Lake Erie

great lakes · north america · freshwater

Fourth largest Great Lake. Lake Erie is the fourth-largest of the five Great Lakes by surface area, but it's actually the smallest by volume because it's so shallow. It's the only Great Lake whose deepest point is above sea level.

Super shallow water. At only 210 feet deep at its deepest spot, Lake Erie is the shallowest of all the Great Lakes. This makes it special because most big lakes are much, much deeper.

Water moves fast. Lake Erie has the shortest average water residence time of all the Great Lakes, which means water flows through it quicker than the others. Fresh water is always coming in and going out.

Between two countries. Lake Erie sits between the United States and Canada, making it an important shared resource for both nations. Many cities on both sides depend on it for drinking water and fishing.