Lake Ontario is not simply one of the most important American landmarks.In addition, it is also an important commercial, shipping and tourist site.In a literal translation from the Indian language its name means "the great lake".This is not surprising, since the life of the local tribes, it plays a very important role.The same lake has a great importance for modern residents of Canada and the United States, living in the coastal areas.
Location
Talking about where Lake Ontario is above all necessary to mention the fact that it is one of the elements of the "Great Lakes".They lie directly on the border between the United States and Canada.On the one hand the system is limited to the US city of New York, and the other - the Canadian province of the same name.Around there are many coastal towns, offering a variety of entertainment possibilities and active recreation on the shores.Lake Ontario on the map, "Great Lakes" is the lowest and is located at an altitude of about 75 meters above sea level.
Dimensions
As noted above, the lake is at the same time in the two countries.It is the smallest in the system.Parameters in length and width - 311 and 85 km respectively.The area of the reservoir is about 18.96 thousand square kilometers.The average depth of Lake Ontario - about 86 meters, and the largest fixed at around 244 meters.It should be noted that this indicator system, it is second only to Lake Superior.As for the size of coastline, it is equal to the length of 1146 kilometers.In its largest Ontario is on the fourteenth place on the planet.
Water turnover lake
The main feature of the reservoir is considered that it has the highest ratio between the area of the watershed area and surface.Most of the water (about 80 percent) falls in Ontario from the Niagara River and Lake Erie.Approximately 14 percent of the total existing volume is formed at the expense of the tributaries (the largest of them are considered the Humber, Don, Genesee, Cataraqui and Trent), and all the rest is rain.Almost all the water from Lake Ontario (almost 93 percent) flows into the Saint Lawrence River.As for the remaining seven percent water, it evaporates.
Origin
According to research scientists, Lake Ontario was formed under the glacier that carved it out of the rocks.Later, he withdrew into the valley of the St. Lawrence today, where melted.The source at the time was below sea level, so the body of water, though not for long, but still represented one of the ocean bays.Once the ice is completely gone, the land gradually rose to a height of about two thousand meters.It should be noted that this process continues today.The height is increased by an average of thirty centimeters a century.Check
coastal
on the Canadian shore, in the western part, is an urban agglomeration quite large.Its main cities are Toronto, Ontario and Hamilton.In the world it is still known as the "Golden Horseshoe".It is impossible not to note the fact that the coastal regions of the lake is home to roughly one in four Canadians.On the US side, there is dominated by rural settlements and small-sized ports.The only exception here is the city of Rochester.In 2004 it took the start of ferry service between him and Toronto.
Gardening
interesting feature that characterizes Lake Ontario, is that the flowering fruit species on its southern shore is always delayed until such time as the danger will not pass spring frosts.This is due to the breeze.This feature has made the region a major in the United States, where the large volumes produced growing pears, apples, peaches and plums.With regard to the Canadian area, here in horticulture predominate vynogradniki contained in order to further the production of wine.
Ecosystem and its objective of maintaining
lake ecosystem requires proper attention to himself and requires many steps for its preservation and restoration.First of all, this is due to the support of biological subsystems that are played alone.Currently, the water that fills the lake Ontario, incorporates a variety of contaminants, which adversely affects the state of not only fish, but also protozoa.In addition, it can harm the health of humans and animals that live near its shores.In connection with this right now in Canada, there are a number of organizations, which operate under the auspices of the national government and are intended to preserve the local ecosystem, which is considered unique.The fact that some of the animals, plants and birds that live here, not found anywhere else.
