View source for Lake Michigan

{{short description|One of the Great Lakes of North America}}
{{Redirect-distinguish|Michigan Lake|Michikan Lake}}
{{For|similar terms|Lake, Michigan (disambiguation)}}
{{Use American English|date=January 2023}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2023}}
{{Infobox body of water
| name               = Lake Michigan
| native_name        = 
| image              = Lake Michigan in true color.jpg
| caption            = Lake Michigan viewed from the [[International Space Station]] (August 19, 2019). [[Chicago]] sits at the extreme S.W. of the lake.
| image_bathymetry   = Lake Michigan bathymetry map.png
| caption_bathymetry = Lake Michigan [[Bathymetry|bathymetric]] map.<ref name="GLBathMich">[https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/products/great-lakes-bathymetry National Geophysical Data Center], 1996. Bathymetry of Lake Michigan. National Geophysical Data Center, NOAA. doi:10.7289/V5B85627 [access date: March 23, 2015].</ref><ref name="GLBathHur">[https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/products/great-lakes-bathymetry National Geophysical Data Center], 1999. Bathymetry of Lake Huron. National Geophysical Data Center, NOAA. doi:10.7289/V5G15XS5 [access date: March 23, 2015]. (only small portion of this map)</ref><ref name="GLOBE">National Geophysical Data Center, 1999. [http://www.ngdc.noaa.gov/mgg/topo/gltiles.html Global Land One-kilometer Base Elevation (GLOBE) v.1.] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110210142322/http://www.ngdc.noaa.gov/mgg/topo/gltiles.html |date=February 10, 2011 }} Hastings, D. and P.K. Dunbar. National Geophysical Data Center, NOAA. doi:10.7289/V52R3PMS [access date: March 16, 2015].</ref> The deepest point is marked with "×".<ref name="NOAA_GLERL">{{cite web |url=https://www.glerl.noaa.gov/education/ourlakes/gl_tour.html |title=About Our Great Lakes: Tour |publisher=National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory (GLERL) |access-date=December 15, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170507173208/https://www.glerl.noaa.gov/education/ourlakes/gl_tour.html |archive-date=May 7, 2017 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
| location           = United States
| group              = [[Great Lakes]]
| coords             = {{Coord|44|N|87|W|region:US_type:waterbody_scale:5000000|display=inline,title}}
| lake_type          = [[Glacial lake|Glacial]]
| inflow             = [[Straits of Mackinac]], [[Fox River (Green Bay tributary)|Fox River]], [[Grand River (Michigan)|Grand River]], [[Menominee River]], [[Milwaukee River]], [[Muskegon River]], [[Kalamazoo River]], [[St. Joseph River (Lake Michigan)|St. Joseph River]]
| outflow            = [[Straits of Mackinac]]; also, controlled discharge through locks on the [[Chicago River]] (and its [[North Shore Channel]]), and [[Calumet River]]
| catchment          = 
| basin_countries    = [[United States]]
| length             = {{convert|307|mi|km|abbr=on}}
| width              = {{convert|118|mi|km|abbr=on}}
| min_width          = {{convert|91|mi|km|abbr=on}}
| area               = {{convert|22404|sqmi|km2|abbr=on}}<ref name="LakeMichigan2009">{{cite web|url=http://www.great-lakes.net/lakes/michigan.html#overview|title=Lake Michigan |publisher=Great-lakes.net |date=June 18, 2009 |access-date=January 14, 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100101170911/http://www.great-lakes.net/lakes/michigan.html#overview |archive-date=January 1, 2010}}</ref>
| depth              = {{convert|279|ft|m|abbr=on}}
| max-depth          = {{convert|923|ft|m|abbr=on}}<ref name="nyt" />
| volume             = {{convert|1183|cumi|km3|abbr=on}}
| residence_time     = 99 years
| shore              = {{convert|1400|mi|km|abbr=on}} plus {{convert|238|mi|km|abbr=on}} for islands<ref>[https://www.michigan.gov/deq/0,4561,7-135-3313_3677-15959--,00.html Shorelines of the Great Lakes] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150405211915/https://www.michigan.gov/deq/0%2C4561%2C7-135-3313_3677-15959--%2C00.html|date=April 5, 2015}}</ref>
| elevation          = {{convert|577|ft|m|abbr=on}}<ref name="nyt" />
| islands            = ''see [[#Islands|list]]''
| islands_category   = Islands of the Great Lakes
| cities             = ''see [[#Cities|list]]''
<!--      Map      -->| pushpin_map        = North America
| pushpin_label_position = 
| pushpin_map_alt    = Location of Lake Michigan in North America.
| pushpin_map_caption = <!--   Below       -->
| website            = 
| reference          = <ref name="nyt">{{harvnb|Wright|2006|p=64}}</ref>
}}

'''Lake Michigan''' ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|m|ɪ|ʃ|ᵻ|g|ən|audio=en-us-Michigan.ogg}} {{respell|MISH|ig|ən}}) is one of the five [[Great Lakes]] of [[North America]]. It is the second-largest of the Great Lakes by volume<ref name="LakeMichigan2009" /> ({{convert|1180|cumi|km3|abbr=on|disp=semicolon}}) and depth ({{convert|923|ft|m|abbr=on|disp=semicolon}}) after [[Lake Superior]] and the third-largest by surface area ({{convert|22405|sqmi|km2|abbr=on|disp=semicolon}}), after Lake Superior and [[Lake Huron]]. To the east, its basin is conjoined with that of Lake Huron through the wide and deep [[Straits of Mackinac]], giving it the same surface elevation as its eastern counterpart; hydrologically, the two bodies are [[Lake Michigan–Huron|a single lake]] that is, by area, the largest freshwater lake in the world.<ref>{{cite web |title=Great Lakes Map |publisher=[[Michigan Department of Environmental Quality]] |year=2013 |url=http://www.michigan.gov/deq/0,1607,7-135-3313_3677-15926--,00.html |access-date=August 26, 2013 |archive-date=November 26, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111126121350/http://www.michigan.gov/deq/0,1607,7-135-3313_3677-15926--,00.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

Lake Michigan is the only Great Lake located fully in the United States; the other four are shared between the U.S. and Canada. It is the world's [[List of lakes by area|largest lake]], by area, located fully in one country,<ref>{{Cite web|last=Routley|first=Nick|date=February 23, 2019|title=The World's 25 Largest Lakes, Side by Side|url=https://www.visualcapitalist.com/worlds-25-largest-lakes/|access-date=December 19, 2020|website=Visual Capitalist|language=en-US|archive-date=June 21, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210621034711/https://www.visualcapitalist.com/worlds-25-largest-lakes/|url-status=live}}</ref> and is shared, from west to east, by the U.S. states of [[Wisconsin]], [[Illinois]], [[Indiana]], and [[Michigan]]. Ports along its shores include [[Chicago]], Illinois, [[Gary, Indiana|Gary]], Indiana, [[Milwaukee]] and [[Green Bay, Wisconsin|Green Bay]], Wisconsin, and [[Muskegon, Michigan|Muskegon]], Michigan. To the north, the lake is flanked by long [[bay]]s, including [[Green Bay (Lake Michigan)|Green Bay]] in the northwest, and [[Grand Traverse Bay|Grand Traverse]] and [[Little Traverse Bay|Little Traverse]] bays in the northeast. The word ''michigan'' is believed to come from the [[Ojibwe language|Ojibwe]] {{lang|oj|ᒥᓯᑲᒥ}}<ref>first form is as spelled in [[Ojibwe writing systems#Ojibwe syllabics|Ojibwe native syllabics]]</ref> (''michi-gami'' or ''mishigami''), meaning "great water".<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.superiorwatersheds.org/projects.php?id=6 |title=Superior Watershed Partnership Projects |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070928221658/http://www.superiorwatersheds.org/projects.php?id=6  |archive-date=September 28, 2007}}</ref>

== History ==
{{Further|Lake Chicago|Lake Algonquin|Lake Chippewa|Nipissing Great Lakes}}

Some of the most well-studied early human inhabitants of the Lake Michigan region were the [[Hopewell tradition|Hopewell Native Americans]]. Their culture declined after 800 AD, when, for the following few hundred years, the region was the home of peoples known as the [[Woodland period|Late Woodland Native Americans]]. In the early 17th century, when Western European explorers made their first forays into the region, they encountered descendants of the Late Woodland Native Americans, mainly the historic [[Ojibwe]], [[Menominee]], [[Noquet]], [[Sauk people|Sauk]], [[Meskwaki]], [[Ho-Chunk]], [[Miami people|Miami]], [[Odawa]] and [[Potawatomi]] peoples. The [[French people|French]] explorer [[Jean Nicolet]] is believed to have been the first European to reach Lake Michigan, possibly in 1634 or 1638.<ref>{{harvnb|Bogue|1985|pp=7–13}}</ref> In the earliest European maps of the region, the name of '''Lake Illinois''' has been found (named for the [[Illinois Confederation]] of tribes),<ref>{{Cite web |title=1733d4 |url=http://www.libs.uga.edu/darchive/hargrett/maps/1733d4.jpg |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210507211114/https://www.libs.uga.edu/darchive/hargrett/maps/1733d4.jpg |archive-date=May 7, 2021 |access-date=November 6, 2004}}</ref> in addition to that of "Michigan". During the 1640s and 1650s, the [[Beaver Wars]] (over the [[North American fur trade|fur trade]] with the European colonies), initiated by the [[Iroquois]], forced a massive demographic-shift, as their western neighbors fled the violence. The Iroquois sought refuge to the west and north of Lake Michigan.<ref>{{cite book |first=Richard |last=White |author-link=Richard White (historian) |title=The Middle Ground: Indians, Empires, and Republics in the Great Lakes Region, 1650–1815 |url={{google books|fHLfiOZVzmMC|plainurl=yes}} |series=Cambridge studies in North American Indian history |publisher=Cambridge University Press |date=2011 |orig-year=1991 |edition=Twentieth Anniversary |isbn=978-1-107-00562-4 }}</ref>

The Straits of Mackinac were an important Native American travel corridor and fur-trade route. Located on the southern side of the straits sits the town of [[Mackinaw City, Michigan]], the site of [[Fort Michilimackinac]] (a reconstructed French fort founded in 1715); on the northern side is [[St. Ignace, Michigan]], site of a French Catholic mission to the Indians (founded in 1671). In 1673, [[Jacques Marquette]], [[Louis Jolliet]], and their crew of five [[Métis]] [[voyageurs]] followed Lake Michigan to Green Bay and up the [[Fox River (Green Bay tributary)|Fox River]], [[Fox–Wisconsin Waterway|nearly to its headwaters]], in their search for the [[Mississippi River]]. By the late 18th century, the eastern portions of the straits were controlled by [[Fort Mackinac]] on [[Mackinac Island]], a [[Colonial history of the United States|British colonial]] and early [[United States Armed Forces|American military]] base and fur trade center, founded in 1781.<ref>{{cite web|title=Colonial Fort Michilimackinac|url=http://www.mightymac.org/michilimackinac.htm|website=Mighty Mac|access-date=July 6, 2014|archive-date=November 27, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201127013927/http://www.mightymac.org/michilimackinac.htm|url-status=live}}</ref>

With the advent of European exploration into the area in the late 17th century, Lake Michigan became used as part of a line of waterways leading from the [[Saint Lawrence River]] to the Mississippi River and thence to the [[Gulf of Mexico]].<ref>{{harvnb|Bogue|1985|pp=14–16}}</ref> French [[coureurs des bois]] and voyageurs established small ports and trading communities, such as Green Bay, on the lake during the late 17th and early 18th centuries.<ref>{{harvnb|Shelak|2003|p=3}}</ref> In the 19th century, Lake Michigan was integral to the development of [[Chicago]] and the [[Midwestern United States]] west of the lake. For example, 90% of the grain shipped from Chicago traveled by ships east over Lake Michigan during the [[Wiktionary: antebellum|antebellum]] years. The volume rarely fell below 50% after the [[American Civil War|Civil War]] even with the [[Rail transportation in the United States|major expansion of railroad shipping]].<ref>{{cite book|last=Cronon|first=William|title=Nature's Metropolis: Chicago and the Great West|year=1991|publisher=W. W. Norton and Company|location=New York, NY|pages=87|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=7OCQAwAAQBAJ&pg=PA87|isbn=9780393072457}}</ref>

The first person to reach the deep bottom of Lake Michigan was [[J. Val Klump]], a scientist at the [[University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee]] in 1985. Klump reached the bottom via [[submersible]] as part of a research expedition.<ref>{{cite journal|title=Variations in Sediment Accumulation Rates and the Flux of Labile Organic Matter in Eastern Lake Superior Basins |year=1989 |journal=[[The Journal of Great Lakes Research]] |bibcode=1989JGLR...15..104K |url=http://loracsevents.com/dev/iaglr/dev/jglr/db/view_contents.php?pub_id=965&mode=view&table=yes&topic_id=30&mode=topic_section&volume=15&issue=1 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20121203024023/http://loracsevents.com/dev/iaglr/dev/jglr/db/view_contents.php?pub_id=965&mode=view&table=yes&topic_id=30&mode=topic_section&volume=15&issue=1 |url-status=usurped |archive-date=December 3, 2012 |access-date=August 9, 2009 |last1=Klump |first1=J. Val |last2=Paddock |first2=Robert |last3=Remsen |first3=Charles C. |last4=Fitzgerald |first4=Sharon |last5=Boraas |first5=Martin |last6=Anderson |first6=Patrick |volume=15 |issue=1 |page=104 |doi=10.1016/S0380-1330(89)71465-9 |url-access=subscription }}</ref> The warming of Lake Michigan was the subject of a 2018 report by [[Purdue University]]. In each decade since 1980, steady increases in obscure surface temperature have occurred. This is likely to lead to decreasing native habitat and to adversely affect native species survival, including game fish.<ref>{{Cite news |url=http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-met-lake-michigan-warming-20180913-story.html |title=Lake Michigan is warming. A new report says that could mean trouble for game fish. |last=Briscoe |first=Tony |date=September 16, 2018 |work=Chicago Tribune |access-date=September 17, 2018 |language=en-US |archive-date=June 30, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210630121908/https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-met-lake-michigan-warming-20180913-story.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

== Hydrology ==
{{Anchor|Geography}}

The [[Milwaukee Reef]], running under Lake Michigan from a point between Milwaukee and Racine to a point between Grand Haven and Muskegon, divides the lake into northern and southern basins. Each basin has a clockwise flow of water, deriving from rivers and winds. Prevailing westerly winds tend to move the surface water toward the east, producing a moderating effect on the climate of western Michigan. There is a mean difference in summer water temperatures of 5 to 10 degrees Fahrenheit (2 to 5 degrees Celsius) between the Wisconsin and Michigan shores.<ref name="hilton">{{harvnb|Hilton|2002|pp=3–5}}</ref>

Hydrologically Michigan and Huron are the same body of water (sometimes called [[Lake Michigan-Huron]]) but are normally considered distinct. Counted together, it is the largest body of fresh water in the world by surface area. The [[Mackinac Bridge]] is generally considered the dividing line between them. The main inflow to Lake Michigan from Lake Superior, through Lake Huron, is controlled by the locks operated by the bi-national [[International Joint Commission|Lake Superior Board of Control]].<ref>{{Cite news |last=Briscoe |first=Tony |date=July 13, 2018 |title=What happens when Lake Superior has too much water? |language=en-US |work=Chicago Tribune |url=http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-met-lake-michigan-superior-water-levels-20180709-story.html |access-date=July 15, 2018 |archive-date=June 26, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210626121817/https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-met-lake-michigan-superior-water-levels-20180709-story.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

===Statistics===
[[File:Lake-Michigan.svg|thumb|right| Map of [[Great Lakes]] (Lake Michigan in darker blue)]]

{{Anchor|Statistics and bathymetry}}Lake Michigan is the only Great Lake that is wholly within the borders of the United States; the others are shared with Canada.<ref>{{cite web|title=Geophysical Lake Michigan|url=https://www.epa.gov/greatlakes/geophysical-lake-michigan|website=US Environmental Protection Agency|date=September 25, 2015|access-date=March 16, 2017|archive-date=January 12, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190112063439/https://www.epa.gov/greatlakes/geophysical-lake-michigan|url-status=dead}}</ref> Lake Michigan has a surface area of {{convert|22,404|mi2|km2|abbr=on}}; ({{convert|13,237|mi2|km2}} lying in Michigan,<ref name="nyt" /> {{convert|7,358|mi2|km2}} in Wisconsin, {{convert|234|mi2|km2}} in Indiana, & {{convert|1,576|mi2|km2}} in Illinois) making it the largest lake entirely within one country by surface area ([[Lake Baikal]] in Russia is larger by water volume) and the fifth-largest lake in the world.<ref name="nyt" /><ref name="NOAAchart" />

It is the larger half of [[Lake Michigan–Huron]], which is the largest body of fresh water in the world by surface area. It is {{convert|307|mi|km}} long by {{convert|118|mi|km}} wide with a shoreline {{convert|1640|mi|km}} long. The lake's average depth is 46 [[fathom]]s 3 feet (279&nbsp;ft; 85 m), while its greatest depth is 153 fathoms 5 feet (923&nbsp;ft; 281&nbsp;m).<ref name="nyt" /><ref name="NOAAchart">{{cite web |url=http://www.charts.noaa.gov/OnLineViewer/14901.shtml |title=Chart: 14901 Edition: 15 Edition Date: August 2006 Clear Dates: NM – 12/17/2011 LNM – 12/6/2011";"Soundings in feet and fathoms |publisher=[[NOAA]] |access-date=September 18, 2013 |archive-date=April 22, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210422163943/https://www.charts.noaa.gov/OnLineViewer/14901.shtml |url-status=live }}</ref> It contains a volume of 1,183 cubic miles (4,932&nbsp;km<sup>3</sup>) of water. Green Bay in the northwest is its largest bay. Grand Traverse Bay in its northeast is another large bay.  Lake Michigan's deepest region, which lies in its northern half, is called Chippewa Basin (named after prehistoric [[Lake Chippewa]]) and is separated from South Chippewa Basin by a relatively shallower area called the Mid Lake Plateau.<ref>{{Cite web |title=michiganlarge |url=https://www.ngdc.noaa.gov/mgg/image/michiganlarge.jpg |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210321172726/https://ngdc.noaa.gov/mgg/image/michiganlarge.jpg |archive-date=March 21, 2021 |access-date=March 16, 2017 |website=NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.ngdc.noaa.gov/mgg/greatlakes/lakemich_cdrom/html/geomorph.htm|title=Bathymetry of Lake Michigan|website=www.ngdc.noaa.gov|access-date=March 16, 2017|archive-date=July 15, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180715181542/https://www.ngdc.noaa.gov/mgg/greatlakes/lakemich_cdrom/html/geomorph.htm|url-status=live}}</ref>

=== Islands ===
[[File:ISS067-E-7698 The Straits of Mackinac, Green Bay, and Grand Traverse Bay.jpg|thumb|Most islands in Lake Michigan are in the northern part of the lake. Photo taken from the International Space Station on April 10, 2022.]]
* At {{convert|55.8|mi2|abbr=on}}, [[Beaver Island (Lake Michigan)|Beaver Island]] is the largest island in Lake Michigan; it is the namesake of an archipelago in [[Charlevoix County, Michigan]], which includes [[Garden Island (Michigan)|Garden Island]], Grape Island, [[Gull Island (Charlevoix County, Michigan)|Gull Island]], [[Hat Island (Lake Michigan)|Hat Island]], [[High Island (Michigan)|High Island]], [[Hog Island (Michigan)|Hog Island]], Horseshoe Island, [[Little Island (Michigan)|Little Island]], [[Pismire Island]], [[Shoe Island (Lake Michigan)|Shoe Island]], [[Ojibwa Island]], [[Trout Island (Michigan)|Trout Island]], and [[Whiskey Island (Lake Michigan)|Whiskey Island]]. [[Fisherman's Island State Park|Fisherman's Island]] is also found in Charlevoix County.
* The [[Fox Islands (Michigan)|Fox Islands]] in [[Leelanau County, Michigan]], consist of [[Fox Islands (Michigan)#North Fox Island|North Fox Island]] and [[Fox Islands (Michigan)#South Fox Island|South Fox Island]].
* The Manitou Islands in Leelanau County, Michigan, consist of [[North Manitou Island]] and [[South Manitou Island]].
* Islands within [[Grand Traverse Bay]] include Bassett Island, [[Bellow Island]], and [[Power Island]].
* Islands south of the [[Garden Peninsula]] in [[Delta County, Michigan]] include Gravelly Island, [[Gull Island (Michigan)|Gull Island]], [[Little Gull Island (Michigan)|Little Gull Island]], [[Little Summer Island]], [[Poverty Island]], [[Rocky Island (Michigan)|Rocky Island]], [[St. Martin Island]], and [[Summer Island]].
* Islands in [[Big Bay de Noc]] in [[Delta County, Michigan]] include Round Island, [[St. Vital Island]], and Snake Island.
* Islands in [[Little Bay de Noc]] in [[Delta County, Michigan]] include [[Butlers Island (Michigan)|Butlers Island]] and Sand Island.
* [[Wilderness State Park]] in [[Emmet County, Michigan]] contains [[Temperance Island]] and [[Waugoshance Island]]. [[Ile Aux Galets]] is also found in Emmet County.
* [[Epoufette Island]], Gravel Island, [[Little Hog Island (Michigan)|Little Hog Island]], and [[Naubinway Island]] are located in [[Mackinac County, Michigan]], in the area of [[Hendricks Township, Michigan|Epoufette, Michigan]] and [[Garfield Township, Mackinac County, Michigan|Naubinway, Michigan]].
* [[Green Island (Michigan)|Green Island]] and [[St. Helena Island (Michigan)|St. Helena Island]] are in the vicinity of the [[Mackinac Bridge]], in [[Mackinac County, Michigan]].
* Islands surrounding the [[Door Peninsula]] in Wisconsin include [[Chambers Island]], [[Fish Island (Wisconsin)|Fish Island]], [[Gravel Island (Wisconsin)|Gravel Island]], [[Spider Island (Wisconsin)|Spider Island]], [[Horseshoe Island (Wisconsin)|Horseshoe Island]], the [[Sister Islands (Wisconsin)|Sister Islands]], [[Detroit Island]], [[Green Island (Wisconsin)|Green Island]], [[Hog Island (Wisconsin)|Hog Island]], [[Pilot Island]], [[Plum Island (Wisconsin)|Plum Island]], [[Rock Island (Wisconsin)|Rock Island]], the [[Strawberry Islands]] and [[Washington Island (Wisconsin)|Washington Island]]. The northern half of the peninsula is technically an island itself, due to the [[Sturgeon Bay Ship Canal]].
* [[Northerly Island]] is a {{convert|91|acre|ha|adj=on}} human-made peninsula in Chicago. It is the home of the [[Adler Planetarium]], the former site of [[Meigs Field]], and the current site of the temporary concert venue [[Huntington Bank Pavilion]] each summer.

=== Connection to other water bodies ===
In the mid 20th century, construction of the [[Saint Lawrence Seaway]] and [[Great Lakes Waterway]] opened the Great Lakes to ocean-going vessels. But the wider ocean-going container ships that were developed later do not fit through the locks on these routes, which limits shipping on the lakes. [[Lake freighter]]s are used on the lakes that are too large to pass the locks and enter the ocean. Despite their vast size, large sections of the Great Lakes freeze in winter, interrupting most shipping. Some icebreakers ply the lakes.

Lake Michigan is connected by the [[Illinois Waterway]] to the [[Gulf of Mexico]] via the [[Illinois River]] and the Mississippi River. Commercial tug-and-barge traffic on these waterways is heavy. Pleasure boats can enter or exit the Great Lakes by way of the [[Erie Canal]] and Hudson River in New York. The Erie Canal connects to the Great Lakes at the east end of [[Lake Erie]] (at [[Buffalo, New York]]) and at the south side of [[Lake Ontario]] (at [[Oswego, New York]]).

=== Water level ===
The lake fluctuates from month to month with the highest lake levels typically occurring in summer. The normal high-water mark is {{convert|2.00|ft|m}} above datum (''{{convert|577.5|ft|m|abbr=on}}''). In October 1986, Lakes Michigan and Huron reached their highest level at {{convert|5.92|ft|m}} above datum.<ref name="COE-2009">Monthly bulletin of Lake Levels for The Great Lakes; September 2009; U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Detroit District</ref> The monthly average high-water records were broken for several months in a row in 2020.<ref name="armymilGreatLakesData">{{Cite web|date=February 3, 2021|title=Great Lakes Water Level Data|url=https://www.lre.usace.army.mil/Missions/Great-Lakes-Information/Great-Lakes-Information-2/Water-Level-Data/|access-date=February 9, 2021|archive-date=May 27, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210527020105/https://www.lre.usace.army.mil/Missions/Great-Lakes-Information/Great-Lakes-Information-2/Water-Level-Data/|url-status=dead}}</ref>

Lake levels tend to be the lowest in winter. The normal low-water mark is {{convert|1.00|ft|cm}} below datum (''577.5 ft or 176.0 m''). In the winter of 1964, Lakes Michigan and Huron reached their lowest level at {{convert|1.38|ft|cm}} below datum.<ref name="COE-2009" /> As with the high-water records, monthly low-water records were set each month from February 1964 through January 1965. During this twelve-month period, water levels ranged from {{convert|1.38|to(-)|0.71|ft|cm}} below Chart Datum.<ref name="COE-2009" /> The all-time low-water mark was eclipsed in January 2013.<ref name="armymilGreatLakesData" />

In January 2013, Lake Michigan's monthly mean water levels dipped to an all-time low of {{convert|576.2|ft|m|abbr=on}},<ref name="USAtoday3Apr2013">{{cite news |last=Bivins |first=Larry |date=April 3, 2013 |title=Low Great Lakes water levels plague shipping, recreation |newspaper=USA Today |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/04/03/great-lakes-low-water-levels/2050811 |access-date=September 2, 2017 |archive-date=February 28, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200228015847/https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/04/03/great-lakes-low-water-levels/2050811/ |url-status=live }}</ref> reaching their lowest ebb since record keeping began in 1918. The lakes were {{convert|29|in|m|abbr=on}} below their long-term average and had declined 17 inches since January 2012.<ref name="Flesher5feb2013">{{cite news|last=Flesher|first=John |date=February 5, 2013 |title=Two Great Lakes hit lowest water levels since record keeping began nearly a century ago |newspaper=Vancouver Sun |url=https://vancouversun.com/technology/Great+Lakes+lowest+water+levels+since+record+keeping+began+nearly+cent<ury/7923713/story.html#ixzz2RxYTXcZr |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130212060009/http://www.vancouversun.com/technology/Great+Lakes+lowest+water+levels+since+record+keeping+began+nearly+century/7923713/story.html#ixzz2RxYTXcZr |archive-date=February 12, 2013}}</ref> Keith Kompoltowicz, chief of [[Drainage basin|watershed]] [[hydrology]] for the [[U.S. Army Corps of Engineers]]' district office in [[Detroit]], explained that biggest factors leading to the lower water levels in 2013 were a combination of the "lack of a large snowpack" in the winter of 2011/2012 coupled with very hot and dry conditions in the summer of 2012.<ref name="USAtoday3Apr2013" />  Since then water levels rebounded, rising more than {{convert|6|ft|m|abbr=off|sp=us}} to historical record high levels.<ref>{{cite web|title=Lake Michigan at Near-Record High Water Levels|url=https://www.weather.gov/lot/2019LakeMI|access-date=December 9, 2019|publisher=National Weather Service|archive-date=January 18, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210118234505/https://www.weather.gov/lot/2019LakeMI|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="armymilGreatLakesData" />

===Drinking water===
[[File:Grand Traverse Bay from Elk Rapids.jpg|thumb|[[Grand Traverse Bay]], a large bay of Lake Michigan in Michigan's [[Lower Peninsula of Michigan|Lower Peninsula]], from the community of [[Elk Rapids, Michigan|Elk Rapids]]]]
Lake Michigan, like the other Great Lakes, supplies drinking water to millions of people in bordering areas.

The Great Lakes are collectively administered by the [[Conference of Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Governors and Premiers]], intergovernmental organization led by the governing chief executives of the Canadian provinces of [[Ontario]] and [[Québec]], and by the governors of the U.S. states of [[Illinois]], [[Indiana]], [[Michigan]], [[Minnesota]], [[New York (state)|New York]], [[Ohio]], [[Pennsylvania]], and [[Wisconsin]]. The Conference came into force, in December 2008, with the enactment of laws in all of the states and the two provinces, and the enactment of a United States federal law.

Environmental problems can still plague the lake. [[Steel mill]]s and refineries operate near the Indiana shoreline. The ''[[Chicago Tribune]]'' reported that [[BP]] is a major polluter, dumping thousands of pounds of raw [[sludge]] into the lake every day from its [[Whiting, Indiana]], oil refinery.<ref>{{cite news |last=Hawthorne |first=Michael |date=July 15, 2007 |title=BP gets break on dumping in lake |newspaper=Chicago Tribune |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/chi-pollute_15jul15-story.html |access-date=October 14, 2020 |archive-date=June 22, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210622010856/https://www.chicagotribune.com/chi-pollute_15jul15-story.html |url-status=live }}</ref> In March 2014 BP's Whiting refinery was responsible for spilling more than {{convert|1600|USgal|L}} of oil into the lake.<ref>{{cite news |last=Hawthorne |first=Michael |date=March 28, 2014 |title=BP raises estimate of Lake Michigan oil spill |newspaper=Chicago Tribune |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-2014-03-28-chi-bp-oil-spill-lake-michigan-20140327-story.html |access-date=October 14, 2020 |archive-date=November 17, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201117003355/https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-2014-03-28-chi-bp-oil-spill-lake-michigan-20140327-story.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

== Shoreline ==

=== Beaches ===
[[File:Gfp-indiana-dunes-national-lakeshore-lake-michigan-lakeshore.jpg|thumb|View of Lake Michigan from [[Indiana Dunes National Park]]]]
Lake Michigan has many beaches. The region is often referred to as the "[[Third Coast]]"<ref>{{cite web |title=NOAA Great Lakes Region |url=http://www.regions.noaa.gov/great-lakes/index.php/regional-statistics/ |access-date=September 15, 2015 |publisher=[[NOAA]] |archive-date=April 21, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210421111440/https://www.regions.noaa.gov/great-lakes/index.php/regional-statistics/ |url-status=live }}</ref> of the United States, after those of the [[Atlantic Ocean]] and the [[Pacific Ocean]]. The sand is often soft and off-white, known as "[[singing sand]]s" because of the squeaking noise (caused by high [[quartz]] content) it emits when walked upon. Some beaches have sand dunes covered in green [[Ammophila breviligulata|beach grass]] and [[Prunus pumila|sand cherries]], and the water is usually clear and cool, between {{convert|55|and|80|F|C}},<ref>{{cite web|title=Michigan Sea Grant Coastwatch|url=http://www.coastwatch.msu.edu/twomichigans.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100212190032/http://coastwatch.msu.edu/twomichigans.html |archive-date=February 12, 2010 |access-date=January 14, 2010 |publisher=Coastwatch.msu.edu}}</ref> even in the late summer months. However, because prevailing westerly winds tend to move the surface water toward the east, there is a flow of warmer water to the Michigan shore in the summer.<ref name="hilton" />

The sand dunes located on the east shore of Lake Michigan are the largest freshwater dune system in the world. In multiple locations along the shoreline, the dunes rise several hundred feet above the lake surface. Large dune formations can be seen in many state parks, national forests and national parks along the Indiana and Michigan shoreline. Some of the most expansive and unique dune formations can be found at [[Indiana Dunes National Park]], [[Saugatuck Dunes State Park]], [[Warren Dunes State Park]], [[Hoffmaster State Park]], [[Silver Lake State Park (Michigan)|Silver Lake State Park]], [[Ludington State Park]], and [[Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore]]. Small dune formations can be found on the western shore of Lake Michigan at [[Illinois Beach State Park]], and moderate-sized dune formations can be found in [[Kohler-Andrae State Park]] and [[Point Beach State Forest]] in Wisconsin. A large dune formation can be found in [[Whitefish Dunes State Park]] in Wisconsin in the [[Door Peninsula]]. Lake Michigan beaches in [[Northern Michigan]] are the only place in the world, aside from a few inland lakes in that region, where [[Petoskey stone]]s, the Michigan state stone, can be found.<ref>Wolgamott, K. (May 17, 2018). "Where to Find Petoskey Stones in Michigan." Retrieved from https://www.michigan.org/article/trip-idea/where-find-petoskey-stones-michigan {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210624222145/https://www.michigan.org/article/trip-idea/where-find-petoskey-stones-michigan |date=June 24, 2021 }}</ref>

The beaches of the western coast and the northernmost part of the east coast are often rocky, with some sandy beaches. The southern and eastern beaches are typically sandy and dune-covered. This is partly because of the prevailing winds from the west (which also cause thick layers of ice to build on the eastern shore in winter). The Chicago city waterfront has been developed for parks, [[List of beaches in Chicago|beaches]], harbors and marinas, and residential developments connected by the [[Chicago Lakefront Trail]]. Where there are no beaches or marinas, stone or concrete revetments protect the shoreline from erosion. The Chicago lakefront is accessible for about {{convert|24|mi|km}} between the city's southern and northern limits along the lake.

=== Cities ===
[[File:Lake Michigan Watershed.png|thumb|Lake Michigan basin]]
Twelve million people live along Lake Michigan's shores, mainly in the [[Chicago]] and [[Milwaukee]] metropolitan areas. The economy of many communities in [[northern Michigan]] and [[Door County, Wisconsin]], is supported by [[tourism]], with large seasonal populations attracted by Lake Michigan.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.miseagrant.umich.edu/explore/coastal-communities/economic-vitality-and-the-great-lakes/ |title=Economic Vitality and the Great Lakes &#124; Michigan Sea Grant |access-date=February 3, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171219144458/http://www.miseagrant.umich.edu/explore/coastal-communities/economic-vitality-and-the-great-lakes/ |archive-date=December 19, 2017 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Many seasonal residents have summer homes along the waterfront and return to other homes for the winter. The southern tip of the lake near Gary, Indiana, is heavily industrialized.

Cities on the shores of Lake Michigan include:

'''Illinois'''
* [[Chicago]]
* [[Evanston, Illinois|Evanston]]
* [[Wilmette, Illinois|Wilmette]]
* [[Winnetka, Illinois|Winnetka]]
* [[Kenilworth, Illinois|Kenilworth]]
* [[Glencoe, Illinois|Glencoe]]
* [[Highland Park, Illinois|Highland Park]]
* [[Lake Forest, Illinois|Lake Forest]]
* [[Lake Bluff, Illinois|Lake Bluff]]
* [[Naval Station Great Lakes]]
* [[North Chicago, Illinois|North Chicago]]
* [[Waukegan, Illinois|Waukegan]]
* [[Beach Park, Illinois|Beach Park]]
* [[Zion, Illinois|Zion]]
* [[Winthrop Harbor, Illinois|Winthrop Harbor]]

'''Indiana'''
* [[East Chicago, Indiana|East Chicago]]
* [[Gary, Indiana|Gary]]
* [[Hammond, Indiana|Hammond]]
* [[Michigan City, Indiana|Michigan City]]
* [[Portage, Indiana|Portage]]
* [[Porter, Indiana|Porter]]
* [[Whiting, Indiana|Whiting]]

'''Michigan'''
* [[Benton Harbor, Michigan|Benton Harbor]]
* [[Bridgman, Michigan|Bridgman]]
* [[Charlevoix, Michigan|Charlevoix]]
* [[Douglas, Michigan|Douglas]]
* [[Elberta, Michigan|Elberta]]
* [[Escanaba, Michigan|Escanaba]]
* [[Ferrysburg, Michigan|Ferrysburg]]
* [[Frankfort, Michigan|Frankfort]]
* [[Gladstone, Michigan|Gladstone]]
* [[Glenn, Michigan|Glenn]]
* [[Grand Beach, Michigan|Grand Beach]]
* [[Grand Haven, Michigan|Grand Haven]]
* [[Harbor Springs, Michigan|Harbor Springs]]
* [[Ludington, Michigan|Ludington]]
* [[Manistee, Michigan|Manistee]]
* [[Manistique, Michigan|Manistique]]
* [[Menominee, Michigan|Menominee]]
* [[Michiana, Michigan|Michiana]]
* [[Muskegon, Michigan|Muskegon]]
* [[New Buffalo, Michigan|New Buffalo]]
* [[Norton Shores, Michigan|Norton Shores]]
* [[Pentwater, Michigan|Pentwater]]
* [[Petoskey, Michigan|Petoskey]]
* [[Saugatuck, Michigan|Saugatuck]]
* [[Saint Joseph, Michigan|St. Joseph]]
* [[Shoreham, Michigan|Shoreham]]
* [[South Haven, Michigan|South Haven]]
* [[Traverse City, Michigan|Traverse City]]

'''Wisconsin'''
* [[Algoma, Wisconsin|Algoma]]
* [[Bay View, Milwaukee|Bay View]]
* [[Cudahy, Wisconsin|Cudahy]]
* [[Fox Point, Wisconsin|Fox Point]]
* [[Green Bay, Wisconsin|Green Bay]]
* [[Kenosha, Wisconsin|Kenosha]]
* [[Kewaunee, Wisconsin|Kewaunee]]
* [[Manitowoc, Wisconsin|Manitowoc]]
*[[Marinette, Wisconsin|Marinette]]
* [[Milwaukee]]
* [[Mequon]]
* [[Oconto, Wisconsin|Oconto]]
* [[Port Washington, Wisconsin|Port Washington]]
* [[Racine, Wisconsin|Racine]]
* [[Saint Francis, Wisconsin|Saint Francis]]
* [[Sheboygan, Wisconsin|Sheboygan]]
* [[Shorewood, Wisconsin|Shorewood]]
* [[South Milwaukee, Wisconsin|South Milwaukee]]
* [[Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin|Sturgeon Bay]]
* [[Two Rivers, Wisconsin|Two Rivers]]
* [[Whitefish Bay, Wisconsin|Whitefish Bay]]
* [[Waterford, Wisconsin|Waterford]]

{{gallery|mode=packed|align=center|width=135|height=135
|File:Milwaukee skyline.jpg|The [[Milwaukee]] lakefront
|File:Chicago-Silhouette (Lake Michigan).jpg|Silhouette of Chicago at the horizon
|File:Gold coast and Michigan lake (8091814447) (2).jpg|Chicago's [[Oak Street Beach]]
}}

=== Parks ===
The [[National Park Service]] maintains the [[Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore]] and [[Indiana Dunes National Park]]. Parts of the shoreline are within the [[Hiawatha National Forest]] and the [[Manistee National Forest]]. The Manistee National Forest section of the shoreline includes the [[Nordhouse Dunes Wilderness]]. The Lake Michigan division of the [[Michigan Islands National Wildlife Refuge]] is also within the lake, as are the [[Green Bay National Wildlife Refuge]] and the [[Wisconsin Shipwreck Coast National Marine Sanctuary]].

There are numerous state and local parks located on the shores of the lake or on islands within the lake:
{{Div col|colwidth=30em}}
* [[Chicago beaches|Chicago Park District Beaches]]
* [[Duck Lake State Park]]
* [[Fayette Historic State Park]]
* [[Fisherman's Island State Park]]
* [[Grand Haven State Park]]
* [[Grand Mere State Park]]
* [[Harrington Beach State Park]]
* [[Holland State Park]]
* [[Hoffmaster State Park]]
* [[Illinois Beach State Park]]
* [[Indian Lake State Park (Michigan)|Indian Lake State Park]]
* [[Indiana Dunes State Park]]
* [[Kohler-Andrae State Park]]
* [[Lake Park, Milwaukee]]
* [[Ludington State Park]]
* [[Leelanau State Park]]
* [[Mears State Park]]
* [[Muskegon State Park]]
* [[Newport State Park]]
* [[Orchard Beach State Park]]
* [[Peninsula State Park]]
* [[Pere Marquette Beach]]
* [[Potawatomi State Park]]
* [[Racine Zoo]]
* [[Rock Island State Park (Wisconsin)|Rock Island State Park]]
* [[Saugatuck Dunes State Park]]
* Shingleton Management Unit within the [[Lake Superior State Forest]]
* [[Silver Lake State Park (Michigan)|Silver Lake State Park]]
* [[Traverse City State Park]]
* [[Kohler-Andrae State Park|Terry Andrae State Park]]
* [[Van Buren State Park (Michigan)|Van Buren State Park]]
* [[Warren Dunes State Park]]
* [[Wells State Park (Michigan)|Wells State Park]]
* [[Whitefish Dunes State Park]]
* [[Wilderness State Park]]
{{div col end}}

{{gallery|mode=packed|align=center|width=135|height=135
|File:Lake Michigan from Big Sable Point lighthouse.jpg|[[Big Sable Point Light|Big Sable Point]], Michigan in Ludington State Park
|File:Sand dunes from Lake Michigan Overlook, Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore.jpg|Lake view from the [[Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore]], with people climbing uphill
|File:Lake Michigan Sleeping Bear Dunes.jpg|Sleeping Bear Dunes from the Empire Bluffs Trail near [[Empire, Michigan]]
|File:Eichelman Park Kenosha.jpg|Eichelman Park in [[Kenosha, Wisconsin]], with Lake Michigan in the background
|File:PortageLakeMichiganShoreline.jpg|Lake Michigan and the Chicago skyline from [[Portage, Indiana]]
|File:Sunset at nordhouse dunes.jpg|Sunset at Nordhouse Dunes
}}

== Human activities ==

=== Fishing ===
[[File:Milwaukee Public Museum Group, Lake Fisheries (NBY 23833).jpg|thumb|Lake fisheries postcard produced for the Milwaukee Public Museum, the backside identifies the fishermen as using a pound net.]]Lake Michigan is home to a small variety of fish species and other organisms. It was originally home to [[lake whitefish]], [[lake trout]], [[yellow perch]], [[panfish]], [[largemouth bass]], [[smallmouth bass]] and [[bowfin]], as well as some species of [[catfish]]. As a result of improvements to the [[Welland Canal]] in 1918, an invasion of [[sea lamprey]]s and [[Overfishing|overharvesting]], there has been a decline in native lake trout populations, ultimately causing an increase in the population of another invasive species, the [[alewife (fish)|alewife]]. As a result, salmonids, including various strains of [[brown trout]], steelhead ([[rainbow trout]]), [[coho salmon|coho]] and [[chinook salmon]], were introduced as predators in order to decrease the wildlife population. This program was so successful that the introduced population of trout and salmon exploded, resulting in the creation of a large sport fishery for these introduced species. Lake Michigan is now stocked annually with steelhead, brown trout, and coho and chinook salmon, which have also begun natural reproduction in some Lake Michigan tributaries. However, several introduced invasive species, such as lampreys, [[round goby]], [[zebra mussel]]s and [[quagga mussel]]s, continue to cause major changes in [[water clarity]] and fertility, resulting in knock-on changes to Lake Michigan's ecosystem, threatening the vitality of native fish populations.

Fisheries in inland waters of the United States are small compared to marine fisheries. The largest fisheries are the landings from the Great Lakes, worth about $14&nbsp;million in 2001.<ref name="NMFS 2001">[[NOAA]]/[[NMFS]]: (2001) [http://www.st.nmfs.gov/st1/fus/fus03/index.html Fisheries of the United States, 2003] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070810195334/http://www.st.nmfs.gov/st1/fus/fus03/index.html |date=August 10, 2007 }}</ref> Michigan's commercial fishery today consists mainly of 150 tribe-licensed commercial fishing operations through the Chippewa-Ottawa Resource Authority and tribes belonging to the Great Lakes Indian Fish and Wildlife Commission, which harvest 50 percent of the Great Lakes commercial catch in Michigan waters, and 45 state-licensed commercial fishing enterprises.<ref name=miseagrant7jan2013>{{cite report |url=http://www.miseagrant.umich.edu/files/2013/01/07-701-fs-whitefish-marketing.pdf |title=Michigan Commercial Fisheries Marketing and Product Development |publisher=University of Michigan Sea Grant |location=Ann Arbor, Michigan |access-date=April 30, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130412020407/http://www.miseagrant.umich.edu/files/2013/01/07-701-fs-whitefish-marketing.pdf |archive-date=April 12, 2013 |url-status=dead }}</ref> The prime commercial species is the lake whitefish. The annual harvest declined from an average of {{convert|11|e6lb|kg}} from 1981 through to 1999 to more recent annual harvests of {{convert|8|to|9.5|e6lb|kg}}. The price for lake whitefish dropped from $1.04/lb. to as low as $0.40/lb during periods of high production.<ref name=miseagrant7jan2013 />

Sports fishing includes salmon, whitefish, [[smelt (fish)|smelt]], lake trout and [[walleye]] as major catches. In the late 1960s, successful stocking programs for Pacific salmon led to the development of Lake Michigan's charter fishing industry.<ref name=miseagrant2009>{{cite report |url=http://www.miseagrant.umich.edu/downloads/fisheries/economy/Michigan-Charter-Fishing-Fact-Sheet.pdf |first=Dan |last=O'Keefe |year=2009 |title=Charter Fishing in Michigan: A Profile of Customers and Economic Impacts |publisher=University of Michigan Sea Grant |location=Ann Arbor, Michigan |access-date=April 30, 2013 |archive-date=May 13, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170513222024/http://www.miseagrant.umich.edu/downloads/fisheries/economy/Michigan-Charter-Fishing-Fact-Sheet.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref>

=== Shipping ===
Like all of the Great Lakes, Lake Michigan is today used as a major [[mode of transport]] for bulk goods. In 2002, 162&nbsp;million net [[ton]]s of dry bulk cargo were moved via the Lakes. This was, in order of volume: iron ore, grain and [[potash]].<ref>{{Cite report|url=http://www.portdetroit.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/Great-Lakes-Shipping-Study-Final.pdf|title=Great Lakes Shipping Study|publisher=U.S. Department of Homeland Security|date=January 13, 2014|access-date=May 30, 2018|archive-date=November 11, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201111204840/http://www.portdetroit.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/Great-Lakes-Shipping-Study-Final.pdf|url-status=dead}}</ref> The iron ore and much of the stone and coal are used in the steel industry. There is also some shipping of liquid and containerized cargo, but most container vessels cannot pass the locks on the [[Saint Lawrence Seaway]] because the ships are too wide. The total amount of shipping on the lakes has been on a downward trend for several years. The [[Port of Chicago]], operated by the [[Illinois International Port District]], has grain (14&nbsp;million bushels) and bulk liquid (800,000 barrels) storage facilities along [[Lake Calumet]]. The central element of the Port District, [[Calumet Harbor]], is maintained by the [[U.S. Army Corps of Engineers]].<ref>U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (November 2007). [http://www.lrc.usace.army.mil/Portals/36/docs/navigation/calumet.pdf "Calumet Harbor, IL and IN"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201023114544/https://www.lrc.usace.army.mil/Portals/36/docs/navigation/calumet.pdf |date=October 23, 2020 }}. Retrieved on July 31, 2014.</ref>

=== Ferries ===
[[File:SS Badger CloseUP.png|alt=The SS Badger departing Manitowoc for Ludington|thumb|SS ''Badger'' operates ferry services between Manitowoc and Ludington]]
Two passenger and vehicle ferries operate ferry services across Lake Michigan, both connecting Wisconsin on the western shore with Michigan on the east. From May to October, the historic steamship, {{SS|Badger}}, operates daily between Manitowoc, Wisconsin, and Ludington, Michigan,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Schedule and Fares |url=http://www.ssbadger.com/schedule-fares/ |access-date=April 1, 2018 |publisher=SS Badger |archive-date=May 7, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210507040819/https://www.ssbadger.com/schedule-fares/ |url-status=live }}</ref> connecting [[U.S. Route 10|U.S. Highway 10]] between the two cities. The ''[[Lake Express]]'', established in 2004, carries passengers and vehicles across the lake between Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and Muskegon, Michigan.

=== Tourism and recreation ===
Tourism and recreation are major industries on all of the Great Lakes. A few small cruise ships operate on Lake Michigan, including a couple of sailing ships. Many other water sports are practiced on the lakes, such as yachting, sea kayaking, diving, kitesurfing and lake surfing. [[Great Lakes passenger steamers]] have been operating since the mid-19th century. Several ferries currently operate on the Great Lakes to carry passengers to various islands, including [[Beaver Island (Lake Michigan)|Beaver Island]] and [[Bois Blanc Island (Michigan)]]. Currently, two car ferry services traverse Lake Michigan from around April to November: the SS Badger, a steamer from Ludington, Michigan, to Manitowoc, Wisconsin, and the [[Lake Express]], a high speed catamaran from Milwaukee to Muskegon, Michigan.

The [[Great Lakes Circle Tour]], a designated scenic road system, connects all of the Great Lakes and the St. Lawrence River.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.great-lakes.net/tourism/circletour/ |title=Great Lakes Circle Tour |publisher=Great-lakes.net |date=July 5, 2005 |access-date=February 19, 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100725204133/http://www.great-lakes.net/tourism/circletour/ |archive-date=July 25, 2010 }}</ref> The lake is a great place to view ice volcanoes,<ref>{{cite web| url = https://www.nbcchicago.com/weather/ice-volcanoes-explode-along-lake-michigan-as-ice-balls-line-shoreline-nws/2220759/| title = Ice Volcanoes Explode Along Lake Michigan as Ice Balls Line Shoreline: NWS| date = February 17, 2020| access-date = February 18, 2020| archive-date = March 1, 2021| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20210301231244/https://www.nbcchicago.com/weather/ice-volcanoes-explode-along-lake-michigan-as-ice-balls-line-shoreline-nws/2220759/| url-status = live}}</ref> which typically occur at the start of the [[winter]] season.

{{gallery|mode=packed|align=center|width=135|height=135
|File:Holland State Park.jpg|Lake Michigan beach at [[Holland State Park]] in Park Township, Michigan
|File:20080704 North Avenue Beach.JPG|Chicago's [[Chicago beaches#North Avenue Beach|North Avenue Beach]], [[Lincoln Park]]
}}

== See also ==
{{portal|Lakes}}
<!-- please respect alphabetical order -->
{{Div col}}
* [[Breakwater Chicago]]
* [[Jardine Water Purification Plant]]
* [[Lake Michigan Shore AVA]]
* [[List of lighthouses in the United States]]
* [[Leelanau Peninsula]]
* [[Little Traverse Bay]]
* [[Port of Milwaukee]]
* [[Wind power in the United States#Great Lakes|Great Lakes offshore wind power potential]]
* [[United Air Lines Flight 389]], a plane that crashed into the lake in 1965.
{{div col end}}

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

== Further reading ==
* {{cite book | last = Bogue | first = Margaret Beattie | date = 1985 | title = Around the Shores of Lake Michigan: A Guide to Historic Sites | publisher = [[University of Wisconsin Press]] | isbn = 0-299-10004-9 }}
* {{cite book | last = Hilton | first = George Woodman | date = 2002 | title = Lake Michigan Passenger Steamers | publisher = Stanford University Press | isbn = 0-8047-4240-5 }}
* {{cite book | last1 = Hyde | first1 = Charles K. | first2 = Ann | last2 = Mahan | first3 = John | last3 = Mahan | title = The Northern Lights: Lighthouses of the Upper Great Lakes | location = [[Detroit, Michigan|Detroit]] | publisher = [[Wayne State University Press]] | date = 1995 | isbn = 978-0-814325-54-4 }}
* {{cite book | last = Oleszewski | first = Wes | title = Great Lakes Lighthouses, American and Canadian: A Comprehensive Directory/Guide to Great Lakes Lighthouses | location = [[Gwinn, Michigan|Gwinn]] | publisher = Avery Color Studios, Inc. | date = 1998 | isbn = 0-932212-98-0 }}
* {{cite book | last = Penrod | first = John | title = Lighthouses of Michigan | location = [[Berrien Center, Michigan|Berrien Center]] | publisher = Pernod/Hiawatha | date = 1998 | isbn = 978-0-942618-78-5 }}
* {{cite book | last1 = Penrose | first1 = Laurie | last2 = Penrose | first2 = Bill | title = A Traveler's Guide to 116 Michigan Lighthouses | location = [[Petoskey, Michigan|Petoskey]]: Friede Publications | date = 1999 | isbn = 978-0-923756-03-1 | url-access = registration | url = https://archive.org/details/travelersguideto00penr }}
* {{cite book | last = Shelak | first = Benjamin J. | date = 2003 | title = Shipwrecks of Lake Michigan | publisher =Big Earth Publishing | isbn = 1-931599-21-1 }}
* {{cite book | last = Wagner | first = John L. | title = Michigan Lighthouses: An Aerial Photographic Perspective | location = [[East Lansing, Michigan|East Lansing]] | publisher = John L. Wagner | date = 1998 | isbn = 978-1-880311-01-1 }}
* {{cite book | editor1-first=John W. | editor1-last=Wright | others=Editors and reporters of ''The New York Times'' | year=2006 | title=The New York Times Almanac | url=https://archive.org/details/newyorktimes200600wrig | url-access=registration | edition=2007 | publisher=Penguin Books | location=New York, New York | isbn=0-14-303820-6 }}
* {{cite book | last1 = Wright | first1 = Larry | last2 = Wright | first2 = Patricia | title = Great Lakes Lighthouses Encyclopedia | edition = Hardback | location = Erin | publisher = Boston Mills Press | date = 2006 | isbn = 1-55046-399-3 }}

== External links ==
{{Commons category|Lake Michigan}}
{{AmCyc Poster|Michigan, Lake|Lake Michigan}}
* {{osmrelation|1205149}}
* [https://www.epa.gov/greatlakes EPA's Great Lakes Atlas] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101029215637/http://www.epa.gov/glnpo/physfacts.html |date=October 29, 2010 }}
* [http://www.coastwatch.msu.edu/ Great Lakes Coast Watch] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080511230142/http://www.coastwatch.msu.edu/ |date=May 11, 2008 }}
* [http://www.michigan.gov/documents/lake-trout-refuge-lake_michigan_151629_7.pdf Michigan DNR map of Lake Michigan] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070621142339/http://www.michigan.gov/documents/lake-trout-refuge-lake_michigan_151629_7.pdf |date=June 21, 2007 }}
* [http://www.eregulations.com/michigan/fishing/ Official Michigan DNR Freshwater Fishing Regulations] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210129191806/http://www.eregulations.com/michigan/fishing/ |date=January 29, 2021 }}
* [https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/products/great-lakes-bathymetry Bathymetry of Lake Michigan]
* {{Cite Collier's|wstitle=Michigan, Lake|short=x}}
* {{Cite EB1911 |last=Anderson |first=William P.|author-link=William P. Anderson|wstitle=Michigan, Lake|short=x}}
* {{Cite NIE|wstitle=Michigan, Lake|short=x}}

===Lighthouses===
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20080531005328/http://www.michiganlighthouse.org/bibliography.html Bibliography on Michigan lighthouses]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20080114191657/http://www.michigan.gov/documents/hal_mhc_shpo_lightmap_50933_7.pdf Interactive map of lighthouses in area (northern Lake Michigan)]
* [http://www.lighthousesrus.org/Maps/GL/MichiganSouth.htm Interactive map of lighthouses in area (southern Lake Michigan)]{{dead link|date=July 2017 |bot=Jennica |fix-attempted=yes }}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20080130074143/http://www.terrypepper.com/lights/index.htm Terry Pepper on lighthouses of the western Great Lakes]
* [https://www.cmich.edu/library/clarke/ResearchResources/Michigan_Material_Statewide/Michigan_Lighthouses/Pages/default.aspx Wagner, John L., Beacons Shining in the Night] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210822035637/https://www.cmich.edu/library/clarke/ResearchResources/Michigan_Material_Statewide/Michigan_Lighthouses/Pages/default.aspx |date=August 22, 2021 }}, Michigan lighthouse bibliography, chronology, history, and photographs, Clarke Historical Library, Central Michigan University

{{Great Lakes}}
{{Northern Michigan}}
{{Upper Peninsula of Michigan}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Lake Michigan| ]]
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[[Category:Lakes of Indiana|Michigan]]
[[Category:Lakes of Michigan|Michigan]]
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[[Category:Bodies of water of LaPorte County, Indiana|Michigan]]
[[Category:Lakes of Muskegon County, Michigan|Michigan]]
[[Category:Lakes of Berrien County, Michigan|Michigan]]
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[[Category:Great Lakes|*Michigan]]
[[Category:Lakes of Kewaunee County, Wisconsin|Michigan]]
[[Category:Bodies of water of Milwaukee County, Wisconsin|Michigan]]
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[[Category:Bodies of water of Racine County, Wisconsin|Michigan]]
[[Category:Lakes of Sheboygan County, Wisconsin|Michigan]]
[[Category:Michigan State Historic Sites in Mackinac County]]