Deer Lake (Michigan) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Deer Lake |
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 Deer Lake
Location in Michigan
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| Location | Ishpeming Township, Marquette County, Michigan |
| Coordinates | 46°31′43″N 87°41′10″W / 46.52861°N 87.68611°W |
| Type | Lake |
| Basin countries | United States |
| Max. length | 1 mi (1.6 km) |
| Max. width | 1.5 mi (2.4 km) |
Deer Lake is a beautiful lake located in the state of Michigan, in the United States. You can find it just north of the city of Ishpeming. This lake is about 1 mile long and 1.5 miles wide.
For many years, Deer Lake faced a big challenge. It had high levels of a substance called mercury. This made the lake an "Area of Concern" (AOC).
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What is an Area of Concern?
An "Area of Concern" (AOC) is a special term used by the governments of the U.S. and Canada. It means a place in the Great Lakes region that has serious pollution problems. These areas need special attention and cleanup efforts.
Why was Deer Lake an AOC?
Deer Lake became an AOC in the 1980s because of high levels of mercury. Mercury is a metal that can be harmful to living things. When it gets into water, it can build up in fish. Eating fish with too much mercury can be unsafe for people.
Because of this pollution, fishing in Deer Lake was restricted. It became a "catch and release" site. This meant you could fish there, but you had to put the fish back into the lake. You were not allowed to keep or eat them. This rule helped keep people safe.
Cleaning Up Deer Lake
Many people and groups worked hard to clean up Deer Lake. They wanted to reduce the amount of mercury going into the lake. These efforts took many years.
Delisting the Lake
Thanks to all the cleanup work, Deer Lake got a great reward in late 2014. It was officially "delisted" as an Area of Concern. This means the lake is much cleaner now. It was one of the first two lakes in Michigan to be delisted. It was also one of only three AOCs in the entire Great Lakes region to achieve this status.
When Deer Lake was delisted, the rules about fishing changed. The EPA announced that the restrictions on fishing were removed. This means people can now safely catch and eat fish from Deer Lake again. This is a big success story for the environment!
