Open Water - Clean Water

Clean water is essential to the health and beauty of Lake Michigan.

Together, the Great Lakes contain one-fifth of the world's fresh surface water supply, and nine-tenths of the available fresh surface water in the U.S.

Lake Michigan is the second largest Great Lake by water volume and is the fifth largest lake in the world by surface area. Approximately 118 miles wide and 307 miles long, Lake Michigan contains almost 1,180 cubic miles of fresh water.

Lake Michigan provides drinking water for 11 million people, and the large area of water supports many other beneficial uses. Over 43 percent of all Great Lakes fishing is done in Lake Michigan. Large freighters support a significant commercial shipping economy, and Lake Michigan provides water for industrial cooling and agricultural irrigation.

Lake Michigan Clean Water Priorities
• Stop aquatic invasive species such as the Asian carp.
• Cleaning up contaminated sediments under the Great Lakes Legacy Act.
• Controlling polluted runoff and cleaning up beach pollution.
• Restoring and preserving wetlands.
• Conserving and enhancing valuable fish and wildlife resources.
• New federal Clean Water Act.
• Management and protection of Lake Michigan submerged lands.
• Proposed expansion for Michigan’s Underwater protected areas.