Lake Ontario facts

Ferry from Kingston at the eastern end of Lake Ontario to Wolf Island. Lake Ontario is the smallest of the five great lakes, with a surface area of 7340 square miles (18960 square kilometers), but the lake is deep. Its water volume is about four times that of Lake Erie, which is 393 cubic miles (1640 cubic kilometers), although its width and length are similar. In 20 17, the water level of Lake Ontario reached the highest point in 100 years. This led to large-scale floods and ground erosion. At the easternmost tip of the Great Lakes, Lake Ontario is located at the bottom of Niagara Falls. It borders Ontario in the southwest and north, and new york in the south. The St Lawrence River is the outlet of the lake to the Atlantic Ocean. There are many lagoons and estuarine dams in the lake, which are made of sand, mud or other debris and close the bay area.

There are many islands on the lake, including the Kuril Islands, an archipelago of nearly 2,000 islands bordering the United States and Canada. Although many islands are small and even uninhabitable, the largest is Wolf Island. It is 48 square miles (124 square kilometers),

Lake Ontario is probably the most polluted of the Great Lakes. All other lakes flow into here, causing pollution. According to the University of Wisconsin Ocean Grant Institute, it also receives runoff from neighboring farms and businesses.

Toronto is located on the northwest coast of Lake Ontario. (Lissandra Melo Shutstock) Like all the Great Lakes, Lake Ontario today is the result of glacier movement and melting at the end of the recent ice age.

The name of this lake comes from "beautiful lake" in Iroquois. The first European to see Lake Ontario was the French explorer Etienne Buruli, a disciple of Samuel de champlain. According to the Canadian Museum of History, Burray is believed to have arrived at Lake Huron and Lake Ontario around 16 15. This lake has a rich commercial and trade history, especially after the war of 18 12, the canal was built and transported by heavy ships. Before the railway was built, Lake Ontario was a commercial center. As a way of transporting goods, it eclipsed ships.

Water temperature in Lake Ontario Due to the depth of the lake and the warm weather from the southwest, Lake Ontario rarely freezes. The water temperature reached about 75 degrees Fahrenheit (24 degrees Celsius) in August and dropped to about 37 degrees Fahrenheit (3 degrees Celsius) in February. According to the Encyclopedia Britannica, the lake usually freezes only around the lake, and the port is closed from mid-February to mid-April.

A grizzly bear with a red neck sat on a nest in Ontario and shouted at its spouse. (Brian Guest Shutterstock) Although the whole area is affected by lake effect snow, there is a prominent snow belt on the southeast coast, which can be submerged by 20 feet (600 cm) of snow every year. The farthest influence of lake effect snow can be felt in Syracuse, new york, which is one of the cities with the largest snowfall in the United States.

Big-eyed salmon, silver salmon and chinook salmon, as well as some trout species, including rainbow trout and rainbow trout, are all fish that swim in the waters of Lake Ontario. In coastal areas, invaded mussels cover most of the lake bottom.

The climate of Lake Ontario is conducive to the growth of fruit trees, and this area has become the main planting area of apples, cherries, peaches, pears and plums.

Due to its geographical location, Lake Ontario is the habitat of many migratory birds. Swan, raccoon, duck, goose, grizzly bear and other waterfowl are all wild animals in Lake Ontario. Hawks, eagles and other birds of prey are also common in this area.

Additional reporting by field science writer Alina Bu Adeford

Additional resources

Biography: Samuel de champlain Travel Channel: Great Lakes Video EPA: Physical Characteristics of Great Lakes P.P1{margin: 0.0px0.0px8.0px0; Font: 1 1.0px' trebuchet MS '；; Color: 000000; -; 000000; Minimum height:12.0px} li.li3 {margin: 0.0px0.0px8.0px0; Span.s4 {font:11.0px' trebuchet MS '；; Text modification: underline; Compact font: none; -webkit text strokes: 0px # 0563c1} span.s5 {font:12.0px Helvetica; Color: # 000000; -webkit text stroke: 0px#000000} "