Great Lakes Facts
WISCONSIN LAKES-PUB-FM-800 99Rev.

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                             Lake Superior   Lake Michigan
Elevation (feet)**                    600             577
Length (miles)*                       350             307
Width (miles)*                        160             118
Average Deptha (feet)**             483             279
Maximum Deptha (feet)**           1,330             923
Volumea (cu. miles)*               2,900           1,180
Area:
     Water Area (sq. mi.)*         31,700          22,300
     Land Drainage Area (sq. mi.)* 49,300          45,600
     Total Area (sq. mi.)*         81,000          67,900
Shoreline Length (miles)*           2,726           1,638
Residence Timeb (years)**          191              99
Notes:

a Measured at low water datum.

b Residence time is the amount of time required to completely replace the lake's current volume of water with an equal volume of "new" water. 

Sources:

* Coordinating Committee on Great Lakes Basic Hydraulic and Hydrologic Data, COORDINATED GREAT LAKES PHYSICAL DATA. May, 1977.

** EXTENSION BULLETINS E-1866-70, Michigan Sea Grant College Program, Cooperative Extension Service, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, 1985.

Produced by: Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, Bureau of Watershed Management
More information on this topic: James Vennie, Limnologist, (608)266-2212

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Last Revised: Wednesday January 17 2007