Water : The Great Lakes Essay

Lake Huron is one of the most polluted fresh water lakes in America. It covers about 189 000 kilometers squared, and it is a component of the Lauretian Great Lakes. It drains to the Atlantic Ocean through St. Lawrence River. It receives an inflow from Lake Michigan and Lake Superior, while it drains to Lake Erie. The population surrounding the lake is about 3 million, which also contribute to its pollution (Ylvisaker 28).

Freshwater is big part of the world functioning today. Water is used for many things and if it is not used properly than it could be destroyed. The question is what is water? Water is a tasteless and odourless often colourless liquid compound consisting of Hydrogen and Oxygen . Canada has 20% of the world fresh water supply . Which is a lot considering we have 0.49% of the worlds population as of 2014 . Water is used for many things including building infrastructure, giving people water in their homes and creating power . Water can also be used for transporting goods down rivers or lakes, and even extracting minerals from underground. Obviously, it can also be used to drink. Those are just a few of the uses water has in the world today. Water is used for almost everything and

People often wonder how the continents, states, and other landforms develop their shape and structure. Our earth, continents, countries, and states developed over billions of years and water played a huge roll in the development, shape, and structure. Within this exploratory essay you will gain knowledge on how Michigan, specifically, was shaped and how water affects the state in many ways and will continue to do so every single day until the earth ceases to exist.

The Earth is a huge planet this is covered by 70 percent water. Astonishingly from this 70 percent the human population can only use 1 percent of the world’s water the rest of it is salt water, frozen, or in some way unattainable (Santa Clara Valley Water District, 2016). Humans have found many different ways to obtain this 1 percent of fresh water they need, but the techniques vary depending on location. In San Jose, California we obtain our water from 3 major sources: groundwater, imported surface water, and local mountain surface water. These 3 sources contribute different amounts of water to the San Jose community. Imported surface water composes about 50 percent of our water supply, while ground water composes roughly 40 percent, and local mountain surface water composes approximately 10 percent (Santa Jose Water Company, 2016). However, these percentages can change due to factors such as weather and global warming.

Lake Erie is thriving biologically but not in the way one might think. It’s poisoned with toxic algal blooms that grow in the phosphorus-concentrated waters millions of Canadians and Americas alike depend on for drinking water. Unfortunately, this is also not the first time this has happened to the Great, not-so-great Lake.

Due to the location of Canada, they retain a large amount of fresh water, 20% to be exact (Water 2012). However, even with the large percentage only 7% of the renewable freshwater and most of the water (just like in the United States) is not located in desirable areas. The majority of the Canadian population lives along the southern border with the United States and which creates the problem of most of the country 's fresh water is found in the north drainage basins (Water 2012). As this hard to reach water reaches the cities or towns, municipal water supply only accounts for 12% of water use in Canada (Water Uses 2013). The larger user of this finite source come form cooling plants (64%), manufacturing (14%) and agriculture (9%) (Water Uses 2013).

fresh water found on planet earth is only a mere one percent (1%) and we have to bear in mind that within that one percent some are found in lakes, rivers, streams and underground aquifers.

It takes all of them to change the land to where it was thousands of years ago. It is still changing today, and will continue to change for as long as we can imagine. The causes range from human causes to natural causes. The beautiful state of Michigan is a prime example of how water has shaped us to what we are now. We take for granted the beautiful Great Lakes we have. We need to conserve what we have. We are lucky enough to have such a beautiful lake such as Lake Superior that we need to count our blessings and remember that it could be taken away within

The hydrologic cycle keeps the Great Lakes up and running. Without it, Michigan would not have the inhabitants it does today. The abundant supply of water allows a vast array of wildlife to live in Michigan, and made it a desirable place for early settlers to inhabit. However, the Great Lakes did not just appear out of thin air. There is a long history of how the Great Lakes came to be.

I lived in Michigan for thirteen years and the lakes were so beautiful and clear. People really tried to keep the lakes clean and help the environment. Even though some people try to keep the lakes clean, however with their efforts there still is trash washed up on the shore polluting the beaches. They strive to keep the lakes

Ontario's many lakes, rivers, and streams played a central role in the province's history and development. For Aboriginal peoples and the early European settlers, the lakes and rivers were a means of transportation and a source of food. Waterways determined the patterns of settlement as well as the patterns of industrialization. More than 80% of Ontarians get their drinking water from the lakes. The Great Lakes and St. Lawrence River Basin supports nearly more than 75% of Canada’s manufacturing, and a third of the country's employment in agriculture and food processing.

Attention-getter: Many of us in the United States take for granted that we would always have an infinite supply of fresh water. This is not true; the authors of the Gale Encyclopedia of Science, K. Lee Lerner and Brenda Wilmoth Lerner wrote that, “less than 3% of water on Earth is fresh water” (Lerner and Lerner.)

This policy memo is addressed to Congressman David Joyce who represents the 14th District of Ohio. Congressman Joyce is a Republican who could be considered a moderate conservative on an ideological scale, meaning that he is about halfway between moderate and far-leaning right (Rep. David Joyce, 2016). Issues that Joyce works toward are the economy and jobs, which is his number one priority, and is also against regulations and taxes. Joyce is heavily involved in energy with a focus on supporting the coal, wind, and natural gas industries, in addition he is against policies that may burden small businesses. The Great Lakes and environment are a priority for Joyce as he wants to protect the Great Lakes, but mainly for economic purposes. Joyce has sponsored three bills that work to protect and/or restore the Great Lakes. He has not been vocal in regards to whether or not he believes in climate change, although his stance toward coal and natural gas would suggest that he may not, although this may be solely to protect Ohioan jobs. Additional issues that he works toward are defense & national security, health care, the national debt, tax reform, veterans, and seniors (Issues & Legislation, 2016).

71 percent of the earth’s surface is made of water. 97 percent of earths water is saline water and not safe for human consumption. This leaves just 3 percent of earth’s water as fresh water most of which is icecaps and glaciers. 68 percent of the fresh water on Earth is found in icecaps and glaciers. 30 percent of fresh water is found in ground water leaving around .3 percent of earth’s water as surface fresh water. Of the .3 percent of surface fresh water the great lakes make up 84% of North America 's surface fresh water and about 21% of the world 's supply of surface fresh water. ("Great Lakes Facts and Figures." EPA. Environmental Protection Agency, n.d. Web. 15 Nov. 2016.)

Water covers about two thirds of the total surface of Earth, but most of that is saltwater. Humans must drink freshwater to live. 97% of the water on Earth is saltwater, while only 3% of Earth's water is freshwater. And 70% of the freshwater is ice in glaciers, ice caps and permanent snow. The small amount of freshwater remaining is distributed for use to the Earth's 6 ¾ billion people for agriculture, industry,