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Lake Erie is the largest of the Great Lakes by surface area, making it the tenth-largest globally.
Answer: False
Lake Erie is the fourth-largest by surface area among the Great Lakes and the eleventh-largest globally. It is also the shallowest and smallest by volume.
The deepest point of Lake Erie is above sea level, a unique characteristic among the Great Lakes.
Answer: True
The deepest point of Lake Erie is 210 feet (64 meters), and it is the only Great Lake whose deepest point is above sea level.
Lake Erie's northern shore is bordered by the U.S. state of Michigan, while its southern shore is bordered by the Canadian province of Ontario.
Answer: False
The northern shore of Lake Erie is bordered by the Canadian province of Ontario, while its western, southern, and eastern shores are bordered by the U.S. states of Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and New York.
The Detroit River is the primary natural outflow of Lake Erie, flowing into Lake Ontario.
Answer: False
The Detroit River is the primary natural *inflow* of Lake Erie. Its main natural *outflow* is the Niagara River, which flows into Lake Ontario.
Lake Erie has a mean elevation of 571 feet (174 meters) below sea level.
Answer: False
Lake Erie has a mean elevation of 571 feet (174 meters) *above* sea level.
Lake Erie's maximum length is 388 kilometers, and its maximum breadth is 92 kilometers.
Answer: True
Lake Erie has a maximum length of 241 statute miles (388 kilometers) and a maximum breadth of 57 statute miles (92 kilometers).
Due to its significant depth, Lake Erie is the coldest of the Great Lakes and the last to freeze over in winter.
Answer: False
Due to its shallowness, Lake Erie is the warmest of the Great Lakes and, consequently, the first to freeze over in winter.
Seiches are standing waves in enclosed bodies of water that can cause rapid, short-term changes in Lake Erie's water levels, particularly in its shallow western basin.
Answer: True
Seiches are indeed standing waves that can build quickly in Lake Erie's shallow western basin, leading to rapid, short-term fluctuations in water levels and potential shoreline damage.
The drainage basin of Lake Erie covers 78,100 square miles, with the Maumee River being its sole major contributor.
Answer: False
The drainage basin of Lake Erie covers 30,140 square miles (78,100 square kilometers), and it has multiple major contributors, including the Detroit, Grand, Huron, Maumee, Sandusky, Cuyahoga, and Buffalo Rivers.
Lake Erie has the longest lake retention time among all the Great Lakes, at 2.6 years.
Answer: False
Lake Erie has a lake retention time of 2.6 years, which is the *shortest* of all the Great Lakes.
Lake Erie's water levels typically reach their highest points in January and February and their lowest in June or July.
Answer: False
Lake Erie's water levels are generally lowest in January and February and highest in June or July.
The historic high water level for Lake Erie was recorded in the summer of 1986, reaching 5.08 feet (1.55 meters) above the datum.
Answer: True
The historic highest level for Lake Erie was indeed 5.08 feet (1.55 meters) above the datum, recorded in the summer of 1986.
Lake Erie produces lake-effect snow when cold winds pass over its warm waters, causing the air to rise, cool, and condense into snow.
Answer: True
Lake Erie generates lake-effect snow when cold winter winds pass over its relatively warm waters, warming and moistening the air, which then rises, cools, and condenses into snow.
Lake Michigan is more likely to freeze over completely in winter than Lake Erie due to its deeper southern portion.
Answer: False
As the shallowest of the Great Lakes, Lake Erie is the *most* likely to freeze completely in winter, whereas Lake Michigan, with its deeper southern portion, has not completely frozen over in the past century.
Which of the following describes Lake Erie's relative size and characteristics among the Great Lakes?
Answer: It is the fourth-largest by surface area, shallowest, and smallest by volume.
Lake Erie is the fourth-largest by surface area among the Great Lakes, the shallowest, and the smallest by volume, possessing the shortest average water residence time.
What is the deepest point of Lake Erie?
Answer: 210 feet (64 meters)
The deepest point of Lake Erie is 210 feet (64 meters). It is also unique among the Great Lakes for having its deepest point above sea level.
Which U.S. state does NOT border Lake Erie?
Answer: Illinois
Lake Erie's U.S. borders include Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and New York. Illinois does not border Lake Erie.
What is the primary natural inflow of Lake Erie?
Answer: Detroit River
The Detroit River, flowing from Lake Huron and Lake St. Clair, is the primary natural inflow of Lake Erie.
What is the mean elevation of Lake Erie above sea level?
Answer: 571 feet (174 meters)
Lake Erie has a mean elevation of 571 feet (174 meters) above sea level.
Why is Lake Erie considered the warmest and first to freeze among the Great Lakes?
Answer: Its shallowness
Due to its shallowness, Lake Erie is the warmest of the Great Lakes and, consequently, the first to freeze over in winter.
What is the average depth of Lake Erie's western basin?
Answer: 25 to 30 feet (7.6 to 9.1 meters)
The western basin of Lake Erie averages only 25 to 30 feet (7.6 to 9.1 meters) deep.
Which of the following rivers is NOT listed as a major contributor to Lake Erie's drainage basin?
Answer: Mississippi River
Major contributors to Lake Erie's drainage basin include the Detroit, Grand, Huron, Maumee, Sandusky, Cuyahoga, and Buffalo Rivers. The Mississippi River is not among them.
What is Lake Erie's lake retention time?
Answer: 2.6 years
Lake Erie has a lake retention time of 2.6 years, which is the shortest among all the Great Lakes.
When do Lake Erie's water levels typically reach their highest point seasonally?
Answer: June or July
Lake Erie's water levels generally reach their highest points in June or July.
What was the historic lowest water level recorded for Lake Erie?
Answer: 1.5 feet (0.46 meters) below the datum in 1934
The historic lowest water level for Lake Erie was 1.5 feet (0.46 meters) below the datum, recorded in the winter of 1934.
What temperature difference between warm surface water and colder air is typically required for Lake Erie to produce lake-effect snow?
Answer: 18 to 23 degrees Fahrenheit (10 to 13 degrees Celsius)
For Lake Erie to produce lake-effect snow, the temperature difference between the warm surface water and colder air must be at least 18 to 23 degrees Fahrenheit (10 to 13 degrees Celsius).
Which of the Great Lakes is most likely to freeze over completely in winter?
Answer: Lake Erie
As the shallowest of the Great Lakes, Lake Erie is the most likely to freeze completely in winter.
Lake Erie was formed by volcanic activity and reached its current form over 10,000 years ago.
Answer: False
Lake Erie was carved out by glacier ice and reached its current form less than 4,000 years ago, not by volcanic activity over 10,000 years ago.
Lake Warren, an ancient lake that preceded Lake Erie, was deeper than the current Lake Erie.
Answer: True
Lake Warren, which existed between approximately 13,000 and 12,000 years ago, was indeed deeper than the current Lake Erie.
The name 'Erie' is a shortened form of an Iroquoian word meaning 'deep water'.
Answer: False
The name 'Erie' is a shortened form of the Iroquoian word 'erielhonan,' meaning 'long tail,' or it may come from 'eri,' meaning 'cherry tree,' not 'deep water'.
What geological process primarily carved out Lake Erie?
Answer: Glacier ice
Lake Erie was primarily carved out by glacier ice, reaching its current form less than 4,000 years ago.
Which ancient lake was deeper than the current Lake Erie?
Answer: Lake Warren
Lake Warren, which existed between approximately 13,000 and 12,000 years ago, was deeper than the current Lake Erie.
From which Indigenous tribe does Lake Erie derive its name?
Answer: Erie
Lake Erie takes its name from the Erie tribe, who lived along its southern edge at the time of European contact.
The first documented European to sight Lake Erie was Étienne Brûlé in 1615.
Answer: False
The first documented European to sight Lake Erie was Louis Jolliet in 1669, although there is speculation that Étienne Brûlé may have encountered it in 1615.
During the War of 1812, the Battle of Lake Erie resulted in a British victory over a United States Navy squadron.
Answer: False
The Battle of Lake Erie during the War of 1812 resulted in a decisive victory for a United States Navy squadron, which captured a smaller Royal Navy squadron.
Lake Erie served as a crucial route for fugitive slaves seeking freedom in Canada during the pre-Civil War years.
Answer: True
With slavery abolished in Canada but still legal in the southern U.S., a Lake Erie crossing was often a necessary part of the journey for fugitive slaves seeking freedom in Canada.
Islanders in Lake Erie's Western Basin use the frozen lake for activities like ice rallies, ice fishing, and driving to other islands for dinner.
Answer: True
When Lake Erie freezes, islanders in the Western Basin engage in activities such as ice rallies, ice fishing, and driving to other islands for dinner, often marking routes with evergreen trees.
Who was the first documented European to sight Lake Erie?
Answer: Louis Jolliet
In 1669, Frenchman Louis Jolliet was the first documented European to sight Lake Erie.
What was the outcome of the Battle of Lake Erie during the War of 1812?
Answer: A United States Navy squadron captured a smaller Royal Navy squadron.
During the War of 1812, the Battle of Lake Erie resulted in a United States Navy squadron, led by Oliver Hazard Perry, capturing a smaller Royal Navy squadron.
Eutrophication in Lake Erie is primarily caused by an excessive richness of nutrients, often from land runoff, leading to dense plant growth and oxygen depletion.
Answer: True
Eutrophication is indeed caused by an excessive richness of nutrients, frequently from land runoff, which promotes dense plant growth and subsequent oxygen depletion, threatening aquatic life.
In 1969, Time magazine praised Lake Erie as a model of environmental health, with most beaches safe for swimming.
Answer: False
In 1969, Time magazine famously described Lake Erie as a 'gigantic cesspool,' noting that only three of 62 beaches were considered completely safe for swimming.
The Clean Water Act of 1972 and an international water quality agreement were established to address Lake Erie's severe pollution.
Answer: True
The Clean Water Act of 1972 and an international water quality agreement were indeed established to combat the severe pollution affecting Lake Erie.
Zebra mussels, an invasive species, contributed to the clearing of Lake Erie's water column by filtering sediment and other particles.
Answer: True
Zebra mussels, an invasive species, filter a liter of fresh water daily, covering the lake bottom and removing sediment and other particles, thereby contributing to the clearing of Lake Erie's water column.
Which of the following is NOT listed as a major environmental concern for Lake Erie?
Answer: Excessive water diversion for irrigation
Major environmental concerns for Lake Erie include overfishing, pollution, harmful algae blooms, and eutrophication. Excessive water diversion for irrigation is not explicitly listed as a primary concern in the provided information.
How did Time magazine describe Lake Erie in 1969?
Answer: A 'gigantic cesspool'
In 1969, Time magazine famously described Lake Erie as a 'gigantic cesspool' due to severe pollution.
Which legislative act was passed in the U.S. in 1972 to address Lake Erie's pollution?
Answer: The Clean Water Act
The United States Congress passed the Clean Water Act of 1972 to address Lake Erie's severe pollution.
What invasive species contributed to clearing Lake Erie's water column by filtering water?
Answer: Zebra mussels
Zebra mussels, an invasive species, filter a liter of fresh water daily, removing sediment and other particles and contributing to the clearing of Lake Erie's water column.
Which of the following is NOT listed as an invasive species that has plagued Lake Erie?
Answer: Piranha
Invasive species plaguing Lake Erie include zebra and quagga mussels, the goby, grass carp, bloody-red shrimp, spiny water fleas, fishhook water fleas, sea lamprey, and white perch. Piranha are not listed.
What do large swarms of mayflies indicate about Lake Erie's health?
Answer: A positive sign for the lake's health and recovery from pollution
Large swarms of mayflies are considered a positive sign for Lake Erie's health, as these insects require clean water to thrive, indicating recovery from pollution.
What infamous event occurred on Cleveland's Cuyahoga River, a tributary to Lake Erie, in 1969?
Answer: It caught fire due to heavy industry and untreated sewage.
In 1969, Cleveland's Cuyahoga River infamously caught fire due to the quantity of heavy industry and untreated sewage being flushed into it, highlighting severe pollution.
What fish species was the most commonly caught commercial fish in Lake Erie until the late 1950s, but is now extinct?
Answer: Blue walleye
The blue walleye (Sander vitreus glaucus) was the most commonly caught commercial fish in Lake Erie until the late 1950s but was declared extinct in the mid-1980s due to overfishing and pollution.
The Great Lakes-St. Lawrence River Basin Sustainable Water Resources Compact was signed into law in 2008 to promote water diversion from the Great Lakes to distant states.
Answer: False
The Great Lakes-St. Lawrence River Basin Sustainable Water Resources Compact was signed into law in 2008 to *prevent* the diversion of water from the Great Lakes to distant states and to establish water use standards.
Proposals for offshore wind farms on Lake Erie have been universally welcomed by residents concerned about environmental benefits.
Answer: False
Proposals for offshore wind farms on Lake Erie have faced opposition from residents concerned about spoiling lake views and potential harm to bird and bat migration, not universal welcome.
Lake Erie's microclimate shortens the growing season in surrounding regions, making agriculture challenging.
Answer: False
Lake Erie's microclimate actually *lengthens* the growing season in surrounding regions, reducing the risk of early frosts and benefiting agriculture.
What is the primary aim of the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence River Basin Sustainable Water Resources Compact?
Answer: To prevent the diversion of water from the Great Lakes and establish water use standards.
The Great Lakes-St. Lawrence River Basin Sustainable Water Resources Compact aims to prevent the diversion of water from the Great Lakes to distant states and to establish standards for water use and conservation.
What is the current status of commercial fishing in Lake Erie, particularly between the U.S. and Canada?
Answer: It is predominantly based in Canadian communities, with a much smaller fishery in Ohio.
Commercial fishing in Lake Erie is predominantly based in Canadian communities, with a much smaller fishery, largely restricted to yellow perch, in Ohio, and U.S. fishermen having largely lost their livelihood.
Lake Erie has 31 islands, with the majority located in the eastern side of the lake, and Pelee Island being the largest.
Answer: False
Lake Erie has 31 islands, but they are generally located in the *western* side of the lake, with Pelee Island being the largest.
The Franz Theodore Stone Laboratory on Gibraltar Island is the newest biological field station in the United States, established in 1925.
Answer: False
The Franz Theodore Stone Laboratory on Gibraltar Island is the *oldest* biological field station in the United States, established in 1895, and donated to Ohio State University in 1925.
How many islands are located in the U.S. portion of Lake Erie?
Answer: 18
Lake Erie has 31 islands in total, with 18 located in the U.S. portion and 13 in Canada.
What is the Franz Theodore Stone Laboratory on Gibraltar Island known for?
Answer: Being the oldest biological field station in the United States.
The Franz Theodore Stone Laboratory on Gibraltar Island is known as the oldest biological field station in the United States, established in 1895.