Ontario Lake is not just one of America’s top attractions. Among other things, it is also an important commercial, shipping and tourist site. In the literal translation from the Indian language, its name means "great lake." This is not surprising, since for the life of local tribes it played a very important role. The lake is equally important for modern residents of Canada and the United States, living in coastal areas.
Location
Speaking about where Lake Ontario is located, we should first mention the fact that it is one of the elements of the Great Lakes system. They lie right on the border between the USA and Canada. On the one hand, the system is limited to the American city of New York, and on the other, the Canadian province of the same name. Around there are many coastal towns, 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.
Dimensions
As already 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 244 meters. It should be noted that for 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 in its fourteenth place on the planet in size.
Water circulation of the lake
The main distinguishing feature of the reservoir is that it has the greatest ratio between the area of the watershed area and the surface. Most water (about 80 percent) falls into Ontario from the Niagara River and Lake Erie. About 14 percent of the total existing volume is generated by tributaries (the largest of them are the Humber, Don, Genesi, Katarakuy and Trent), and the rest is rainfall. Almost all of the water from Lake Ontario (almost 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 under the influence of a glacier that cut 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, although not for long, but still was one of the oceanic bays. After the ice was completely gone, the land gradually rose to a height of about two thousand meters. It should be noted that this process continues now. Height increases by an average of thirty centimeters in a hundred years.
Coastal population
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 lives in the coastal regions of the lake. As for the American side, rural settlements and small-sized ports predominate 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 frosts passes. This is due to the breezes. This feature made the region one of the main in the United States, where pears, apples, peaches and plums are grown in large volumes. As for the Canadian territory, here the gardeners are dominated by gardeners who are kept for the purpose of further wine production.
Ecosystem and its maintenance objectives
The ecosystem of the lake requires due attention to itself and needs numerous measures for its conservation and restoration. First of all, this is due to the support of biological subsystems that reproduce independently. Currently, the water that fills Lake Ontario has many contaminants in its composition, which negatively affects the condition of not only fish, but also the simplest microorganisms. In addition, it can harm the health 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 animals, plants and birds that live here are not found anywhere else.