Everyone’s heard of Lake Superior, but its beauty and clarity are unique among the Great Lakes. On any given day, the lake’s waters appear to be a crystal-clear blue, offering a spectacular view. But why is Lake Superior so clear when some neighboring Michigan lakes such as Torch or Seminole have much murkier water? It all boils down to the geological makeup of Lake Superior and some of the natural processes that take place within the lake.
The clarity of Lake Superior is due to the presence of a unique geological features that is almost unique in all of the Great Lakes. The lake has a very high silt content rate and extremely low nitrogen levels, which helps to keep impurities out of the waters. In fact, the lake contains almost no decaying organic matter, which would otherwise cause discoloration and impair visibility. The lake’s relatively high flow rate also helps to keep the waters clear. So in spite of its large size, Lake Superior’s clarity remains remarkably high compared to some other Michigan lakes.
Experts suggest that Lake Superior can remain clear due to its geography and a good number of environmental factors. Lake Superior is relatively shallow compared to other Great Lakes, making it difficult for large amounts of sediment or dirt to accumulate. Additionally, the surroundings of Lake Superior are filled with dense forests that help to buffer the lake from silt and other impurities. This includes a number of Minnesota Lakes, some of which are the cleanest and clearest lakes in the state.
The clarity of Lake Superior can also be attributed to its unique temperature. During the summer months, the lake is particularly cool due to the colder temperatures from the lake’s northern location. This allows the lake’s oxygen levels to remain high, which helps keep the lake clear. In addition, the cold temperatures also help to keep the lake’s yearly turnover rates low.
Lake Superior’s clear waters are also due to the fact that it is the clearest of all of the Great Lakes. It is estimated that the lake’s visibility is between 20 and 25 feet. This is much higher than smaller lakes, which tend to have a visibility of only between 6 and 8 feet. This is because smaller lakes tend to accumulate more silt and particles from surrounding land or from the sun’s rays.
What Contributes to Keeping Lake Superior Clear?
The clarity of Lake Superior is also helped by its sparse population. The lake is relatively remote, which helps to keep human-made pollution and sewage out of the lake’s waters. Additionally, the lake’s geography is mostly flat, meaning that waves produced by sailboats and other vessels will not contribute to disturbed waters. As a result, the clarity remains high in spite of the lake’s immense size.
Another factor that keeps Lake Superior’s waters clear and pure is its remoteness. While other Great Lakes are located in larger cities, the furthest shore of Lake Superior is located in Thunder Bay, Ontario. This helps to keep human-made pollutants from entering the lake, which allows for its crystalline waters to remain pristine.
In addition to remote and largely unpopulated areas, the lake is also surrounded by wetlands. These areas act as natural filters that work to keep the lake from getting contaminated from pollution and other sources. The wetlands act as natural barriers between the lake and the land, which helps to protect the lake from outside contaminants.
How Does Lake Superior Help Keep Michigan Water Quality High?
The clarity and purity of Lake Superior not only affects its own waters, but also the waters of nearby Michigan lakes. Lake Superior is fed by a number of rivers, one being the St. Clair River, which flows into Lake Huron at the eastern end of the lake. This river carries the relatively pure waters of Lake Superior into Lake Huron and helps to keep the water of Lake Huron clean and clear too.
As a result of Lake Superior’s purity and high quality, other Michigan lakes can also benefit from its clean waters. Since the sometimes turbid waters of rivers like the Huron and Detroit also feed into Lake Huron, the waters of these rivers can be kept clear by the pure waters of Lake Superior.
In addition to Lake Huron, Lake Michigan is also benefiting from Lake Superior’s crystal clear waters. A number of rivers, such as the Manitou and Milwaukee Rivers, feed into Lake Michigan. The clarity of Lake Superior helps to keep the waters of these rivers optimal for swimming and other lake activities.
Moreover, the crystal-clear waters of Lake Superior also help to keep the Michigan beaches safe from water-borne bacteria or bacteria from water-feeding sources. Lake Superior’s vast size and clarity helps to remove impurities from the water before they reach the other Michigan lakes, keeping them clear and safe for swimming.
What Happens When Lake Superior Becomes Impure?
The effects of an impure Lake Superior could be disastrous for surrounding areas. An impure Lake Superior could lead to algae blooms, sickness, and other contaminants in neighboring lakes. This could lead to an interruption of the natural food chain, meaning certain species of fish might not be able to survive in the impure waters. This can have a significant effect on the populations of certain fish species and entities that depend on them and the fishing industry.
In addition to the health effects of an impure Lake Superior, the presence of impurities also affects its tourism industry. A large part of the tourism economy of the area depends on the cleanliness of the water and the presence of aquatic wildlife. The presence of an impure Lake Superior could cause visitors to stay away from the area, resulting in a hit to the local economies.
The presence of an impure Lake Superior would also endanger endangered species. This includes the endangered lake trout and other fish species that call Lake Superior home. An impure lake could cause the deaths of these species, endangering them entirely.
Conclusion
Overall, Lake Superior’s clarity and purity are extremely important both to the local and global environment. Its relatively remoteness, flat geography, and cool temperatures keep the lake’s water clean, which helps to protect both the lake itself and the waters of neighboring Michigan lakes. Its ability to stay clear is important to the health of aquatic species, tourism industries, and fishing industries, making the lake an important part of the Great Lakes area.
