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Lake Superior

A little east of the middle of North America, Lake Superior (or gichigami in Ojibwe) is an inland sea containing 3-quadrillion gallons of water. That’s:

3,000,000,000,000,000 gallons (11.4-quadrillion liters)
Enough to submerge North and South America under 1 foot of fresh water
10% of the world’s fresh surface water
Over half of the water contained in the Great Lakes

Lake Superior is the largest freshwater lake in the world by surface area and the third largest by volume. Scoured into its present form by the retreating glacial ice sheet covering the region during the last Ice Age (about 10,000 years ago), Superior’s cold waters are bounded by northern hardwood and conifer forests and buffeted by continental weather patterns. continued…

Newsletter Articles

How Didymo Became Rock Snot: December 2009
Mix-up over Lake Superior’s Mixing: December 2009
Climate and Lake Superior’s Crunchy Creatures: April 2009
Pulp Mill Effluent and Fish Don't Mix (Well): August 2008
Lake Superior Feels the Heat: Climate Change Discussed at Conference: May 2008
Where did all the smelt go?: May 2008
Making a Great Lake Superior: December 2007
Superior Science News Debuts: December 2007
Low Lake Superior Water Levels: August 2007
Lake Superior Studies Point Out Problems With Using E. coli as an Indicator of Beach Contamination: August 2007
Quagga Mussel Population Found in Harbor: May 2007
Mysterious Lights Seen: May 2007
Lake Superior Holds Onto Her Dead…and Her Toxaphene: February 2007
Unsolved Mystery: Lake Superior’s Missing Carbon: October 2006
New Zealand Mudsnails Found in Duluth-Superior Harbor: June 2006
Ice Cover Lacking on Lake: April 2006
All Plankton Great and Small: October 2005
What Happened to the Taconite Tailings?: June 2005
Listening to the Lake Airs on KUMD Radio: June 2005

Featured Articles

Winds Blew "Whale Burps" onto Superior's Shore: Winter winds whipping around Duluth and Lake Superior can produce more than snowdrifts. They can also produce "whale burps." Also known as surf balls, these oval or round bundles of fibrous material periodically show up on coastlines throughout the world.
Lake Superior's Natural Processes: The lake has a significant impact on patterns. There are also several interesting physical processes that take place in the lake.
Lake Superior's Physical Characteristics: Despite Lake Superior’s massive size, it only manages to support a limited amount of aquatic life.
Superior Facts: Facts About the Greatest Great Lake: Whether you visit Minnesota's North Shore or live there year-round, Lake Superior is a constant source of wonder.
Rip Currents: Escape the Grip of the Rip!: About rip currents on the Great Lakes and what you need to know to enjoy the beach safely
Large Mayfly Hatch Prompts Public Concern: Mayflies emerged by the thousands along the bay side of Park Point during the summer of 2007, sparking public fears of a fish kill.
Lake Superior Water Levels: Lake Superior is currently (2007) at a near-record low for its water level.
The Mystery of the Missing Smelt: Many factors have been playing into the fluctuation of the smelt population.