Water Resources - Lake Ontario

Lake Ontario Facts

Surface Area

Lake Ontario is the 14th largest freshwater lake in the world based on surface area. However, it is the smallest of the Great Lakes based on surface area. Lake Ontario covers 7,340 square miles. It is 193 miles long and 53 miles wide. Lake Ontario's shoreline measures 712 miles long.

Volume

Another way to measure lake size is volume. Lake Ontario contains about 393 cubic miles of water.

Depth

Lake Onterio has a maximum depth of 802 feet, with an average depth of 283 feet.

Total Basin Drainage

The total basin drainage is 24,720 square miles. The retention/replacement time for water contained in Lake Ontario is 6 years.

Point of Interest

Lake Ontario is home to the oldest lighthouse on the U.S. side of the Great Lakes.