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This is not the current EPA website. To navigate to the current EPA website, please go to www.epa.gov. This website is historical material reflecting the EPA website as it existed on January 19, 2025. This website is no longer updated and links to external websites and some internal pages may not work. More information »

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The Great Lakes

  • The Great Lakes

    The Great Lakes are one of the most distinctive natural features on Earth. They are a chain of five deep freshwater lakes, Lakes Superior, Michigan, Erie, Huron, and Ontario, in the east central part of the North American continent. 

Great Lakes Facts

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Related Information

Learn about partnerships throughout the United States and Canada and the strategies to protect the Great Lakes. Through the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative and others, understand  funding  efforts that protect the Great Lakes. We have technical databases to explore  the data that  effects the decisions made for that protection.

Ecosystem Issues

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Last updated on January 8, 2025
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