Abstract Facts of Great Lakes
Judging by the distances between the states and Canadian provinces,
these lakes touch,
it is no surprise
that the Great Lakes
also holds 20%
of Earth’s freshwater.
Counting all rivers, lakes, ponds, and other freshwater bodies in world.
When combined, Great lakes contain
5,439 cubic miles of water or nearly
6 quadrillion gallons,
enough to engulf
the entire United States
with 10 feet of water.
It isn’t surprising
since the Great Lakes
connect to about
5,000 tributaries
that comprise rivers,
streams, smaller lakes, and straits flowing into them.
Because of this, Great Lakes are home to diverse ecosystems that consist of over 3,500 species
of plants and more than
170 fish species.
Along Great Lakes
shorelines, various animal species will never run
out of natural habitat.
The five lakes have a total shoreline
measure of 11,000 miles,
including island shorelines within lakes.
Sometimes, Great Lakes are
also dubbed “inland seas”
as they are vast,
hold massive volumes
of fresh water,
possess great depths,
and have strong currents.
Unlike other lakes
that have been around
since millions of years
ago, the Great Lakes
came about nearly
15,000 years ago
at the glacial
Wisconsin Ice Age.
Steve Heins