Lake Erie

Lake Erie (pronounced EER-ee) ranks as the fourth biggest of North America’s five Great Lakes by surface area, and the eleventh largest on the planet. Among the Great Lakes, it sits farthest south, is the shallowest, holds the least water, and has the quickest turnover time for its water. Its maximum depth is 210 feet (64 meters), and it is the only Great Lake where that deepest point sits higher than sea level.

The lake straddles the international border between Canada and the United States. To the north lies the Canadian province of Ontario (specifically the Ontario Peninsula), while the U.S. states of Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and New York line its western, southern, and eastern shores. Water boundaries divide the lake’s surface among these jurisdictions. Cleveland is the largest city on the lake and anchors the third-largest U.S. metropolitan area in the Great Lakes region, behind only Greater Chicago and Metro Detroit. Other notable shoreline cities include Buffalo, New York; Erie, Pennsylvania; and Toledo, Ohio.

Lake Erie sits below Lake Huron, and its main water source is the Detroit River. The lake’s primary natural outlet is the Niagara River, which spins massive turbines near Niagara Falls at Lewiston, New York, and Queenston, Ontario, generating hydroelectric power for both Canada and the U.S. Additional water exits via the Welland Canal—part of the Saint Lawrence Seaway—which lifts ships from Port Colborne, Ontario, on Lake Erie to St. Catharines on Lake Ontario, a climb of 326 feet (99 meters). For decades, the lake’s environmental health has been a persistent worry, with problems like overfishing, pollution, algae blooms, invasive species, and eutrophication often making news.

The name “Erie” comes from the Iroquoian word *erielhonan*, meaning “long tail.” Early maps from around 1650 labeled it *Lac du Chat*, and by 1670, explorer René de Bréhant de Galinée recorded it as *Lac Érié*.

Geographically, Lake Erie sits at 42.2°N 81.2°W, with a mean elevation of 571 feet (174 meters) above sea level. Its surface covers 9,910 square miles (26,000 km²)—roughly split between 4,990 square miles (13,000 km²) in the U.S. and 4,950 square miles (13,000 km²) in Canada. The lake stretches 241 statute miles (388 km) long and 57 statute miles (92 km) wide at its broadest points. Its average depth is just 63 feet (19 meters), making it the shallowest Great Lake, though its basin sits at a relatively high elevation; the deepest point is still above the surface of Lake Ontario, which the Great Lakes system drains into via the Niagara River and Niagara Falls.

Because it is so shallow, Erie is also the warmest Great Lake. In 1999, that nearly caused trouble for two nuclear power plants that need cool lake water for their reactors; the hot summer pushed water temperatures close to the 85 °F (29 °C) limit required to keep the plants running. Its shallowness also means it is the first Great Lake to freeze in winter. The western basin is the shallowest part, averaging only 25 to 30 feet (7.6 to 9.1 m) deep, so even a light breeze can kick up lively waves called seiches, which build very quickly. The region is known as the “thunderstorm capital of Canada,” with breathtaking lightning displays. Unexpected fierce waves have led to dramatic rescues—for instance, a Cleveland resident trapped by churning surf with six-foot waves near his dock was saved by a fire department diver from Avon Lake, Ohio, after an hour-and-a-half tug-of-war against the waves.

The Detroit River (fed by Lake Huron and Lake St. Clair) is the lake’s primary inflow, while the Niagara River and Niagara Falls handle the main outflow. The Welland Canal provides downstream navigation for ships. Other major contributors include the Grand, Huron, Maumee, Sandusky, Cuyahoga, and Buffalo Rivers. The entire drainage basin covers 30,140 square miles (78,100 km²). Point Pelee National Park, the southernmost point of mainland Canada, juts into the lake on a peninsula. Lake Erie contains 31 islands (13 in Canada, 18 in the U.S.), mostly in the western part, with Pelee Island being the largest.

Water stays in Lake Erie for an average of just 2.6 years—the shortest retention time of any Great Lake. Like the others, its water level shifts with the seasons, typically lowest in January and February and highest in June or July, though exceptions occur. Long-term precipitation drives average yearly levels, while short-term changes often come from seiches. Southwesterly winds during storms can push water toward the eastern end, piling it up and causing damage. During a November 2003 storm, Buffalo’s water level rose 7 feet (2.1 m), with waves of 10–15 feet (3.0–4.6 m), for a total rise of 22 feet (6.7 m); at the same time, Toledo at the western end saw a similar drop. The highest recorded level came in the summer of 1986, reaching 5.08 feet (1.55 m) above the datum, with high water persisting from April 1986 through January 1987. The lowest level occurred in the winter of 1934.