Lake Ontario is not just one of America's top attractions. Among other things, it is also an important trade, shipping and tourist site. In literal translation from the Indian language, its name means "great lake". This is not surprising, since it played a very important role in the life of local tribes. The lake has the same great importance for the modern inhabitants of Canada and the United States living in coastal areas.
Location
When talking about where Lake Ontario is located, the first thing to mention is the fact that it is one of the elements of the Great Lakes system. They lie right on the border between the US and Canada. On the one hand, the system is limited to the American city of New York, and on the other hand, to the Canadian province of the same name. There are many coastal towns around, providing opportunities for various entertainment and outdoor activities on the shores. Lake Ontario on the Great Lakes map is the lowest and is located at an altitude of about 75 meters above sea level.
Sizes
As noted above, the lake is located simultaneously on the territory of two states. It is the smallest in the system. The parameters in length and width are 311 and 85 kilometers, respectively. The area of this reservoir is about 18.96 thousand square kilometers. The average depth of Lake Ontario is approximately 86 meters, and the largest is recorded at around 244 meters. It should be noted that according to this indicator in the system it is second only to the Upper Lake. As for the size of the coastline, its length is 1146 kilometers. Ontario is the 14th largest in the world.
Water turnover of the lake
The main distinguishing feature of the reservoir is that it has the largest ratio between the area of the watershed area and the surface. Most of the water (about 80 percent) enters Ontario from the Niagara River and Lake Erie. Approximately 14 percent of the total existing volume is formed by tributaries (the largest of them are considered to be the Humber, Don, Genesee, Cataracuy and Trent), and the rest is precipitation. Almost all of the water from Lake Ontario (nearly 93 percent) flows into the St. Lawrence River. As for the remaining seven percent of the water, it evaporates.
Origin
According to scientists, Lake Ontario was formed by the action of a glacier that carved it out of the rocks. Later, he moved to the valley of the modern St. Lawrence River, where he melted. The source at that time was below sea level, so the reservoir, though not for long, but stillwas one of the ocean bays. After the ice was completely gone, the ground gradually rose to a height of about two thousand meters. It should be noted that this process is still ongoing. Height increases by an average of thirty centimeters per hundred years.
Coastal settlement
On the Canadian coast, in the western part, there is a fairly large urban agglomeration. Its main cities are Toronto, Ontario and Hamilton. In the world, it is also known as the "Golden Horseshoe". It should also be noted that approximately one in four Canadians live in the coastal regions of the lake. As for the American side, rural settlements and small ports prevail here. The only exception here is the city of Rochester. In 2004, a ferry service began between him and Toronto.
Gardening
An interesting feature that characterizes Lake Ontario is that the flowering of fruit species on its southern shore is always delayed until the danger of spring frost has passed. This is due to the breezes. This feature has made the region one of the main ones in the United States, where pears, apples, peaches and plums are grown in large volumes. As for the Canadian territory, the horticulture is dominated by vineyards, which are kept for the further production of wine.
The ecosystem and the goals of its maintenance
The ecosystem of the lake requires due attention toitself and needs numerous measures to preserve and restore it. First of all, this is due to the support of biological subsystems that reproduce independently. Currently, the water that fills Lake Ontario contains many pollutants, which negatively affects the condition of not only fish, but also the simplest microorganisms. In addition, it can harm the he alth of humans and animals living in the area of its shores. In this regard, there are now a number of organizations in Canada that operate under the auspices of the national government and are designed to preserve the local ecosystem, which is considered unique. The fact is that some of the animals, plants and birds that live here are not found anywhere else.
