Ohio has many lakes that provide visitors with wildlife, water activities, and outdoor relaxation. I will say Lake Erie is regarded as the deepest lake in the state.
Confined within the borders of Ohio, Lake Erie is the eleventh-largest lake in the world. With an area measuring 6.3615 million acres, Lake Erie borders Canada and the United States and has been noted as an important geographical feature in North America.
Canada and theUnited States use water boundaries to separate the lake’s surface area. Cleveland is the biggest city in the Great Lakes region and the third largest US maestro area after Greater Chicago and Metro Detroit.
What’s the Deepest Lake in Ohio?
Lake Erie is the deepest lake with a maximum depth of 210 feet.
Compared to other Great Lakes worldwide, however, this lake is known to be the shallowest.
Lake Erie derived its name from the Erie tribe of American Indians. The residents were known as “People of the Panther” and were once the original occupants of its southern borders.
Lake Erie
Lake Erie has a surface area of 9,910 square miles with a shoreline measuring up to 799 miles in length. Located in the state’s northern region, Lake Erie has a water volume of 116 cubic miles and a maximum depth of 210 feet.
While the United States of Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and New York lie on the western, southern and eastern shores, Lake Erie is situated on the International boundary between Canada and the United States with the Canadian province of Ontario particularly the Ontario Peninsula on the northern shore.
Each of these governments make use of water as borers to divide the surface area of the lake. The Great Lakes region’s third largest U.S metro area is located behind Greater Chicago and Metro Detroit
The largest city on the lake, Cleveland, holds the third largest U.S metro area of the Great Lakes region behind Metro Detroit and Greater Chicago.
Some other important cities which can be found along the shore of the lake include:
- Buffalo
- New York
- Erie
- Pennsylvania
- Toledo and
- Ohio
Amazingly, Lake Erie is home to one of the greatest freshwater commercial fisheries in the world.
Among the Great Lakes, the fish populations in Lake Erie are most prolific and this is due to the abundant supply of plankton which is the primary and most fundamental element of the food chain as well as the mild temperatures which can be found in the lake.
A number of public parks can be found around the lake. In 1991, a wildlife reserve was established in Springfield Township, western Pennsylvania. This reserve was set aside for activities such as fishing, beach strolling, hiking and cross country skiing.
Pymatuning Lake
With a massive surface area of 17,000 square miles, Pymatuning Lake is the second largest in Ohio. It also has a shoreline which measures about 1,700 miles in length.
Situated in Cleveland, Pymatuning Lake has a maximum depth of 35 feet and a water volume of 450 cubic miles.
Having 70 miles of shoreline, this man-made lake stretches across the Ohio/Pennsylvania border between Ashtabula County, Ohio, and Crawford County, Pennsylvania, with 70 miles of shoreline.
This lake is a very important geographical feature as it:
- Reduces damage caused by flood
- It acts as a perfect outdoor destination
- Provides water to the Shenango and Beaver valleys.
There are two full service state parks on the lake in Ohio and Pennsylvania called the Pymatuning State Park.
The Pennsylvania villages of Espy Villa and Andover alongside Ohio towns of Andover are linked together by a picturesque causeway bridge which crosses the centre of the lake.
One of the things that Pymatuning Lake is remarkable for is its amazing walleye fishing. In fact, this lake has been considered as the best in the state for:
- Smallmouth bass
- Walleye
- Muskellunge and
- Largemouth bass
Every year, the Ohio Division of Wildlife and/or the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission stocks
- fingerling muskellunge (1” and above),
- walleye fingerlings (4”-6”) and
- advanced fingerling muskellunge (9”-11”).
Non-powered boats and boats with motors with up to 10 horsepower are allowed on the lake. On the marinas, motorboats, rowboats, motors, float boats, and canoes are also available for hire.
There are five launch ramps on the Ohio side of the lake, two state campsites and private campgrounds and cabin rentals on the lake.
Across the lake are several boat rental concessions and even 360 socks accessible for seasonal rental.
Grand Lake St. Mary’s
The Grand Lake St. Mary’s is, by far, the largest man-made inland lake in Ohio with a surface area of 12,900 square miles. This lake also has a shoreline measuring up to 415 miles in length.
Situated at Lima, the Grand Lake St. Mary’s has a water volume of 218 cubic miles and a maximum depth of 7 feet.
This lake was originally constructed as a feeder reservoir for the Miami-Erie Canal. It is 3 miles broad and 9 miles long with about 52 miles of shoreline and a total area of 12,900 acres.
There are three lighthouses in this lake. The first lighthouse was constructed in 1923 while the most recent was built in 2003.
Some of the common activities which can be done all year round in this lake include:
- Boating
- Hunting
- Fishing
- Swimming and
- Picnicking
At the campground, there is a nature center and a boat ramp with overnight courtesy docks available.
Various marine species inhabit the Grand Lake St. Mary’s. Some of them include:
- Largemouth bass
- White and black crappies
- Bluegills
- Walleye
- Channel
- Flathead catfish
- Yellow perch
- Bullheads
- Carp and
- Suckers
The major food source is gizzard shad. It is important to note that the beachfront fishing piers on Grand Lake St. Mary’s are handicapped accessible.
On the eastern side of the lake, the ODNR Division of Wildlife operates the St. Mary’s Fish Hatchery. In this hatchery, different species used in Ohio public fishing waterways are raised. A few of them are walleye, channel catfish, saugeye and bass.
FAQs
What is the deepest manmade lake in Ohio?
Grand Lake St. Marys is the deepest man-made lake, fed by eight streams and straddles Auglaize and Mercer.
What is the largest natural lake in Ohio?
Lake Erie.
The largest lake in Ohio is Lake Erie.
What is the oldest lake in Ohio?
Buckeye Lake is Ohio’s oldest lake.