Lake Superior is the world’s largest freshwater lake, holding up to 10 percent of the world’s entire freshwater supply. With its size and substantial population of fish, it is also no mystery that it is home to many dead bodies as well. According to a study conducted by the Great Lakes Research Institute, there are at least 600 to 1000 dead bodies in Lake Superior alone.
The region where Lake Superior is located is home to a very dense population of indigenous people, and it is believed by many that countless number of people have gone missing over the years, never to be found again. This population of people has had a long history of nomadic living and due to the large size of the lake, their bodies were never recovered, making the exact number of deaths unknown.
Other causes of death in the lake include drowning, hypothermia, accidental poisonings, and even homicides. There are also reports of natural death due to illness and boating accidents. However, these are less commonly found in the lake, as opposed to the cases of missing people.
The reality is that the nature of the lake’s environment leaves it vulnerable to collecting dead bodies without many people knowing, as cadavers easily slip away into the water and are taken away downriver. In addition, the depth and murky waters of the lake make it very difficult for the authorities to locate the bodies due to the complex environment surrounding them. All this contributes to the exact number of dead bodies in Lake Superior remaining largely unknown.
Due to the complexity of trying to locate a missing person in such a vast area, many effort have been made by the local authorities to prevent deaths in the lake. The police have been patrolling the area to try and prevent boats from making dangerous trips into the lake and to reduce the chances of people getting lost. Additionally, some teams of experts have been conducting different studies to map out the landscape of the lake, in order to detect unusual perturbations and activities within the water.
At the moment, it is impossible to give an exact number of how many dead bodies are in Lake Superior, as the task of searching is difficult and ongoing. However, it appears as though a real-time assessment of the lake may be the only way to accurately detect missing people and to bring closure to the many families that had unsuspectingly lost their loved ones.
Notable Cases
One of the most well-known cases that emerged from the lake is that of Detective Sergeant Richard Nicholson, who fell from his boat and ultimately vanished in Lake Superior in 1980. He had been out on a mission to investigate a drug smuggling operation based in nearby Chicago, when a perfect storm unexpectedly hit the area and he disappeared without a trace. Despite extensive searches by the police, his body was never found.
The same fate was shared by many others over the years, as the chances of finding them diminished over time. Other notable cases that have been mentioned include a family of three who had gone on a boating trip to the lake in the mid-1990s, only to never return back home. There have been speculations of how their disappearance might be connected to previous unsolved homicides around the lake, with their final resting place being undiscovered since then.
Environmental Impact
Greenpeace estimates that around 89,000 metric tons of plastics enter into the worlds ocean’s each year, resulting in large deposits of debris gathering in Lake Superior. Plastic debris has become common in this vast body of water, with evidence of microplastics and other materials littering its depths. In addition, the aquatic life has been affected by the presence of these materials, with fishing efforts having to be halted until the environment is improved.
The environmental impact of dead bodies in Lake Superior can also be felt, as some of the decomposing bodies can lead to a decrease in the quality of water. In addition, the presence of dead bodies can have a negative impact on wildlife such as birds, as they have to come in contact with these carcasses too frequently.
This all contributes to a much larger problem, as the presence of pollutants of any kind will eventually reach the surface of the water, leaving the population at risk of coming into contact with any contaminants that may be present.
Lake Superior Research Projects
In recent times, the Lake Superior Research Institute has begun to conduct research projects in and around the lake, seeking to better understand the patterns of missing person’s cases as well as to develop methods to prevent them from happening. From analyzing how deep-sea animals interact with passing bodies to developing methods to aid in search and rescue operations, the organization’s efforts have been looking to shed light on the highly dangerous environment that surrounds the lake.
Some of the most important aspects that are being studied include studying the interacting patterns between the lake’s environment and its inhabitants, developing preventive measures in the form of regulations to ensure that the protection of the environment is maintained, as well as determining the exact number of dead bodies in Lake Superior.
With some of the latest equipment and technology available, it is believed that the exact number of dead bodies in Lake Superior can be determined through ongoing research projects, which would bring a much-needed light to the many families that have gone without a closure for far too many years.
Public Health Awareness
To tackle the problem of people getting lost in the lake, many public health campaigns have been in place to raise awareness about the dangers of the lake, and to remind people to take extra precautions when fishing, sailing or swimming in and around the lake. Some of which have included mock scenarios of accidents, as well as tips and advice on how to stay safe, especially during unpredictable weather conditions.
In addition, many social media campaigns have been launched to target the younger population, as they tend to be more involved in engaging in risky activities such as boating or swimming in the lake. A portion of the campaigns also aims to promote the lake and all its magnificent creatures, hoping to encourage others to take part in protecting the lake and its environment.
Overall, public health campaigns have been crucial in helping to ensure that the number of missing people in Lake Superior is kept to a minimum. With an estimated 600 to 1000 dead bodies in the lake already, it is important to take precautionary measures to prevent further deaths, as well as to bring more awareness to the public about the dangers of Lake Superior.
Lake Superior Clean-up Projects
To tackle the issue of environmental pollution in Lake Superior, various clean-up projects have been underway to remove some of the plastic debris and litter that is present in the lake. The efforts of organizations like The Great Lake Rangers have been crucial in enabling people to join together to help clean-up their local waters, with the primary focus being to remove debris and reduce the negative impacts of pollution on the wildlife in the area.
Events such as beach clean-ups and fundraisers are also regularly held to help promote the project, as well as to raise money for necessary equipment that is needed to help clean the waters of Lake Superior. As they are organised by members of the public, they also tend to help in raising awareness about the problem, as more people become familiar with the consequences of pollution in the lake.
Overall, these clean-up projects are vital in helping to keep Lake Superior’s water clean and free of pollutants, achieving the same goal of reducing the number of dead bodies in the lake, as well as preventing more people from getting lost in the future.
