline; though presently isolated, in the past, it has been repeatedly connected to, and isolated from, the Mediterranean via the Black Sea. Image File history File links Great_Lakes_Lake_Superior. ... Image File history File links Great_Lakes_Lake_Superior. ... The Great Lakes from space The Laurentian Great Lakes are a group of five large lakes in North America on or near the Canada-United States border. ... ImageMetadata File history File links LakeSuperior_arf. ... ImageMetadata File history File links LakeSuperior_arf. ... Location in St. ... ← - 2004 : January - February - March - April - May - June - July - August - September - October - November - December- → Deaths in December • 30 Artie Shaw • 29 Julius Axelrod • 28 Jacques Dupuis • 28 Jerry Orbach • 28 Susan Sontag • 26 Reggie White • 26 Sir Angus Ogilvy • 23 P. V. Narasimha Rao • 23 Doug Ault • 19 Renata Tebaldi • 16... For the village on the Isle of Wight, see Freshwater, Isle of Wight. ... For other uses, see Lake (disambiguation). ... Baikal redirects here. ... Lake Tanganyika is a large lake in central Africa (3° 20 to 8° 48 South and from 29° 5 to 31° 15 East). ... The Caspian Sea is the largest enclosed body of water on Earth by area, variously classed as the worlds largest lake or a full-fledged sea. ... The Mediterranean Sea is an intercontinental sea positioned between Europe to the north, Africa to the south and Asia to the east, covering an approximate area of 2. ... For other uses, see Black Sea (disambiguation). ...

Lake Superior has a surface area of 31,820 square miles (82,413 km²)^[1]—which is larger than South Carolina. It has a maximum length of 350 miles (563 km) and maximum breadth of 160 miles (257 km). Its average depth is 483 feet (147 m) with a maximum depth of 1,333 feet (406 m).^[1] Lake Superior contains 2,900 cubic miles (12,100 km³) of water. There is enough water in Lake Superior to cover the entire land mass of North and South America with a foot (30 cm) of water. The shoreline of the lake stretches 2,726 miles (4,387 km) (including islands). The lake's elevation is 600 feet (183 m)^[1] above sea level. American limnologist J. Val Klump was the first person to reach the lowest depth of Lake Superior on July 30, 1985 as part of a scientific expedition, which, at 733 feet below sea level, is the lowest spot on the North American continent. A square mile is an English unit of area equal to that of a square with sides each 1 statute mile (≈1,609 m) in length. ... Square kilometre (U.S. spelling: square kilometer), symbol km², is a decimal multiple of SI unit of surface area square metre, one of the SI derived units. ... Official language(s) English Capital Columbia Largest city Columbia Largest metro area Columbia Area  Ranked 40th  - Total 34,726 sq mi (82,965 km²)  - Width 200 miles (320 km)  - Length 260 miles (420 km)  - % water 6  - Latitude 32° 2′ N to 35° 13′ N  - Longitude 78° 32′ W to 83... the hoff is cool ... North American redirects here. ... South America South America is a continent crossed by the equator, with most of its area in the Southern Hemisphere. ... This article is about a foot as a unit of length. ... A small island in the Adriatic sea An island is any piece of land smaller than a continent and larger than a rock, that is completely surrounded by water. ... Lake Geneva Limnology (from Greek: Λίμνη limne, lake; and λόγος, logos, knowledge) is the study of inland waters (both fresh and saline), including their biological, physical, chemical, geological and hydrological aspects. ... Jeffrey Val Klump (born December 17, 1948) is an American limnologist. ... is the 211th day of the year (212th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... This article is about the year. ...

Annual storms on Lake Superior regularly record wave heights of over 20 feet (6 m).^[3] Waves well over 30 feet (9 m) have been recorded.^[4]

Until approximately 1887, the natural hydraulic conveyance through the St. Marys River rapids determined outflow from Lake Superior. By 1921, development in support of transportation and hydropower resulted in gates, locks, power canals, and other control structures completely spanning St. Marys rapids. The regulating structure is known as the Compensating Works, and is operated according to a regulation plan known as Plan 1977-A. The current water levels, including diversions of water from the Hudson Bay watershed, are governed by the International Lake Superior Board of Control which was established in 1914 by the International Joint Commission. New York Harbor, the outflow for Hudson River, is sometimes called Hudsons Bay. Hudson Bay, Canada. ... The International Joint Commission is an independent binational organization established by the United States and Canada under the Boundary Waters Treaty of 1909. ...

Tributaries and outlet

The lake is fed by over 200 rivers. The largest include the Nipigon River, the St. Louis River, the Pigeon River, the Pic River, the White River, the Michipicoten River, the Brule River and the Kaministiquia River. Lake Superior drains into Lake Huron by the St. Marys River. The rapids on the river necessitate the Sault Locks (pronounced "soo"), a part of the Great Lakes Waterway, to move boats over the 25 feet (8 m) height difference from Lake Huron. The Nipigon River is about 48 km (30 miles) long and 50 to 200 m (165 to 656 ft) wide in Ontario, Canada. ... The Saint Louis River is a river in Minnesota that flows into Lake Superior. ... The Pigeon River forms part of the border between the State of Minnesota and the Province of Ontario on the north shore of Lake Superior. ... The Pic River is a river in Thunder Bay District, Ontario which flows from its headwaters east of Longlac and empties into Lake Superior south of the town of Marathon. ... White River (population 1000), is a township located in Ontario, Canada, on the intersection of Highway 17 and Highway 631. ... The Michipicoten River is a river in northern Ontario, Canada, which flows from Lake Wabatongushi and empties into Michipicoten Bay on Lake Superior. ... Brule River is a river in the U.S. states of Michigan and Wisconsin, and nearly the entire course forms a portion of the boundary between the two states. ... The Kaministiquia River is a Canadian river which empties into western Lake Superior at the city of Thunder Bay. ... Ipperwash Beach, Lake Huron. ... The St. ... A Soo Lock vacant of ships The Sault Locks (usually called the Soo Locks) allow ships to travel between Lake Superior and the lower Great Lakes. ... The Great Lakes Waterway is a system of channels and canals that makes all of the Great Lakes accessible to oceangoing vessels. ...

Geography

The largest island in Lake Superior is Isle Royale in the state of Michigan; this island itself carries a number of lakes, some of which contain islands. Other large famous islands include Madeline Island in the state of Wisconsin and Michipicoten in the province of Ontario. Isle Royale is an island of the Great Lakes, located in the northwest of Lake Superior. ... This article is about the U.S. State. ... Madeline Island is an island of the U.S. state of Wisconsin located in Lake Superior approximately two miles northwest of Bayfield, Wisconsin and connected to that town by ferry line. ... This article is about the U.S. state. ... This article is about the Canadian province. ...

The larger cities on Lake Superior include: the twin ports of Duluth, Minnesota and Superior, Wisconsin; Thunder Bay, Ontario; Marquette, Michigan; and the two cities of Sault Ste. Marie, in Michigan and in Ontario. Duluth, at the western tip of Lake Superior, is the most inland point on the Saint Lawrence Seaway and the most inland port in the world. Location in St. ... The Fairlawn Mansion, a 42 room mansion built in 1890 by Superiors three-time mayor Martin Pattison, is now a museum Downtown Superior, Duluth is on the horizon. ... Nickname: Motto: Superior by nature Location of Thunder Bay, Ontario Coordinates: , Country Canada Province Ontario Region Northwestern Ontario District Thunder Bay District CMA Thunder Bay Settled 1679 as Fort Caministigoyan See histories of Port Arthur and Fort William Amalgamation 1 January 1970 Government [1][2]  - Type Municipal Government  - Mayor Lynn... Marquette is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. ... Sault Sainte Marie — pronounced Soo Saint Marie (IPA ) — is the name of two cities on the Saint Marys River, which forms part of the boundary between the United States and Canada. ... Nickname: Location of Sault Ste. ... Nickname: Motto: Naturally Gifted Coordinates: , Country Canada Province Ontario District Algoma District Incorporated 1887 (town), 1912 (city) Government  - City Mayor John Rowswell  - Governing body The Corporation of the City of Sault Sainte Marie  - MPs Tony Martin  - MPPs David Orazietti Area  - City  276 sq mi (715 km²) Elevation  630 ft (192... The Saint Lawrence Seaway in its broadest sense (see Great Lakes Waterway) is the system of canals that permits ocean-going vessels to travel from the Atlantic Ocean to the Great Lakes as far as Lake Superior. ...

Among the scenic places on the lake are: the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore; Isle Royale National Park; Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park; Tahquamenon Falls State Park; Pukaskwa National Park; Lake Superior Provincial Park; Grand Island National Recreation Area; Sleeping Giant (Ontario);and Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore. The Apostle Islands National Lakeshore is a U.S. national lakeshore made up of around 20 prominent islands and shoreline encompasing 69,372 acres (281 km²) on the northern tip of Wisconsin on the shore of Lake Superior. ... Isle Royale National Park is a U.S. National Park in the state of Michigan. ... The Tahquamenon Falls State Park is a 40,000-acre (16,000-hectare) state park in the U.S. state of Michigan. ... Pukaskwa National Park is a national park located in Ontario, Canada. ... Lake Superior Provincial Park is one of the largest parks in Ontario, covering about 1,550 square kilometres along the northeastern shores of Lake Superior between Wawa, Ontario and Sault Ste. ... The Grand Island National Recreation Area is a National Recreation Area within the jurisdiction of the U.S. Forest Service. ... The Sleeping Giant is a formation of mesas on Sibley Peninsula which resembles a giant lying on its back when viewed from the West to North-Northwest section of Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada. ... Bridalveil Falls emptying into Lake Superior Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore is a U.S. National Lakeshore on the shore of Lake Superior in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, United States. ...

Climate

Lake Superior's size creates a localized oceanic or maritime climate (more typically seen in locations like Nova Scotia).^[5] The water surface's slow reaction to temperature changes, seasonally ranging between 32°-55°F (0°-13°C) around 1970,^[6] helps to moderate surrounding air temperatures in the summer and winter, and creates lake effect snow in colder months. The hills and mountains that border the lake form a bowl, which holds moisture and fog, particularly in the fall. The lake's surface temperature has risen by 4.5°F (2.5°C) since 1979, which is attributed to global warming.^[7] World map showing the oceanic climate zones. ... An oceanic climate (also called marine west coast climate and maritime climate) is the climate typically found along the west coasts at the middle latitudes of all the worlds continents, and in southeastern Australia; similar climates are also found at high elevations within the tropics. ... Motto: Munit Haec et Altera Vincit (Latin: One defends and the other conquers) Capital Halifax Largest city Halifax Regional Municipality Official languages English (de facto) Government Lieutenant-Governor Mayann E. Francis Premier Rodney MacDonald (PC) Federal representation in Canadian Parliament House seats 11 Senate seats 10 Confederation July 1, 1867... For other uses, see Summer (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Winter (disambiguation). ... Lake-effect precipitation coming off the Great Lakes, as seen from NEXRAD. Lake effect snow, which can be a type of snowsquall, is produced in the winter when cold, artic dry winds move across long expanses of warmer lake water, picking up water vapor which freezes and is deposited on... For other uses, see Mountain (disambiguation). ... Global warming refers to the increase in the average temperature of the Earths near-surface air and oceans in recent decades and its projected continuation. ...

Geology

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North American cratons and basement rock, showing the formation of the Midcontinent Rift containing today's Lake Superior

The rocks of Lake Superior's North Shore date back to the early history of the earth. During the Precambrian (between 4.5 billion and 540 million years ago), magma forcing its way to the surface created the intrusive granites of the Canadian Shield.^{[citation needed]} These ancient granites can be seen on the North Shore today. It was during the Penokean orogeny, that many valuable metals were deposited. The region surrounding the lake has proved to be rich in minerals. Copper, iron, silver, gold and nickel are or were the most frequently mined. Examples include the Hemlo gold mine near Marathon, copper at Point Mamainse, silver at Silver Islet, and uranium at Theano Point. Image File history File links Question_book-3. ... North American cratons and basement rocks. ... North American cratons and basement rocks. ... World geologic provinces. ... Geological map of North America showing (in white) the Midcontinent Rift, here labeled Keweenawan Rift. ... The Precambrian (Pre-Cambrian) is an informal name for the supereon comprising the eons of the geologic timescale that came before the current Phanerozoic eon. ... Magma is molten rock located beneath the surface of the Earth (or any other terrestrial planet), and which often collects in a magma chamber. ... For other uses, see granite (disambiguation). ... Canadian Shield Canadian Shield Landform. ... The Penokean orogeny was a mountain-building episode that occured in the early Proterozoic about 1. ... For other uses, see Mineral (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Copper (disambiguation). ... General Name, symbol, number iron, Fe, 26 Chemical series transition metals Group, period, block 8, 4, d Appearance lustrous metallic with a grayish tinge Standard atomic weight 55. ... This article is about the chemical element. ... GOLD refers to one of the following: GOLD (IEEE) is an IEEE program designed to garner more student members at the university level (Graduates of the Last Decade). ... For other uses, see Nickel (disambiguation). ... This article is about mineral extractions. ... This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ... Marathon is a town located in the Thunder Bay district in Ontario. ... Silver Islet refers to both a small rocky island and a small town site located at the tip of the Sibley Peninsula in northwestern Ontario. ...

The mountains steadily eroded, depositing layers of sediments which compacted and became limestone, dolostone, taconite, and the shale at Kakabeka Falls. This article or section cites very few or no references or sources. ... For other uses, see Limestone (disambiguation). ... Dolostone is a sedimentary carbonate rock that contains a high percentage of the mineral dolomite. ... Taconite is an iron-bearing, high-silica, flint-like rock. ... Shale Shale is a fine-grained sedimentary rock whose original constituents were clays or muds. ... Kakabeka Falls Kakabeka Falls is a waterfall on the Kaministiquia River, just west of the city of Thunder Bay, Ontario. ...

The continent was later riven, creating one of the deepest rifts in the world. The lake lies in this long-extinct Mesoproterozoic rift valley, the Midcontinent Rift. Magma was injected between layers of sedimentary rock, forming diabase sills. This hard diabase protects the layers of sedimentary rock below, forming the flat-topped mesas in the Thunder Bay area. Amethyst formed in some of the cavities created by the Midcontinent Rift, and there are several Amethyst mines in the Thunder Bay area.^[8] In geology, a rift is a place where the Earths lithosphere is expanding. ... The Mesoproterozoic era is a geologic period that occurred between 1600 and 900 million years ago. ... African Rift Valley. ... Geological map of North America showing (in white) the Midcontinent Rift, here labeled Keweenawan Rift. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Dolerite. ... In geology, a sill is a tabular, often horizontal mass of igneous rock that has been intruded laterally between older layers of sedimentary rock, beds of volcanic lava or tuff, or even along the direction of foliation in metamorphic rock. ... Nickname: Motto: Superior by nature Location of Thunder Bay, Ontario Coordinates: , Country Canada Province Ontario Region Northwestern Ontario District Thunder Bay District CMA Thunder Bay Settled 1679 as Fort Caministigoyan See histories of Port Arthur and Fort William Amalgamation 1 January 1970 Government [1][2]  - Type Municipal Government  - Mayor Lynn... For other uses, see Amethyst (disambiguation). ...

Lava erupted from the rift and formed the black basalt rock of Michipicoten Island, Black Bay Peninsula, and St. Ignace Island. Look up lava, Aa, pahoehoe in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... For the cities, see Basalt, Colorado and Basalt, Idaho. ...

During the Wisconsin glaciation 10,000 years ago, ice covered the region at a thickness of 1.25 miles (2.01 km). The land contours familiar today were carved by the advance and retreat of the ice sheet. The retreat left gravel, sand, clay, and boulder deposits. Glacial meltwaters gathered in the Superior basin creating Lake Minong, a precursor to Lake Superior.^[9] Without the immense weight of the ice, the land rebounded, and a drainage outlet formed at Sault Ste. Marie, which would become known as St. Mary's River. The Wisconsin (in North America), Devensian (in the British Isles), Midlandian (in Ireland), Würm (in the Alps), and Weichsel (in northern central Europe) glaciations are the most recent glaciations of the Pleistocene epoch, which ended around 10,000 BCE. The general glacial advance began about 70,000 BCE, and... Glacial Lake Minong Glacial Lake Minong was a lake that formed in the vicinity of Lake Superior as the Laurentian Glacier retreated. ... Changes in the elevation of Lake Superior due to glaciation and post-glacial rebound Post-glacial rebound (sometimes called continental rebound, isostatic rebound or isostatic adjustment) is the rise of land masses that were depressed by the huge weight of ice sheets during the last ice age, through a process... Sault Sainte Marie — pronounced Soo Saint Marie (IPA ) — is the name of two cities on the Saint Marys River, which forms part of the boundary between the United States and Canada. ... The St. ...

History

Pictographs at Lake Superior Provincial Park, Ontario

The first people came to the Lake Superior region 10,000 years ago after the retreat of the glaciers in the last Ice Age. They are known as the Plano, and they used stone-tipped spears to hunt caribou on the northwestern side of Lake Minong. Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Pictogram for public toilets A pictogram or pictograph is a symbol which represents an object or a concept by illustration. ... Lake Superior Provincial Park is one of the largest parks in Ontario, covering about 1,550 square kilometres along the northeastern shores of Lake Superior between Wawa, Ontario and Sault Ste. ... This article is about the Canadian province. ... Variations in CO2, temperature and dust from the Vostok ice core over the last 400 000 years For the animated movie, see Ice Age (movie). ... The Plano cultures is a name given by archaeologists to a group of disparate hunter-gatherer communities that occupied the Great Plains area of North America between 9000 BC and 6000 BC. They are characterised by a range of projectile point tools collectively called Plano points and generally hunted bison... Glacial Lake Minong Glacial Lake Minong was a lake that formed in the vicinity of Lake Superior as the Laurentian Glacier retreated. ...

The next documented people were known as the Shield Archaic (c. 5000-500 B.C.). Evidence of this culture can be found at the eastern and western ends of the Canadian shore. They used bows and arrows, dugout canoes, fished, hunted, mined copper for tools and weapons, and established trading networks. They are believed to be the direct ancestors of the Ojibwe and Cree.^[10] AD redirects here. ... For other uses of Chippewa, see Chippewa (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Cree (disambiguation). ...

The Laurel people (c. 500 B.C. to A.D. 500) developed seine net fishing, evidence being found at rivers around Superior such as the Pic and Michipicoten. AD redirects here. ... Categories: Stub ...

Another culture known as the Terminal Woodland Indians (c. A.D. 900-1650) has been found. They were Algonkian people who hunted, fished and gathered berries. They used snow shoes, birch bark canoes and conical or domed lodges. At the mouth of the Michipicoten River, nine layers of encampments have been discovered. Most of the Pukaskwa Pits were likely made during this time.^[11] The Algonquian (also Algonkian) languages are a subfamily of Native American languages that includes most of the languages in the Algic language family (others are Wiyot and Yurok of northwestern California). ... Pukaskwa Pits are small holes dug in the ground by ancestors of the Ojibwa. ...

The Anishinabe, also known as the Ojibwe or Chippewa, have inhabited the Lake Superior region for over five hundred years, and were preceded by the Dakota, Fox, Menominee, Nipigon, Noquet, and Gros Ventres. They called Lake Superior Anishnaabe Chi Gaming, or "the Ojibwe's Ocean". After the arrival of Europeans, the Anishinabe made themselves the middle-men between the French fur traders and other Native peoples. They soon became the dominant Indian nation in the region: they forced out the Sioux and Fox and won a victory against the Iroquois west of Sault Ste. Marie in 1662. By the mid-1700s, the Ojibwe occupied all of Lake Superior's shores.^[12] Anishinaabe or more properly Anishinaabeg or Anishinabek (which is the plural form of the word) is a self-description often used by the Odawa, Ojibwe, and Algonkin peoples, who all speak closely related Anishinaabemowin/Anishinaabe languages. ... For other uses of Chippewa, see Chippewa (disambiguation). ... For other uses of Chippewa, see Chippewa (disambiguation). ... Eddie Plenty Holes, a Sioux Indian photographed about 1899. ... The Fox tribe of Native Americans are an Algonquian language-speaking group that are now merged with the allied Sac tribe as the Sac and Fox Nation. ... The Menominee are a nation of Native Americans living in Wisconsin. ... A Gros Ventre named Assiniboin Boy. ... Anishinaabe or more properly Anishinaabeg or Anishinabek (which is the plural form of the word) is a self-description often used by the Odawa, Ojibwe, and Algonkin peoples, who all speak closely related Anishinaabemowin/Anishinaabe languages. ... The Sioux (pronounced ) are a Native American and First Nations people. ... The Fox tribe of Native Americans are an Algonquian language-speaking group that are now merged with the allied Sac tribe as the Sac and Fox Nation. ... For other uses, see Iroquois (disambiguation). ... Sault Sainte Marie — pronounced Soo Saint Marie (IPA ) — is the name of two cities on the Saint Marys River, which forms part of the boundary between the United States and Canada. ... For other uses of Chippewa, see Chippewa (disambiguation). ...

In the 1700s, the fur trade in the region was booming, with the Hudson's Bay Company (HBC) having a virtual monopoly. In 1783, however, the North West Company (NWC) was formed to rival HBC. The NWC built forts on Lake Superior at Grand Portage, Nipigon, the Pic River, the Michipicoten River, and Sault Ste. Marie. But by 1821, with competition taking too great a toll on both, the companies merged under the Hudson's Bay Company name. Hbc redirects here. ... For the grocery chain, see The North West Company The North West Company a fur trading business headquartered in the city of Montreal in British North America from 1779 to 1821. ... Grand Portage is an unorganized territory in Cook County, Minnesota, on Lake Superior, at the northeast corner of the state near the border with northwestern Ontario. ... Sault Sainte Marie — pronounced Soo Saint Marie (IPA ) — is the name of two cities on the Saint Marys River, which forms part of the boundary between the United States and Canada. ...

Many towns around the lake are either current or former mining areas, or engaged in processing or shipping. Today, tourism is another significant industry as the sparsely populated Lake Superior country, with its rugged shorelines and wilderness, attracts tourists and adventurers. Ronda, Spain Main street in Bastrop, Texas, United States, a small town A town is a community of people ranging from a few hundred to several thousands, although it may be applied loosely even to huge metropolitan areas. ... This article is about mineral extractions. ... Damaged package The Panama canal. ... Tourist redirects here. ... For other uses, see Wilderness (disambiguation). ... A tourist boat travels the River Seine in Paris, France Tourism can be defined as the act of travel for the purpose of recreation, and the provision of services for this act. ... Even Soldiers of Fortune have to sing! 1958 record album An adventurer or adventuress is a term that usually takes one of three meanings: One whose travels are unusual and often exotic, though not so unique as to qualify as exploration. ...

Shipping

Lake Superior has been an important link in the Great Lakes Waterway, providing a route for the transportation of iron ore and other mined and manufactured materials. Large cargo vessels called lake freighters, as well as smaller ocean-going freighters, transport these commodities across Lake Superior. The Great Lakes Waterway is a system of channels and canals that makes all of the Great Lakes accessible to oceangoing vessels. ... Taconite is an iron-bearing, high-silica, flint-like rock. ... The ill-fated SS Edmund Fitzgerald, built in the classic dual superstructure style with her wheelhouse up near the bow. ... The term Seawaymax refers to vessels which are the maximum size that can fit through the canal locks of the St Lawrence Seaway. ...

The SS Edmund Fitzgerald, a typical lake freighter which sank in 1975

Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... SS Edmund Fitzgerald (nicknamed Mighty Fitz, The Fitz or The Big Fitz) was a lake freighter that sank suddenly during a gale storm on Lake Superior on November 10, 1975. ... The ill-fated SS Edmund Fitzgerald, built in the classic dual superstructure style with her wheelhouse up near the bow. ... Year 1975 (MCMLXXV) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Shipwrecks

The last major shipwreck on Lake Superior was that of SS Edmund Fitzgerald in 1975. SS Edmund Fitzgerald (nicknamed Mighty Fitz, The Fitz or The Big Fitz) was a lake freighter that sank suddenly during a gale storm on Lake Superior on November 10, 1975. ...

According to an old sailor's tale, Lake Superior never gives up her dead. This is because of the low temperature of the water, estimated at under 36 °F (2 °C) on average around 1970.^[6] Normally bacteria feeding off a sunken decaying body will generate gas inside the body, causing it to float to the surface after a few days. The water in Lake Superior, however, is cold enough year-round to inhibit bacterial growth, meaning bodies tend to sink and never surface.^[13] This is alluded to poetically in Gordon Lightfoot's famous ballad, "The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald". Gordon Meredith Lightfoot Jr. ... The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald is a song written and performed by Gordon Lightfoot in commemoration of the sinking of the bulk carrier SS Edmund Fitzgerald on Lake Superior on November 10, 1975. ...

Storms that claimed multiple ships include the Mataafa Storm on November 28, 1905, and the Great Lakes Storm of 1913. is the 332nd day of the year (333rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... For other uses, see 1905 (disambiguation). ... The Great Lakes Storm of 1913, historically referred to as the Big Blow, the Freshwater Fury, or the White Hurricane, was a blizzard with hurricane-force winds that devastated the Great Lakes basin in the United States Midwest and the Canadian province of Ontario from November 7, 1913, to November...

In August 2007, wreckage was found of the Cyprus, a 420-foot (130 m) ore carrier which sank during a Lake Superior storm in 460 feet (140 m) of water. All but Charles G. Pitz of the Cyprus’ 23 crew perished on October 11, 1907. The ore carrier sank in Lake Superior on its second voyage, whilst hauling iron ore from Superior, Wisconsin, to Buffalo, New York. Built in Lorain, Ohio, the Cyprus was launched August 17, 1907.^[14] is the 284th day of the year (285th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1907 (MCMVII) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Monday of the 13-day-slower Julian calendar). ... This heap of iron ore pellets will be used in steel production. ... The Fairlawn Mansion, a 42 room mansion built in 1890 by Superiors three-time mayor Martin Pattison, is now a museum Downtown Superior, Duluth is on the horizon. ... Nickname: Location of Buffalo in New York State Coordinates: , Country State County Erie First Settled 1789 Founded 1801 Incorporated (City) 1832 Government  - Mayor Byron Brown (D) Area  - City 52. ... Location within the state of Ohio Coordinates: , Country State County Lorain Founded 1807 Government  - Mayor John Romoser (R) Area  - City  24. ... is the 229th day of the year (230th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1907 (MCMVII) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Monday of the 13-day-slower Julian calendar). ...

Ecology

Although part of a single system, each of the Great Lakes is different. In volume, Lake Superior is the largest. It is also the deepest and coldest of the five. Superior could contain all the other Great Lakes and three more Lake Eries. Because of its size, Superior has a retention time of 191 years. A measure based on the volume of water in a lake and the mean rate of outflow. ...

Superior's water levels temporarily reached a new low in September 2007, slightly less than the previous record low in 1926.^[15] However, the water levels soon returned within a few days.^[16]

According to a study by professors at the University of Minnesota Duluth, Lake Superior may have warmed faster than its surrounding climate.^[7] Summer surface temperatures in the lake appeared to have increased about 4.5°F (2.5°C) since 1979, compared with about a 2.7°F (1.5°C) increase in the surrounding average air temperature. The increase in the lake’s surface temperature may be related to the decreasing ice cover. Less winter ice cover allows more solar radiation to penetrate the lake and warm the water. If trends continue Lake Superior, which freezes over completely once every 20 years, could routinely be ice-free by 2040.^[17] These warmer temperatures can actually lead to more snow in the lake effect snow belts along the shores of the lake, especially in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. Lake-effect clouds off Lakes Superior and Michigan; satellite image taken December 5, 2000, courtesy of NASA. Lake effect snow is produced in the winter when cold winds move across long expanses of warmer lake water, picking up water vapor which freezes and is deposited on the lee shores. ... The Upper Peninsula of Michigan, also known as The Upper Peninsula, The U.P. (or The UP), and Above the Bridge by Michiganders, refers to the northern peninsula of the U.S. state of Michigan. ... This article is about the U.S. State. ...

Over sixty species of fish have been found in Lake Superior, among them: bloater, brook trout, brown trout, burbot, carp, chinook salmon, coho salmon, freshwater drum, lake herring, lake sturgeon, lake trout, lake whitefish, longnose sucker, muskellunge, northern pike, pumpkinseed, pink salmon, rainbow smelt, rainbow trout, rock bass, round goby, round whitefish, ruffe, sea lamprey, smallmouth bass, walleye, white perch, white sucker, and yellow perch.^[18] Wikipedia does not yet have an article with this exact name. ... This article is about the species of fish. ... Binomial name Linnaeus, 1758 Morphs Salmo trutta morpha trutta Salmo trutta morpha fario Salmo trutta morpha lacustris The brown trout (Salmo trutta morpha fario and morpha lacustris) and the sea trout ( morpha trutta) are fish of the same species. ... Binomial name Lota lota Linnaeus, 1758 The burbot (Lota lota) is a freshwater fish related to the cods. ... Genera Abramis Aristichthys Barbodes Carassius Cirrhinus Ctenopharyngodon Cyprinus Epalzeorhynchos Henicorhynchus Hypophthalmichthys Labeo Mylopharyngodon and others Carp is a common name for various freshwater fish of the family Cyprinidae, a very large group of fishes originally from Eurasia and southeast Asia. ... Binomial name (Walbaum, 1792) The Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) (derived from Russian чавыча), is a species of anadromous fish in the salmon family. ... Binomial name Oncorhynchus kisutch (Walbaum, 1792) The Coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch, from the Russian кижуч kisutch) is a species of anadromous fish in the salmon family. ... ... Binomial name Coregonus artedi Lesueur, 1818 The Northern Cisco (Coregonus artedi) is a species of fish in the salmon family (family Salmonidae). ... Binomial name Acipenser fulvescens ( Rafinesque, 1817) The lake sturgeon (Acipenser fulvescens) is a North American temperate freshwater fish, one of about 20 species of sturgeon. ... For the band, see Lake Trout (band). ... Lake whitefish in an aquarium Lake Whitefish (Coregonus clupeaformis) are freshwater whitefish of North America; members of the salmon family. ... Binomial name Forster, 1773 Subspecies The longnose sucker, Catostomus catostomus, is a freshwater species of fish inhabiting cold, clear waters in North America from northern USA to the top of the continent. ... Binomial name Linnaeus, 1758 The Muskellunge or muskie or musky (Esox masquinongy) are large, relatively rare freshwater fish of North America. ... Binomial name Linnaeus, 1758 The northern pike (known as the pike in Britain), Esox lucius, is a species of carnivorous fish of the genus Esox (the pikes). ... Binomial name Lepomis gibbosus (Linnaeus, 1758) The pumpkinseed (Lepomis gibbosus) is a species of freshwater fish. ... Binomial name Oncorhynchus gorbuscha (Walbaum, 1792) The pink salmon or humpback salmon (Oncorhynchus gorbuscha) (from the Russian gorbuscha--горбуша) is a species of anadromous fish in the salmon family. ... Binomial name Osmerus mordax (Mitchill, 1814) Subspecies Osmerus mordax mordax Osmerus mordax dentex Rainbow Smelt (Osmerus mordax) is a anadromous species of fish inhabiting rivers and coastal areas of North America from New Jersey to Labrador on the east coast and from Vancouver Island to the Arctic Ocean on the... It has been suggested that Steelhead be merged into this article or section. ... Binomial name Ambloplites rupestris (Rafinesque, 1817) The rock bass (Ambloplites rupestris) is a species of freshwater fish in the sunfish family (Centrarchidae) of order Perciformes. ... Binomial name Neogobius melanostromus Pallas, 1814 The Round goby (Neogobius melanostomus) is a freshwater bottom-dwelling fish native to central Eurasia including the Black Sea and Caspian Sea. ... Round Whitefish (Prosopium cylindraceum) is a freshwater species of fish that inhabits the Arctic. ... Binomial name Gymnocephalus cernuus Linnaeus, 1758 Synonyms Gymnocephalus cernua The Ruffe (Gymnocephalus cernuus) is a freshwater fish found in ur moms poo. ... Subfamilies Geotriinae Mordaciinae Petromyzontinae A lamprey is a type of fish with a toothed, funnel-like, jawless sucking mouth, with which most species bore into the flesh of other fishes to suck their blood. ... Binomial name Micropterus dolomieu Lacépède, 1802 The smallmouth bass (Micropterus dolomieu) is a species of freshwater fish in the sunfish family (Centrarchidae) of order Perciformes. ... Binomial name (Mitchill, 1818) Subspecies S. v. ... Binomial name Morone americana (Gmelin, 1789) The white perch, Morone americana, is a fish of the temperate bass family Moronidae, notable as a food and game fish of eastern North America. ... Binomial name Lacépède, 1803 The white sucker, Catostomus commersonii, is a bottom-feeding freshwater fish inhabiting North America from Labrador in the north to Georgia and New Mexico in the south. ... For the unit of measurement, see pole. ...

Lake Superior has fewer dissolved nutrients relative to its size compared to the other Great Lakes and so is less productive in terms of fish populations. This is a result of the underdeveloped soils found in its relatively small watershed.^[19] However, nitrate concentrations in the lake have been continuously rising for more than a century. They are still much lower than levels considered dangerous to human health, but this steady, long-term rise is an unusual record of environmental nitrogen buildup. It may relate to anthropogenic alternations to the regional Nitrogen Cycle, but researchers are still unsure of the causes of this change to the lake's ecology.^[20] As for other Great Lakes, fish populations have also been impacted by the accidental or intentional introduction of foreign species such as the sea lamprey and eurasian ruffe. Accidental introductions have occurred in part due to the removal of natural barriers to navigation between the Great Lakes. Overfishing has also been a factor in the decline of fish populations.^[2] Schematic representation of the flow of Nitrogen through the environment. ... Subfamilies Geotriinae Mordaciinae Petromyzontinae A lamprey is a type of fish with a toothed, funnel-like, jawless sucking mouth, with which most species bore into the flesh of other fishes to suck their blood. ... Binomial name Gymnocephalus cernuus Linnaeus, 1758 Synonyms Gymnocephalus cernua The Ruffe (Gymnocephalus cernuus) is a freshwater fish found in ur moms poo. ...

See also

• the North Shore of Lake Superior
• the South Shore of Lake Superior
• Great Lakes Areas of Concern
• Michigan lighthouses
• Great Lakes Storm of 1913 and Shipwrecks of the 1913 Great Lakes storm

Split Rock Lighthouse on North Shore of Lake Superior The North Shore of Lake Superior runs from Duluth, Minnesota, United States, at the southwestern end of the lake to Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada, in the north to Sault Ste. ... The South Shore of Lake Superior stretches from Superior, Wisconsin, USA at the southwestern end of the lake along the Upper Peninsula of Michigan to Sault Ste Marie, Michigan, USA in the east. ... Great Lakes Areas of Concern are designated geographic areas within the Great Lakes watershed that show severe environmental degradation. ... This United States has hundreds of lighthouses as well as light towers, range lights, and pierhead lights. ... The Great Lakes Storm of 1913, historically referred to as the Big Blow, the Freshwater Fury, or the White Hurricane, was a blizzard with hurricane-force winds that devastated the Great Lakes basin in the United States Midwest and the Canadian province of Ontario from November 7, 1913, to November... This is a list of shipwrecks during the Great Lakes Storm of 1913. ...

Notes

Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... is the 221st day of the year (222nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... is the 268th day of the year (269th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... is the 268th day of the year (269th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... is the 150th day of the year (151st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... is the 268th day of the year (269th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... is the 216th day of the year (217th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... is the 274th day of the year (275th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... is the 279th day of the year (280th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... is the 155th day of the year (156th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... is the 268th day of the year (269th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... is the 215th day of the year (216th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... is the 221st day of the year (222nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

Further reading

• Hyde, Charles K., and Ann and John Mahan. The Northern Lights: Lighthouses of the Upper Great Lakes. Detroit: Wayne State University Press, 1995. ISBN 0814325548 ISBN 9780814325544.
• Oleszewski, Wes, Great Lakes Lighthouses, American and Canadian: A Comprehensive Directory/Guide to Great Lakes Lighthouses, (Gwinn, Michigan: Avery Color Studios, Inc., 1998) ISBN 0-932212-98-0.
• Penrod, John, Lighthouses of Michigan, (Berrien Center, Michigan: Penrod/Hiawatha, 1998) ISBN 9780942618785 ISBN 9781893624238
• Penrose, Laurie and Bill, A Traveler’s Guide to 116 Michigan Lighthouses (Petoskey, Michigan: Friede Publications, 1999). ISBN 0923756035 ISBN 9780923756031
• Splake, T. Kilgore. Superior Land Lights. Battle Creek, MI: Angst Productions, 1984
• Stonehouse, Frederick. Marquette Shipwrecks. Marquette, MI: Harboridge Press, 1974
• Wagner, John L., Michigan Lighthouses: An Aerial Photographic Perspective, (East Lansing, Michigan: John L. Wagner, 1998) ISBN 1880311011 ISBN 9781880311011
• Wright, Larry and Wright, Patricia, Great Lakes Lighthouses Encyclopedia Hardback (Erin: Boston Mills Press, 2006) ISBN 1550463993

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to:

Lake Superior

• International Lake Superior Board of Control
• EPA's Great Lakes Atlas
• EPA's Great Lakes Atlas Factsheet #1
• Great Lakes Coast Watch
• Parks Canada Lake Superior
• Minnesota Sea Grant - Lake Superior Page

Lighthouses

• Bibliography on Michigan lighthouses
• Interactive map of lighthouses in eastern Lake Superior
• Interactive map of lighthouses in central Lake Superior
• Interactive map of lighthouses in western Lake Superior
• 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]