Water Resources - Lake Superior

Lake Superior Facts

Surface Area

Lake Superior is the largest of the Great Lakes and is the largest freshwater lake in the world based on surface area. Lake Superior covers 31,700 square miles. It is 350 miles long and 160 miles wide. Lake Superior's shoreline measures 2,726 miles long.

Volume

Another way to measure lake size is volume. Lake Superior contains about 2,900 cubic miles of water.

Depth

Lake Superior has a maximum depth of 1,332 feet, with an average depth of 483 feet.

Total Basin Drainage

Water flows into Lake Superior from many streams and rivers. Lake Superior drains into the St. Mary River to Lake Huron. The total basin drainage is 49,300 square miles. It takes about 191 years for the water in Lake Superior to be replaced.

Point of Interest

Lake Superior contains many bottomland shipwreck preserves.