The Agatelady: Adventures and Events: Lake Superior Region Waterfalls

Tuesday, January 29, 2013

Lake Superior Region Waterfalls

I remember when I drove around Lake Superior that I quickly appreciated the fact that Lake Superior is definitely the drainage ditch for the Canadian shield. I also gained appreciation for the large number of waterfalls on rivers that empty into Lake Superior.

Lake Superior is the largest freshwater lake in the world. Its 2,500 mile long shoreline borders Ontario, Minnesota, Wisconsin and Michigan. In addition to wild forests, beautiful rocky beaches, and towering cliffs, there are a great number of waterfalls on the more than 300 rivers and streams that empty into the lake. The largest river which empties into Lake Superior is the St. Louis, near its western end. On the north shore the Pigeon river is the largest. . No large rivers of enter Lake Superior from the south shore.

Here is a map of some of the Lake Superior waterfalls:

I tried to find a source that would list all the Lake Superior region waterfalls and summarize the statistics. I did not find a source that summarized the waterfalls facts. In total, however, there must be hundreds of waterfalls.

Here are photos of a few of the waterfalls:

Big Manitou Falls (Superior, WI)

Sable Falls (Grand Marais, MI)

Spray Falls (Munising, MI)

Tahquamenon Falls (Paradise, MI_

High Falls in Grand Portage, MN (130 feet tall)

Some Lake Superior drainage basin facts;

LENGTH: 350 miles / 563 km.
BREADTH: 160 miles / 257 km.
AVERAGE DEPTH: 483 ft. / 147 m.
MAXIMUM DEPTH: 1,332 ft. / 406 m.
VOLUME: 2,900 cubic miles / 12,100 cubic km.
WATER SURFACE AREA: 31,700 sq. miles / 82,100 sq. km.

TOTAL DRAINAGE BASIN AREA: 49,300 sq. miles / 127,700 sq. km.
DRAINAGE BASIN AREA BY STATE/PROVINCE:

Michigan: 7500 sq mi; 19,300 sq km
Minnesota: 6200 sq mi; 16,000 sq km
Ontario: 32,200 sq mi; 83,300 sq km
Wisconsin: 3000 sq mi; 7700 sq km

SHORELINE LENGTH (including islands): 2,726 miles / 4,385 km.
ELEVATION: 600 ft. / 183 m.
OUTLET: St. Marys River to Lake Huron
RETENTION/REPLACEMENT TIME: 191 years

And where do those waters go? Lake Superior empties into Lake Huron, which empties into Lake Erie, which empties into Lake Ontario by means of the Niagara river.

Of course the Lake Superior region waterfalls don't compare with the height of other falls found in the world. The tallest waterfalls in the world is located in Venezuela, South America. Angel Falls is 979 m (3,212 ft) and a plunge of 807 m (2,648 ft).