Lake Michigan is the third largest Great Lake by surface area and the sixth largest freshwater lake in the world (LB-eighth largest freshwater lake in the world). Lake Michigan is joined to Lake Huron at the Straits of Mackinac, they are considered one lake hydrologically.
Many rivers and streams flow into Lake Michigan, and the major tributaries are the Fox-Wolf, the Grand and the Kalamazoo(LB-Selenge, Barguzin, Upper Angara). There is a diversion from the lake into the Mississippi River basin through the Illinois Waterway at the Chicago River.
Lake Michigan's cul-de-sac formation means that water entering the lake circulates slowly and remains for a long time before it leaves the basin through the Straits of Mackinac.
Small lunar tidal effects have been documented for Lake Michigan.Internal waves can produce a 15 degree C (Temperature of blankets even doesn't exceed +8 +9 °C, in certain gulfs — +15 °C in the summer. Temperature of deep layers — about +4 °C. The maximum recorded temperature in certain gulfs — +23 °C). Water temperature decrease along the coast in only a few hours, requiring drastic alterations in fishing strategy.
The northern part of the Lake Michigan watershed is covered with forests, sparsely populated, and economically dependent on natural resources and tourism, while the southern portion is heavily populated with intensive industrial development and rich agricultural areas along the shore (Lake Baikal is rich in biodiversity. It hosts more than 1,000 species of plants and 2,500 species of animals based on current knowledge).The world's largest freshwater dunes line the lakeshore.
Millions of people usually visit the dunes/beaches at state and national parks and lakeshores.
