LAKE ERIE

On the northwestern end of Canadian lakeshore


Photo: H. Kurata  
 

A. LOCATION

Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania and New York, USA; and Ontario, Canada. 41:1 -42:7 N, 78:8 -83:8 W; 174 m above sea level.

B. DESCRIPTION

Lake Erie is the fourth largest and shallowest of the five Great Lakes, and is the only one with its floor above sea level. Generally the eastern portion of the lake is deep, while the western part is shallow and has many islands. The northern shore of the lake is in the Province of Ontario, Canada, and the southern shore is shared by four states of the United States. The lake water comes from L. Huron through the St. Clair River and the Detroit River (via L. St. Clair) at the west end. The only natural flow-out is at the northeast end through the Niagara River; besides, the Welland Canal bypasses Niagara Falls leading to L. Ontario.
Extensive commerce is carried out between the harbors on the lake as well as to and from the other Great Lakes. L. Erie is thus quite important to the St. Lawrence seaway system. The western shore side is one of the most highly industrialized and densely populated areas in the United States. The lake reached a fairly high level of eutrophication similar to that of L. Ontario before the 1970's. On the other hand, L. Erie is known, together with L. Michigan, for abundant fish catch which is much greater than that in other Great Lakes.

C. PHYSICAL DIMENSIONS

     
    Surface area [km2] 25,821
    Volume [km3] 458
    Maximum depth [m] 64
    Mean depth [m] 17.7
    Water level Unregulated
    Length of shoreline [km] 1,369
    Residence time [yr] 2.6
    Catchment area [km2] 78,769*
    * Not including the catchments of the three upstream Great Lakes.
 

D. PHYSIOGRAPHIC FEATURES

D1 GEOGRAPHICAL (Q1) Bathymetric map: Fig. NAM-06-0l. Names of main islands: Pelee. Number of outflowing rivers and channels (name) 2 (Niagara R. and Welland Canal). D2 CLIMATIC Climatic data at Cleveland (Q1) Mean temp. [deg C]
     
    Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Ann.
    -2.8 -2.3 2.3 9.0 14.6 19.9 21.9 21.1 17.7 12.1 5.3 -0.9 9.8
     
Precipitation [mm]
     
    Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Ann.
    63 58 71 71 79 84 86 74 79 66 66 61 864
     
Number of hours of bright sunshine: 2,352 hr yr-1. Solar radiation: 12.38 MJ m-2 day-1. Snowfall: ca. 0.3 m.

    Fig. NAM-06-01
    Bathymetric map (Q1).
 

Water temperature [deg C](Q1) Whole lake, 1968-1983

     
    Depth[m]  Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
    S* 1 1 1 4 9 17 21 22 19 15 9 3
    * Surface.
Freezing period: 80 days, 95-100% ice coverage often present. Notes on water mixing and thermocline formation Western basin: Isothermal throughout the year. Central basin: Early June-early September. Eastern basin: Early June-middle October.

E. LAKE WATER QUALITY

E1 TRANSPARENCY [m](Q1) Lake-wide surveys, 1962-1972
     
    Depth[m]  Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
    - 2.7 1.4 2.1 2.5 2.8 4.2 4.2 3.2 2.4 1.8 1.5
     
E2 pH (Q1) Surface water, 1968-1983: 7.8-8.6 (mostly 8.0-8.5).
E4 DO: Fig. NAM-06-02.

    Fig. NAM-06-02
    Vertical distribution of DO (east-west profile from Sandusky to Buffalo, 29 July-2 August 1968)[mg l-1](Q1).
 

E5 COD [mg l-1](1) 1963-1968

     
    Basin Min Max Ann.
    Western 1.1 19.0 10.1
    Central 3.1 16.0 7.8
    Eastern 4.7 27.0 7.8
     
E6 CHLOROPHYLL CONCENTRATION: Fig. NAM-06-03.

    Fig. NAM-06-03
    Chlorophyll a concentration [micro g l-1](East Central Basin, April-June)(2).
 

E7 NITROGEN CONCENTRATION (Q1) Inorganic-N [micro g l-1] Lake-wide surveys, 1968-1980: 100-1,020.
E8 PHOSPHORUS CONCENTRATION Total-P: Fig. NAM-06-04.

    Fig. NAM-06-04
    Total-P concentration [micro g l-1](East Central Basin, April-June)(2).
 
 

F. BIOLOGICAL FEATURES

F1 FLORA Emerged macrophytes (Q1) Typha sp., Scirpus acutus, S. americanus, Sparganium sp., Phragmites sp., Eleocharis sp. Submerged macrophytes (Q1) Myriophyllum spp., Potamogeton spp., Vallisneria americana, Nitella flexilis, Chara globularis, Isoetes riparia Phytoplankton (3) Coscinodiscus rotbii, Fragilaria capucina, F. crotonensis, Melosira binderana, M. islandica, Stephanodiscus tenus, Cryptomonas erosa, Rhodomonas minuta, Ceratium hirundinella, Aphanizomenon flos-aquae, Chroococcus dispersus var. minor, Chlorella sp., Cosmarium sp.
F2 FAUNA (Q1) Zooplankton Protozoa (Difflugia globulosa, Codonella cratera); Cladocera (Bosmina longispina, Daphnia retrocurva); Rotifera (Polyarthra vulgaris, Notholca longispira); Copepoda (Diaptomus ashlandi, Limnocalanus macrurus). Benthos Western basin: Chironomus plumosus, Limnodrilus spp., Pisidium, Sphaerium. Central basin: Chironomus plumosus, Potamothrix spherox. Eastern basin: Procladius cf. denticulatus, Chironomus plumosus, Tubifex spp. Fish Stizostedion vitreum, Osmorus mordox, Perca flavescens, Dorosoma cepedianum, Aplodinotus grunniens, Notropis atherinoides, N. hudsonius.
F3 PRIMARY PRODUCTION RATE (4, Q2) Net primary production rate [mg C m-2 day-1] January-December 1970 Western basin (3 stations): 30-4,760. Central basin (14 stations): 120-1,690. Eastern basin (8 stations): 140-1,440. Whole lake average: 250.

    Fig. NAM-06-05
    Chlorophyll a [mg m-3], primary productivity [mg C m-3 hr-1], total phosphorus [mg PO4-P m-3] and Secchi disc transparency [m] in the Great Lakes (Schelske, 1974).
 

F4 BIOMASS (Q1) Phytoplankton [mg l-1] April-December 1970 Western basin: 0.8-13.2. Central basin: 0.6-6.0. Eastern basin: 1.0-4.2.
F5 FISHERY PRODUCTS Annual fish catch* [metric tons] 1915-1980: 13,000-33,000. * Commercial (Canada & U.S).
F7 NOTES ON THE REMARKABLE CHANGES OF BIOTA IN THE LAKE IN RECENT YEARS (Q1) Primary production since the 1930's has experienced shifts both in species dominance and standing crop. Generally the diatoms are becoming less dominant, while green and blue-green algae are becoming more important. A program of phosphorus control (removal from detergents and sewage treatment plants) was initiated in 1972 in both Canada and the United States. This has curtailed the rate of increase of phytoplankton. There was a dramatic decline in walleye (Stizostedion vitreum) fishery in the late 1940's; dramatic recovery in the late 1970's following closure of the commercial walleye fishery because of high levels of mercury. The mayfly, Hexagenia, which was an important component of the bottom fauna in the Central and Western basins, virtually disappeared in the 1950's and 1960's apparently from periods of low oxygen in bottom waters.

G. SOCIO-ECONOMIC CONDITIONS

G1 LAND USE IN THE CATCHMENT AREA (2, 5-10) 1978
     
    Area [km2] [%]
    U.S. Canada Total
    Natural landscape
    Forest/woodland 10,057 3,422 11,479 17.1
    Barren/brush/wetland 11,148 344 11,492 14.6
    Agricultural land
    Crop field 19,233 11,822 31,055 39.4
    Pasture land 8,823 6,700 15,523 19.7
    Residential area 5,531 659 6,190 7.9
    Others
    Commercial 797 233 1,030 1.3
    Total 55,589 23,180 78,769 100.0
     
Main types of woody vegetation Carpinus caroliniana, Acer spp., Juglans nigra, Carya ovata, Quercus spp., Liriodendron tulipifera, Magnolia acuminata, Asimina triloba, Lindera benzoin, Rosa setigera, Cercis canadensis, Cornus florida. Main kinds of crops Maize, wheat, soybean, vegetables, fruit trees and tobacco.
G2 INDUSTRIES IN THE CATCHMENT AREA AND THE LAKE (2, 5-8) U.S. 1970, Canada 1980-1982
     
    Gross product No. of No. of Main products
    during the persons establish- or major
    year [mill. $]*1 engaged ments industries
    Primary industry
    Agriculture
    U.S. 1,731.58 144,900 72,533
    Canada 2,200.23 N.A. 26,256 1)
    Fisheries
    U.S. 10.55*2 N.A. N.A.
    Canada 26.26 N.A. N.A. 2)
    Others
    U.S. N.A. N.A. N.A.
    Canada 185.92 133 4 3)
    Secondary industry
    Manufacturing
    U.S. 19,347.30 1,597,426 N.A.
    Canada 21,954.00 210,963 2,701 4)
    Mining
    U.S. 297,602.43 8,662 N.A.
    Canada 187,069.93 N.A. N.A. 5)
    Others
    U.S. N.A. 2,731,336 N.A.
    Canada 3,628.57 56,097 N.A. 6)
    Tertiary industry
    N.A. N.A. N.A.
     
*1 U.S. and Canada data in U.S. dollars and Canadian dollars, respectively. US$ 1 = Canad. $ 1.24 in 1982. *2 Data for 1977. 1) Grains, vegetables, dairy products and fruits. 2) Smelt and yellow perch. 3) Saw and planning mills. 4) Transportation equipment, metal fabrication, machinery and primary metal industries. 5) Salt, cement, sand, gravel and crushed stone. 6) Building, engineering and construction.
G3 POPULATION IN THE CATCHMENT AREA (2, 5-10) U.S. 1970, Canada 1981
     
    Population Major cities
    Population density [km-2] (population)
    USA 11,513,900 N.A. Detroit*(1,290,000), Buffalo,
    Toledo, Cleveland, Erie
    Canada 2,335,200 N.A.
    Total 13,849,100 175.8
    * Not all the city area is included in the catchment area.
 

H. LAKE UTILIZATION

H1 LAKE UTILIZATION (Q1) Source of water, fisheries, navigation, tourism and recreation (swimming, sport-fishing, yachting).
H2 THE LAKE AS WATER RESOURCE (2, 5-7) 1983
     
    Use rate [m3 day-1]
    U.S. Canada
    Domestic 4,556 465
    Irrigation 100 196
    Industrial 24.205 3,718
    Power plant 30,829 2,470
    Others
    Rural-stock - 73
    Mining 748 -
     
 

I. DETERIORATION OF LAKE ENVIRONMENTS AND HAZARDS

I2 TOXIC CONTAMINATION Toxic metals in suspended particles and surficial sediments (11)
     
    Lake Erie*1 Typical upper*2 Typical lower*3
    Sample type Element Basin Niagara River Niagara River
    [micro g g-1] [micro g g-1] [micro g g-1]
    Suspended As - 9.8 16
    particles Cd 6.6 8.2 3
    Cr 53 160 80
    Cu 170 290 100
    Pb 79 170 100
    Hg 0.14 0.73 0.69
    Ni 91 75 53
    Zn 160 870 330
    Surficial As 3.2 1.9 2.5
    sediments Cd 2.5 0.50 0.72
    Cr 53 11 15
    Cu 39 8.5 8.8
    Pb 81 11 13
    Hg 0.48 0.09 19
    Ni 49 6 7.2
    Zn 177 100 63
     
*1 Station in Thunder Bay and represents eastern Lake Erie. *2 Station in Tonawanda Channel some 8 km above Niagara Falls. *3 Station below Niagara Falls some 8 km above Lake Ontario.
  • Organic chemicals in suspended particles and surficial

    • sediments (11)
Lake Erie*1 Typical upper*2 Typical lower*3 Sample type Chemical Basin Niagara River Niagara River [10-3 micro g-1] [10-3 micro g-1] [10-3 micro g-1] Suspended Total PCBs 450 660 230 particles Lindane N.D. N.D. 8 Total DDT + metabolites 30 43 9 HCB N.D. 30 97 Mirex 20 15 130 Surficial Total PCBs 86 960 2,700 sediments Lindane - N.D. N.D. Total DDT + metabolites 30 2 179 HCB - N.D. 250 Mirex N.D. N.D. 640 End
  • Mean levels of selected contaminants in herring gull eggs

    • from the Niagara River and nearby monitor colonies [æg (wet wt.) g-1](11)
     
    Colony Contaminants 1979 1981 1982
    Lake Erie pp' DDE 3.4 4.7 7.5
    PCBs 38 44 60
    Mirex 0.25 0.42 0.60
    Niagara River pp' DDE 4.1 5.7 3.7
    PCBs 50 50 46
    Mirex 0.49 0.74 0.98
     
  • Mean contaminant concentrations in whole fish samples of

    • Lake Erie walleye [mg (wet wt.) kg-1](12) 1977-1983
       
      Year PCB pp' DDE DDT Dieldrin Hg Zn As Se
      1977 1.61 0.36 0.50 0.07 0.20 12.93 - 0.26
      1978 1.47 0.14 0.26 0.05 0.15 12.34 0.22 0.35
      1979 3.05 0.21 0.49 0.10 0.15 12.99 0.32 0.37
      1980 1.40 0.19 0.45 0.04 0.13 13.76 0.33 0.33
      1981 1.16 0.04 0.10 0.02 0.10 11.03 0.38 0.44
      1982 1.62 0.10 0.24 0.04 0.12 13.58 0.31 0.36
      1983 1.54 0.13 0.26 0.05 - - - -
       
    Mean contaminant concentrations in whole fish samples of Lake Erie rainbow smelt [mg (wet wt.) kg-1](12) 1977-1983
       
      Year PCB pp' DDE sigma DT Hg Pb As Se
      1977 0.18 0.04 0.06 0.05 tr* - 0.29
      1978 0.27 0.04 0.06 0.05 tr 0.15 0.36
      1979 0.38 0.05 0.10 0.04 tr 0.23 0.31
      1980 0.26 0.06 0.12 tr 0.21 0.16 0.37
      1981 0.23 0.03 0.06 0.04 tr 0.23 0.35
      1982 0.30 0.03 0.07 0.03 tr 0.26 0.35
      1983 0.32 0.02 0.04 - - - -
      * >50% of results below detection limit.

      Fig. NAM-06-06
      (13) Comparative mean values for whole body contaminant burdens [micro g(wet wt.) g-1] for 3+ aged Coho salmon (Onchorhynchus kisutch) from Lake Erie and Lake Ontario.
     

      Fig. NAM-06-07
      (14) Cadmium concentrations in surface bottom sediments.
     

    Supplementary notes Toxic contamination hazards included the input of toxic inorganic and organic chemicals from municipal point sources, combined sewer overflows, rural and urban nonpoint sources and leachates from municipal and hazardous waste landfill disposal sites. Problems from these sources are most apparent in highly industrialized harbors and embayments and nearby areas.

      Fig. NAM-06-08
      Areas of concern in Lake Erie. The International Joint Commission areas of concern include locales where environmental degradation and impairment of beneficial uses is severe and those where some environmental degradation is obvious and where uses may be impaired.
     

    I3 EUTROPHICATION Nuisance caused by eutrophication (Q1) Unusual bloom of blue-green algae (Aphanizomenon, Anabaena). Nitrogen and phosphorus loadings to the lake [t yr-1](9, 10) T-N: 1967-1976, T-P: 1976

       
      Sources Industrial Domestic Agri- Natural Total
      cultural
      T-N N.A. N.A. N.A. N.A. 193,000-292,000
      T-P 347 6,828 8,445 774 17,474*
       
    * Including 1,070 t from upstream lakes. The T-P load declined to ca. 11,000 t yr-1 by 1983.

    J. WASTEWATER TREATMENTS (Q1)

    GENERATION OF POLLUTANTS IN THE CATCHMENT AREA: (f) Severe pollution with well-developed wastewater treatment. J3 SANITARY FACILITIES AND SEWERAGE Municipal and industrial wastewater treatment systems Number of secondary and tertiary treatment (activated sludge, trickling filter, oxidation pond) systems: 135 (U.S. 102, Canada 33; rate of treatment 10,370,000 m3 day-1).

    M. LEGISLATIVE AND INSTITUTIONAL MEASURES FOR UPGRADING LAKE ENVIRONMENTS (Q1)

    M1 NATIONAL AND LOCAL LAWS CONCERNED Names of the laws (the year of legislation)
    1. Canada: Canada Water Act, Fisheries Act; Ontario Water Resources Commission Act, Ontario Environment Protection Act; Environmental Contaminants Act.
    2. U.S.: National Environmental Policy Act, Clean Water Act, Clean Air Act; Water Resources Planning Act, Federal Water Pollution Control Act, Toxic Substances Control Act.
    3. Canada/U.S.: Boundary Waters Treaty (1909); Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement (1972 and 1978). Responsible authorities
    4. Canada: Governments of Canada and the Province of Ontario.
    5. U.S.: Governments of USA and the States of Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania and New York.
    6. Canada/U.S.: International Joint Commission; Great Lakes Fishery Commission. Main items of control
    7. Canada: Waste disposal, water quality, air quality and water use.
    8. U.S.: Waste disposal, water quality, air quality and water use.
    9. Canada/U.S.: Water withdrawals; advisory roles in water quality, air quality and fisheries.
     

    N. SOURCES OF DATA

    1. Questionnaire filled by Drs. J. R. Vallentyne and K. Suboch, Canada Centre for Inland Waters, Burlington.
    2. Questionnaire filled by Prof. F. M. D'Itri, Institute of Water Research, Michigan State University, Lansing.
    3. Data supplied to Drs. Vallentyne and Suboch by Prof. F. D'Itri, Institute of Water Research, Michigan State University.
    4. International Joint Commission (1983) International Joint Commission Great Lakes Water Quality Board Report for 1983.
    5. Munawar, M. & I. F. (1981) A general comparison of the taxonomic composition and size analyses of the phytoplankton of the North American Great Lakes. Verh. Intern. Verein Limnol., 21: 1695-1716.
    6. Vollenweider, R. A., Munawar, M. & Stadelman, P. (1974) A comparative review of phytoplankton and primary production in the Laurentian Great Lakes. J. Fish. Res. Bd. Can., 31 (5): 739-792.
    7. Weatheson, G. L. (1983) Ontario Mineral Score, 1982. Ontario Statistics 1982. Ministry of Natural Resources, Video Census Series No.2.
    8. Ontario Ministry of Treasury and Economics (1983) Ontario Statistics 1982.
    9. International Great Lakes Diversions and Consumptive Uses Study Board (1981) Great Lakes Diversions and Consumptive Uses, Annex F, Consumptive Water Uses.
    10. Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources, Fisheries Branch (1983) Employment and Investment in the Commercial Fishery-1982 and Commercial Fish Industry.
    11. International Joint Commission. Inventory of Land Use Practices, Vol.1.
    12. Ontario Ministry of Agriculture and Food, Statistics Section (1982) Agricultural Statistics for Ontario, 1981.
    13. Allan, R. J. (1986) The Role of Particulate Matter in the Fate of Contaminants in Aquatic Ecosystems. Scientific Series No. 142. 128 pp. Inland Waters Directorate, National Water Research Institute, Canada Centre for Inland Waters, Burlington.
    14. Great Lakes Water Quality Board (1985) 1985 Report on Great Lakes Water Quality.
    15. Whittle, D. M. & Fitzsimons, J. D. (1983) J. Great Lakes Res. 9: 295- 302.
    16. Thomas, R. L. & Mudroch, A. (1979) Report to Small Craft Harbours, Ontario Region, December 1979. 149 pp.