Great Lakes Retention (Lake Erie)
In comparison to theirlarge volume, the amount of water that flows out of the Great Lakes is very small – only about one percent! This means that pollutants fed into the Lakes fromrivers and streams,shorelines, and adjacent land uses canremain in the water for long periods of time, sometimes becoming more concentrated. Lake Erie, for example, has a “retention time” of 2.6 years, meaning that it takes about2.6 years for a substance that enters the Lake to flow back out of it.
Viewer Tip: Because pollutants can remain in the Great Lakes ecosystem for years, it is important to reduce the amounts of pollutants entering the water. You can help keep our water clean by never dumpingoil, paint, fertilizer, pesticide, and other chemicals in your yard, on a sidewalk or driveway, or near a storm drain. Rain water can carrythesepollutantsinto storm drains, which are direct pathways to local rivers, streams, and the Lakes. If you need to dispose of hazardous household products, you can find a local collection facility by calling 1-800-CLEANUP or visiting www.cleanup.org/.
Seasons: Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
(Sources: US Environmental Protection Agency. “Great Lakes Fact Sheet.” http://www.epa.gov/glnpo/factsheet.html; US EPA Office of Wetlands, Oceans, and Watershed, www.epa.gov/owow)
