Great Lakes water resource region facts for kids
The Great Lakes water resource region is one of 21 big geographic areas in the United States. These areas are used by the United States Geological Survey to organize and study how water flows across the country. Each region includes all the land where water drains into a main river or a group of rivers.
The Great Lakes region has a special code: 04. It covers about 141,984 square miles (367,740 square kilometers) of land. This huge area is then split into 15 smaller parts, called subregions. These subregions have codes from 0401 to 0415.
This region includes all the land in the United States where water eventually flows into the Great Lakes system. This includes the lakes themselves, their bays, and islands. It also covers the land where water flows into the Saint Lawrence River up to the border of the Richelieu River drainage area. Parts of this region are found in Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin.
What are Water Resource Regions?
Imagine the United States as a giant puzzle, and each piece is a "water resource region." These pieces are designed to help scientists understand how water moves across the land. They show where all the rain and melted snow eventually ends up, whether it's in a big river, a lake, or the ocean.
Scientists use these regions to manage water, protect the environment, and study floods or droughts. It's like organizing all the water paths into clear, easy-to-understand sections.
Exploring the Great Lakes Water Area
The Great Lakes region is super important because it contains the largest group of freshwater lakes on Earth! This area is divided into 15 smaller sections. Each section focuses on a specific part of the Great Lakes or the rivers that flow into them.
For example, some subregions cover parts of Lake Superior, while others focus on Lake Michigan or Lake Erie. These smaller divisions help experts manage the water resources more closely. They can look at specific rivers or parts of the lakes to make sure the water stays clean and healthy for everyone.
The states that are part of this region include:
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- New York
- Ohio
- Pennsylvania
- Wisconsin
These states all share the responsibility of protecting the amazing Great Lakes and the rivers that feed them.
Images for kids
-
Western Lake Superior Subregion Map
-
Southern Lake Superior–Lake Superior Subregion Map
-
Northwestern Lake Michigan Subregion Map
-
Southwestern Lake Michigan Subregion Map
-
Southeastern Lake Michigan Subregion Map
-
Northeastern Lake Michigan–Lake Michigan Subregion Map
-
Northwestern Lake Huron Subregion Map
-
Southwestern Lake Huron–Lake Huron Subregion Map
-
St. Clair–Detroit Subregion Map
-
Western Lake Erie Subregion Map
-
Southern Lake Erie Subregion Map
-
Eastern Lake Erie–Lake Erie Subregion Map
-
Southwestern Lake Ontario Subregion Map
-
Southeastern Lake Ontario Subregion Map
-
Northeastern Lake Ontario–Lake Ontario–St. Lawrence Subregion Map
