Lake Superior

For other uses, see Lake Superior (disambiguation).

Lake Superior
Gichi-gami or Anishinaabewi-gichi-gami (Ojibwe)
Lake Superior taken from the International Space Station on June 6, 2019
Location of Lake Superior in North America.
Location of Lake Superior in North America.
Lake Superior
Lake Superior bathymetric map.[1][2][3] The deepest point, roughly off its southeastern shore, is marked with "×".[4] The deep trenches in its eastern part may have originated from tunnel valleys.[5][6]
LocationNorth America
GroupGreat Lakes
Coordinates47°42′N 87°30′W / 47.7°N 87.5°W / 47.7; -87.5 (Lake Superior)
Lake typeGlacial
Primary inflowsNipigon, St. Louis, Pigeon, Pic, White, Michipicoten, Kaministiquia, Ontonagon, Tahquamenon Rivers
Primary outflowsSt. Marys River
Catchment area49,300 sq mi (128,000 km2)[7]
Basin countriesCanada and the United States
Max. length350 mi (560 km)[8]
Max. width160 mi (260 km)[8]
Surface area82,100 km2 (31,700 sq mi)[7]
Average depth483 ft (147 m)[7]
Max. depth1,333 ft (406 m)[7][9]
Water volume12,070 km3 (2,900 cu mi)[7]
Residence time191 years
Shore length11,729 mi (2,783 km) plus 997 mi (1,605 km) for islands[10]
Surface elevation601.71 ft (183 m) (2013 average)[11]
IslandsIsle Royale, Apostle Islands, Michipicoten Island, Grand Island, Slate Islands
Settlements
1 Shore length is not a well-defined measure.

Lake Superior is the largest freshwater lake in the world by surface area[a] and the third-largest freshwater lake by volume, holding 10% of the world's surface fresh water.[12] Located in central North America, it is the northernmost and westernmost of the Great Lakes of North America, straddling the Canada–United States border with the Canadian province of Ontario to the north and east and the U.S. states of Minnesota to the west and Michigan and Wisconsin to the south.[13] It drains into Lake Huron via St. Marys River, then through the lower Great Lakes to the St. Lawrence River and ultimately the Atlantic Ocean.

  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference GLBathSup was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference GLBathHur was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ Cite error: The named reference GLOBE was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ Cite error: The named reference NOAA_GLERL was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  5. ^ Cite error: The named reference Wright73 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  6. ^ Cite error: The named reference Regis73 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  7. ^ a b c d e Cite error: The named reference EPAphysical was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  8. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference EPAfact was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  9. ^ Cite error: The named reference nyt was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  10. ^ "Shorelines of the Great Lakes". Michigan Department of Environmental Quality. Archived from the original on April 5, 2015.
  11. ^ "Great Lakes Water Levels" (PDF). United States Army Corps of Engineers. Archived from the original (PDF) on April 18, 2013. Retrieved June 27, 2013. The link also has daily elevations for the current month.
  12. ^ Bencomo, Phil (October 6, 2015). "Just How Big is Lake Superior?". Lake Superior Magazine. Retrieved July 9, 2021.
  13. ^ Minnesota Sea Grant. "Superior Pursuit: Facts About the Greatest Great Lake". University of Minnesota. Archived from the original on July 21, 2017. Retrieved August 9, 2007.


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