Pondering the depth of the Great Lakes turns up some surprising revelations. Think on this:

How deep is deep? Great Lakes deep! (via ODNR Geological Survey)
If you drop a stone into one of the Great Lakes, how far will it travel before it hits the bottom?
The longest journey will be in Lake Superior, where the stone will cruise through the cleanest, clearest, and coldest of the Great Lakes waters. Superior’s average depth is about 500 feet, but in some spots, it’s more than 1,300 feet deep.
A stone will reach the bottom of Lake Erie much faster. The shallowest and warmest of the lakes, Erie averages just 62 feet. Because it’s so shallow, it’s also the most productive of the Great Lakes, so more fish will have to dodge your pebble on its way to rock bottom.
Who knew skipping stones could lead to such deep thoughts?
Get Schooled:
- Learn more about fluctuations in Great Lake depth via the ODNR Geological Survey
- Get the facts about the Great Lakes via NOAA
- Become a better Great Lakes stone skipper via this how-to article by YooperSteez
The fine print:
- This segment was produced in partnership with Cornell’s Atkinson Center for a Sustainable Future






