Meta tags:

Headings (most frequently used words):

lake, ontario, contents, name, geography, geology, climate, ecology, human, history, settlements, islands, navigation, national, marine, sanctuary, economic, impact, see, also, references, external, links, water, pollution, swims, across, the, bibliography,

Text of the page (most frequently used words):
the (522), lake (251), and (188), #ontario (146), lakes (93), great (81), bay (57), from (51), river (40), light (36), was (35), for (33), new (28), retrieved (28), with (27), august (26), york (26), toronto (26), water (24), canada (23), island (22), this (21), national (21), canal (21), islands (21), archived (21), 2026 (20), kingston (20), are (20), 2011 (19), point (18), has (17), north (16), lawrence (16), press (16), during (16), united (15), states (15), oswego (15), erie (15), ice (15), also (15), canadian (14), niagara (14), september (14), history (14), wetlands (14), may (13), other (13), basin (13), university (13), original (13), shore (13), which (13), area (13), french (12), frontenac (12), hamilton (12), american (12), century (12), map (11), state (11), several (11), had (11), name (11), kilometres (11), were (11), articles (10), america (10), harbor (10), marine (10), snow (10), level (10), cambridge (10), been (10), louis (10), that (10), shoreline (10), along (10), wikipedia (9), about (9), last (9), rochester (9), ships (9), first (9), winter (9), over (9), war (9), 2015 (9), between (9), have (9), such (9), when (9), 000 (9), side (9), more (9), but (9), particularly (9), its (9), wayback (8), all (8), data (8), harbour (8), east (8), huron (8), champlain (8), park (8), 2012 (8), sanctuary (8), november (8), 1812 (8), species (8), ecology (8), not (8), frozen (8), lac (8), major (8), these (8), into (8), many (8), view (7), saint (7), port (7), region (7), areas (7), environmental (7), early (7), machine (7), noaa (7), march (7), part (7), navigation (7), historical (7), doi (7), keddy (7), across (7), names (7), one (7), who (7), including (7), haudenosaunee (7), connects (7), shores (7), city (7), large (7), most (7), surface (7), use (6), references (6), seaway (6), sodus (6), effect (6), tour (6), chicago (6), cities (6), sea (6), geology (6), welland (6), ship (6), little (6), july (6), years (6), power (6), 2010 (6), bell (6), time (6), forest (6), their (6), only (6), named (6), levels (6), geophysical (6), center (6), square (6), include (6), outlet (6), sackets (6), became (6), south (6), after (6), launched (6), both (6), important (6), plant (6), often (6), toggle (5), under (5), using (5), page (5), october (5), links (5), english (5), international (5), border (5), control (5), portal (5), main (5), west (5), fort (5), ports (5), michigan (5), resources (5), glacial (5), iroquois (5), waterway (5), thunder (5), 2008 (5), john (5), 2007 (5), 2013 (5), watershed (5), february (5), 2024 (5), marilyn (5), geography (5), syracuse (5), 1996 (5), inland (5), society (5), sailing (5), world (5), much (5), 2nd (5), eastern (5), wetland (5), 1830 (5), general (5), see (5), changes (5), trump (5), land (5), atlantic (5), smaller (5), settlement (5), near (5), people (5), than (5), long (5), 19th (5), until (5), british (5), commerce (5), number (5), significant (5), around (5), pollution (5), climate (5), plants (5), can (5), winds (5), depth (5), sheet (5), metres (5), contents (4), search (4), text (4), site (4), commons (4), link (4), wikidata (4), url (4), status (4), bathymetry (4), wendat (4), lighthouses (4), salmon (4), prince (4), edward (4), cobourg (4), museum (4), historic (4), circle (4), related (4), research (4), system (4), maximum (4), clair (4), simcoe (4), superior (4), nautical (4), isbn (4), books (4), 2017 (4), wind (4), natural (4), atmospheric (4), swim (4), 2025 (4), vessel (4), steamer (4), shipbuilding (4), type (4), naval (4), april (4), royal (4), age (4), ecological (4), environment (4), americans (4), importance (4), principles (4), conservation (4), edition (4), january (4), col (4), here (4), within (4), portion (4), upper (4), 1999 (4), county (4), fish (4), hill (4), order (4), news (4), 1955 (4), called (4), 1632 (4), referred (4), did (4), current (4), exist (4), waters (4), since (4), commercial (4), miles (4), five (4), lighthouse (4), presqu (4), ile (4), help (4), via (4), chain (4), largest (4), there (4), largely (4), year (4), propeller (4), navy (4), known (4), growing (4), easternmost (4), 17th (4), created (4), drainage (4), diversity (4), fruit (4), centimetres (4), primary (4), length (4), article (4), hide (4), move (4), sidebar (4), languages (3), policy (3), additional (3), wikimedia (3), cs1 (3), maint (3), iroquoian (3), infobox (3), body (3), without (3), alt (3), coordinates (3), pages (3), short (3), protected (3), org (3), france (3), pierhead (3), burlington (3), mile (3), galloo (3), genesee (3), braddock (3), coast (3), shipwrecks (3), commission (3), fishery (3), concern (3), nipissing (3), isle (3), detroit (3), trent (3), severn (3), fall (3), irondequoit (3), quinte (3), des (3), big (3), bays (3), atlas (3), smith (3), 1987 (3), two (3), later (3), cite (3), trillium (3), oceanic (3), administration (3), sanctuaries (3), cbc (3), swims (3), thompson (3), barry (3), james (3), holt (3), seas (3), steamship (3), 1816 (3), old (3), arthur (3), 1997 (3), monster (3), facts (3), geological (3), association (3), 2004 (3), stage (3), issn (3), journal (3), 1974 (3), algal (3), special (3), ottawa (3), fisheries (3), report (3), forests (3), 497 (3), wilcox (3), past (3), our (3), lower (3), crossing (3), become (3), chronicle (3), origin (3), protection (3), agency (3), rename (3), 239 (3), information (3), sanson (3), 1656 (3), remained (3), his (3), far (3), 244 (3), government (3), 7289 (3), access (3), date (3), elevation (3), however (3), against (3), action (3), oshawa (3), native (3), trail (3), ocean (3), rivers (3), hudson (3), wolfe (3), located (3), catharines (3), mississauga (3), million (3), settlements (3), person (3), completed (3), mid (3), 20th (3), respectively (3), increased (3), circa (3), activity (3), now (3), centres (3), agriculture (3), movement (3), because (3), revolution (3), european (3), slow (3), used (3), modern (3), southern (3), human (3), some (3), birds (3), cover (3), associated (3), meadow (3), bloom (3), frost (3), typically (3), location (3), 340 (3), valley (3), still (3), bars (3), well (3), source (3), create (3), max (3), tools (3), subsection (3), 105 (2), table (2), mobile (2), contact (2), privacy (2), terms (2), non (2), organization (2), categories (2), webarchive (2), template (2), containing (2), language (2), dates (2), needing (2), description (2), index (2), club (2), queen (2), front (2), rear (2), range (2), oakville (2), gibraltar (2), thirty (2), stony (2), selkirk (2), olcott (2), oak (2), charity (2), shoal (2), charlotte (2), naming (2), dispute (2), mackinac (2), laboratory (2), erosion (2), sediment (2), program (2), wisconsin (2), saginaw (2), maumee (2), admiralty (2), province (2), manitou (2), royale (2), sturgeon (2), sault (2), nipigon (2), humber (2), traverse (2), noc (2), green (2), channel (2), pike (2), sound (2), georgian (2), epa (2), wikivoyage (2), external (2), wright (2), 2006 (2), donald (2), 8020 (2), day (2), bibliography (2), resource (2), book (2), star (2), web (2), canlii (2), corporation (2), gov (2), net (2), 2005 (2), annaleise (2), 2016 (2), youngest (2), diana (2), nyad (2), magnet (2), passport (2), 1846 (2), trade (2), evolution (2), steel (2), lewis (2), fresh (2), cruikshank (2), 1926 (2), notes (2), launching (2), ernesttown (2), 7th (2), papers (2), records (2), xxiii (2), robert (2), limited (2), archaeological (2), heritage (2), clayton (2), days (2), 116 (2), pound (2), 1945 (2), bobbs (2), merrill (2), company (2), 2014 (2), station (2), legend (2), daniel (2), glasgow (2), friday (2), june (2), serpent (2), morning (2), 1712 (2), figures (2), submerged (2), maritime (2), quaternary (2), 2023 (2), december (2), contaminated (2), randle (2), reef (2), department (2), management (2), restoration (2), deciduous (2), how (2), habitat (2), enough (2), group (2), 1989 (2), nature (2), conservancy (2), scale (2), booth (2), nicholas (2), variability (2), availability (2), survey (2), circular (2), 1311 (2), fallen (2), below (2), above (2), newspaper (2), quebec (2), vermont (2), drumlins (2), floor (2), engineering (2), industrial (2), coastal (2), board (2), local (2), governor (2), signs (2), walton (2), ivan (2), 1179 (2), nam (2), 9780228022244 (2), coronelli (2), 1688 (2), indian (2), earlier (2), labeled (2), relation (2), rebound (2), shorelines (2), google (2), earth (2), record (2), overfishing (2), recreational (2), does (2), offshore (2), made (2), production (2), economic (2), impact (2), covers (2), southeastern (2), designated (2), peoples (2), confederacy (2), based (2), systems (2), posted (2), throughout (2), notable (2), examples (2), upstream (2), pleasure (2), boats (2), amherst (2), trenton (2), stoney (2), creek (2), westernmost (2), population (2), live (2), her (2), opened (2), where (2), hours (2), she (2), kilometre (2), iron (2), construction (2), wheel (2), hms (2), built (2), mohawk (2), harbours (2), vandalia (2), moved (2), commodities (2), through (2), late (2), northwest (2), practice (2), credit (2), following (2), result (2), vessels (2), treaty (2), engagements (2), private (2), primarily (2), embargo (2), forts (2), them (2), took (2), permanent (2), military (2), settlers (2), 1673 (2), among (2), capital (2), creature (2), similar (2), identified (2), lacus (2), samuel (2), seasonal (2), likely (2), representing (2), higher (2), they (2), pre (2), blooms (2), numbers (2), left (2), loss (2), per (2), removed (2), change (2), high (2), sand (2), lagoons (2), fluctuations (2), reduced (2), marsh (2), example (2), wet (2), providing (2), rapid (2), effects (2), spring (2), southwest (2), grown (2), wine (2), extends (2), apple (2), prevailing (2), winters (2), receive (2), feet (2), snowfall (2), receives (2), any (2), tug (2), 480 (2), seiche (2), completely (2), sheets (2), form (2), receded (2), gradually (2), tilting (2), southward (2), present (2), beaches (2), material (2), draining (2), feature (2), serving (2), owing (2), term (2), freshwater (2), 720 (2), volume (2), width (2), average (2), fathoms (2), 802 (2), 283 (2), 193 (2), 311 (2), 243 (2), 560 (2), 980 (2), officials (2), word (2), meaning (2), end (2), dam (2), 020 (2), learn (2), sources (2), citations (2), appearance (2), upload (2), file (2), read (2), edit (2), norsk (2), bahasa (2), беларуская (2), log (2), account (2), donate (2), menu (2), add, topic, cookie, statement, statistics, developers, code, conduct, legal, safety, contacts, disclaimers, available, apply, you, agree, registered, trademark, profit, foundation, inc, creative, attribution, sharealike, license, rendered, parsoid, edited, utc, hidden, category, archives, pushpin, gadget, wikiminiatlas, mdy, 2019, written, different, extended, confirmed, https, php, title, lake_ontario, oldid, 1378175506, yale, lux, nara, israel, spain, czech, republic, bnf, fast, gnd, viaf, authority, databases, mimico, cruising, wharf, presquile, weller, dalhousie, petre, false, duck, pier, tibbetts, henderson, outer, orchard, horse, treaties, third, storms, megalopolis, marysburgh, vortex, surfing, triangle, freighter, breeze, loop, crossings, yacht, race, topics, municipalities, joint, sustainable, agreement, compact, charter, soil, governors, premiers, alliance, organizations, glaciation, scotch, bonnet, ridge, escarpment, midcontinent, rift, whittlesey, wayne, warren, tonawanda, stanley, duluth, coleman, chippewa, arkona, algonquin, agassiz, potawatomi, populated, treasure, mindemoya, kagawong, manitoulin, apostle, straits, soo, locks, ste, marie, marys, waterways, callander, couchiching, kempenfelt, cook, anchor, goulais, batchawana, ashmun, whitefish, pokegama, oronto, keweenaw, trout, chequamegon, train, wellers, passage, porte, morts, grand, joseph, potagannissing, munuscong, george, parry, nottawasaga, sandusky, presque, chadwick, channels, winnebago, secondary, watch, chart, 14820, online, openstreetmap, geographic, travel, guide, media, 303820, penguin, times, almanac, 6732, sacred, feather, gary, 2009, magazine, froze, author, unknown, 1972, spears, off, turbine, moratorium, unresolved, onsc, 5619, designation, ceremony, alamenciak, tim, spectator, outwits, teen, becomes, pitock, todd, reader, digest, unsinkable, youtube, plaque, marathon, swimmers, federation, longswims, database, www, greatlakesvesselhistory, com, historygreat, greatlakeships, meinig, 1966, expansion, 1785, 1855, 171, 140, 145, odle, thomas, 1952, 192, 177, grain, 1825, 1873, ericson, bernard, 1969, steam, 212, 199, walter, reappraisal, snider, charles, henry, jeremiah, townsend, tales, dundurn, 1995, monk, kimberly, 2003, greenville, carolina, examination, sligo, brown, jack, 198, mallorytown, simon, johnston, alford, harold, 310, 307, iii, 107, 304, 303, malcomson, 1998, annapolis, institute, lords, 1814, crisman, kevin, college, texas, coffins, brave, cain, emily, customs, collection, duitable, goods, 1801, britton, quarry, gun, brig, sloop, pinkwater, houghton, mifflin, publishing, herald, scotland, 1867, another, sensation, hideous, discovered, post, london, england, saturday, 1835, civilization, amérique, française, destruction, huronia, halligan, jessi, paleoshorelines, prehistoric, potential, ford, ben, springer, archaeology, landscapes, anderson, 1985, postglacial, karrow, calkin, eds, johns, storck, peter, journey, discovering, ancient, rosas, aura, final, cleaning, gets, underway, estepp, lisa, reavie, euan, 687, 0380, 1330, 11299, 186099, hdl, 1016, jglr, 005, 2015jglr, 669e, bibcode, 669, according, phytoplankton, vallentyne, bowl, man, miscellaneous, publication, service, drummond, properties, evaluation, temperate, ecosystems, applications, 748, 762, framework, guiding, rehabilitation, 1993, prepared, williams, moore, relationship, richness, standing, crop, vegetation, 106, box, chapters, visited, fortnight, storm, wednesday, yesterday, could, equalled, visitations, familiar, friends, thermometer, ranged, ten, firmly, cheap, safe, style, travelling, revived, intercourse, brethren, quantity, equaled, perry, kenneth, vols, bowie, 565, experiencing, deepset, yrs, bellows, falls, quoting, gazette, sic, fitch, gazetteer, annotated, manuscript, washington, republican, compiler, independent, utoronto, bridging, gap, tribune, 1991, clears, jackson, 978, 0933, canals, communities, urban, transformation, maynard, ecosystem, conference, background, paper, 905, 015b, christie, composition, 827, chapter, 2000, programs, gop, petty, disappointing, murphy, jessica, bbc, walker, josephine, moves, 246, 1756, 2279, macfarlane, 1515, mcgill, lives, network, 245, published, paris, indicated, already, ignored, done, few, mer, douce, away, king, maps, 1650, repeat, raugeneau, 1647, 1648, refers, call, louys, gathered, skaniadorio, 0027, 7738, pittsburgh, onomastics, armstrong, leslie, thanks, prolonged, sanitary, district, review, 1927, lowering, controversy, remedial, measures, factsheet, basic, physical, greatlakestour_merged, kmz, glerl, hastings, dunbar, v52r3pms, wikiwix, global, kilometer, base, globe, v5ks6phk, small, v56h4fbh, list, waterkeeper, crater, once, supported, hauls, 1899, blighted, industry, fishing, activities, 21st, holds, lakebed, rights, beds, navigable, act, permit, generated, held, applicant, invested, fees, crown, decision, windfarms, claimed, injury, billion, disclosed, reasonable, cause, court, justice, facilities, cargo, protects, cultural, spiritual, jointly, administer, office, 300, 460, 722, roughly, follows, exists, scenic, road, sidestream, outlets, downtown, rideau, lock, forms, waupoos, nicholson, howe, grenadier, garden, nearly, northeastern, headland, underlain, found, northwestern, basement, rock, stella, village, chaumont, wilson, three, cape, vincent, fair, haven, webster, greece, beachfront, belleville, bowmanville, ajax, pickering, brighton, hope, grimsby, whitby, occupies, anchored, close, quarter, rural, exception, connected, golden, horseshoe, conurbation, successfully, swum, accomplished, feat, distance, swimmer, 1954, honour, 1984, spot, swam, natalie, lambert, leaving, reaching, confederation, less, entered, just, carr, hull, developed, widespread, hulled, paddle, gunboat, 1843, mail, line, 1847, bulk, cargoes, increasingly, improved, exceeded, steamers, 1857, second, 1841, designed, peaked, before, competition, railway, lines, ericsson, finkle, constructed, shipbuilders, worked, captained, former, master, 1817, bath, initially, declined, relative, colonialist, timbering, mining, farther, circumvented, allowed, shippers, connect, while, avoiding, bottlenecks, buffalo, wooden, oil, coal, shipped, centuries, scow, operation, raking, flat, fragments, dundas, shallow, shale, stonehooking, bronte, stone, hooker, hub, building, sides, operated, substantial, shipyards, demilitarized, ratified, 1818, sold, abandoned, rush, bagot, fought, slowly, returned, 1788, prior, 1800, merchants, continued, expand, smuggling, 1807, good, intent, controlled, bases, allowing, exclude, possession, signing, 1794, began, influx, loyalist, jay, hall, carleton, prepare, 1813, battle, place, uss, series, trading, posts, established, 1722, 1750, nearest, seaboard, oldest, formerly, dating, establishment, rouillé, sightings, alleged, reported, described, neck, colour, generally, causes, break, waves, loch, ness, gaasyendietha, explorers, introduced, cartographer, 1660, historian, coined, drawn, 1662, 1663, bears, produced, currently, engineer, buade, comte, palluau, soldier, courtier, 1672, 1682, 1689, death, 1698, jean, baptiste, couagne, ondiara, jésuites, ontarius, francis, creuxius, jesuit, nicolas, believed, reach, 1615, colonization, uneven, due, ojibwe, nations, 1694, excluded, étienne, brûlé, depicting, evidence, humans, foragers, migrations, caribou, animals, inhabited, margins, those, either, periods, reached, 4000, committed, genocide, withdrew, retained, anishinaabe, settled, northern, columbian, era, alongside, 150, clean, project, begun, expected, downstream, flows, ranked, environmentally, stressed, amongst, study, stresses, excess, application, fertilizers, running, spillover, obsolete, municipal, toxic, chemicals, industries, drain, metropolitan, like, sewage, 1960s, 1970s, caused, frequent, occur, summer, killed, decomposing, piles, filamentous, algae, dead, dominated, trees, maple, beech, ash, basswood, classified, ecoregion, deforestation, vicinity, negative, impacts, extinction, amounts, flowing, cent, replaced, certain, tree, hemlock, depleted, logging, guidelines, stress, maintaining, restoring, streams, lowlands, mixedwood, plains, ecozone, food, biodiversity, reptiles, amphibians, dunes, appreciated, larger, changing, partly, dependent, upon, low, reproduce, stabilized, true, eel, alexandria, regulation, resulted, losses, accompanied, invasion, displace, reduce, accelerate, process, nitrogen, phosphorus, growth, competitively, dominant, occurring, interdunal, unusual, pannes, eutrophication, cattails, profile, foggy, conditions, thermal, contrasts, impediment, boaters, breezes, tend, danger, autumn, delay, onset, cool, onshore, flowers, season, protecting, possible, damage, enabled, tender, continental, supporting, orchards, making, counties, varieties, tolerate, extreme, orleans, peninsula, peaches, plums, pears, cherries, apples, microclimatic, cold, pass, warmer, pick, moisture, drop, twenty, 600, impacted, elevated, popular, enthusiasts, mobilers, cross, country, skiers, recording, accumulation, annually, averages, japan, each, regarded, snowiest, 189, sapporo, 135, plateau, pulaski, snowbelt, rhythm, eleven, minutes, normally, greatly, amplified, pressure, whole, freeze, covering, develops, depending, severity, slack, deep, 1877, 1878, coverage, 100, stable, commander, stationed, feared, attack, recorded, occasions, 1874, 1893, 1912, 1934, darker, blue, finally, release, weight, stacked, rebounding, occurs, means, bed, inundating, experience, amplifies, causing, property, owners, turning, valleys, 500, rebounded, carved, out, soft, weak, rocks, occurred, approximately, same, orientation, today, pushed, landforms, bottom, reorganizing, entire, retreated, toward, dammed, drained, thence, easily, recognized, dry, wave, cut, hills, moraines, kames, ontarian, silurian, ganaraska, black, cataraqui, rouge, don, currents, sheltered, mostly, perhaps, best, chosen, strategic, prominent, themselves, sites, support, animal, rest, migratory, regard, unique, shaped, separates, mainland, save, isthmus, supports, aquatic, sandy, beach, sandbanks, provincial, baymouth, input

Text of the page (random words):
d on it it is still rebounding about 30 centimetres 12 in per century in the st lawrence area since the ice receded from the area last the most rapid rebound still occurs there this means the lake bed is gradually tilting southward inundating the south shore and turning river valleys into bays both north and south shores experience shoreline erosion but the tilting amplifies this effect on the south shore causing loss to property owners map of great lakes lake ontario in darker blue climate hamilton harbour frozen over ice sheets can form along the shoreline of lake ontario during the winter the lake has a natural seiche rhythm of eleven minutes the seiche effect normally is only about 1 9 centimetres 3 4 in but can be greatly amplified by earth movement winds and atmospheric pressure changes because of its great depth the lake as a whole does not completely freeze in winter but an ice sheet covering between 10 and 90 of the lake area typically develops depending on the severity of the winter ice sheets typically form along the shoreline and in slack water bays where the lake is not as deep during the winters of 1877 and 1878 the ice sheet coverage was up to 95 100 of the lake during the war of 1812 the ice cover was stable enough the american naval commander stationed at sackets harbor feared a british attack from kingston over the ice the lake has completely frozen over on five recorded occasions in 1830 28 1874 1893 1912 and 1934 29 when the cold winds of winter pass over the warmer water of the lake they pick up moisture and drop it as lake effect snow since the prevailing winter winds are from the northwest the southern and southeastern shoreline of the lake is referred to as the snowbelt in some winters the area between oswego and pulaski may receive twenty or more feet 600 cm of snowfall also impacted by lake effect snow is the tug hill plateau an area of elevated land about 32 kilometres 20 mi east of lake ontario the hill as it is often referred to typically receives more snow than any other region in the eastern united states as a result tug hill is a popular location for winter enthusiasts such as snow mobilers and cross country skiers lake effect snow often extends inland as far as syracuse with that city often recording the most winter snowfall accumulation of any large city in the united states other cities in the world receive more snow annually such as quebec city which averages 340 centimetres 135 in and sapporo japan which receives 480 centimetres 189 in each year and is often regarded as the snowiest city in the world foggy conditions particularly in fall can be created by thermal contrasts and can be an impediment for recreational boaters lake breezes in spring tend to slow fruit bloom until the frost danger is past and in the autumn delay the onset of fall frost particularly on the south shore cool onshore winds also slow the early bloom of plants and flowers until later in the spring season protecting them from possible frost damage such microclimatic effects have enabled tender fruit production in a continental climate with the southwest shore supporting a major fruit growing area apples cherries pears plums and peaches are grown in many commercial orchards around rochester between stoney creek and niagara on the lake on the niagara peninsula is a major fruit growing and wine making area the wine growing region extends over the international border into niagara and orleans counties in new york apple varieties that tolerate a more extreme climate are grown on the lake s north shore around cobourg ecology profile of coastal wetlands for lake ontario the great lakes watershed is a region of high biodiversity and lake ontario is important for its diversity of birds fish reptiles amphibians and plants many of these special species are associated with shorelines particularly sand dunes lagoons and wetlands the importance of wetlands to the lake has been appreciated and many of the larger wetlands have protected status these wetlands are changing partly because the natural water level fluctuations have been reduced many wetland plants are dependent upon low water levels to reproduce 30 when water levels are stabilized the area and diversity of the marsh is reduced this is particularly true of meadow marsh also known as wet meadow wetlands for example in eel bay near alexandria bay regulation of lake levels has resulted in large losses of wet meadow 31 often this is accompanied by the invasion of cattails which displace many of the native plant species and reduce plant diversity eutrophication may accelerate this process by providing nitrogen and phosphorus for the more rapid growth of competitively dominant plants 32 similar effects are occurring on the north shore in wetlands such as presqu ile which have interdunal wetlands called pannes with high plant diversity and many unusual plant species 33 lake ontario s food web most of the forests around the lake are deciduous forests dominated by trees including maple oak beech ash and basswood these are classified as part of the mixedwood plains ecozone by environment and climate change canada or as the eastern great lakes and hudson lowlands by the united states environmental protection agency or as the great lakes ecoregion by the nature conservancy 34 deforestation in the vicinity of the lake has had many negative impacts 35 including loss of forest birds extinction of native salmon and increased amounts of sediment flowing into the lake in some areas more than 90 per cent of the forest cover has been removed and replaced by agriculture certain tree species such as hemlock have also been particularly depleted by past logging activity 36 guidelines for restoration stress the importance of maintaining and restoring forest cover particularly along streams and wetlands 37 38 by the 1960s and 1970s the increased pollution caused frequent algal blooms to occur in the summer 22 these blooms killed large numbers of fish and left decomposing piles of filamentous algae and dead fish along the shores 39 water pollution lake ontario is the most downstream lake of the great lakes so the pollution from all the other lakes flows into it lake ontario was ranked as the most environmentally stressed amongst the five great lakes in a 2015 ecological study some of the stresses on the lake include excess application of fertilizers in agriculture running into the lake spillover from obsolete municipal sewage systems toxic chemicals from industries along the rivers that drain into the lake and metropolitan drainage from big cities like toronto rochester and hamilton 40 randle reef the westernmost part of lake ontario has been identified as one of the most contaminated areas on lake ontario alongside other areas of concern on great lakes however a 150 million clean up project had begun in 2016 and is expected to be completed by 2025 41 human history the first archaeological evidence of humans in the lake ontario region dates to circa 11 000 bp these peoples were mobile foragers who based much of their movement and settlement on the seasonal migrations of caribou but who also used smaller animals and plant resources 42 these early settlers likely inhabited the lake margins but those early lake shores are now either far from the current lake representing earlier higher waters or submerged under the modern lake representing periods of lower lake levels lake ontario reached its modern level circa 4000 bp 43 44 the lake was a border between the wendat people and the haudenosaunee confederacy iroquois in the pre columbian era in the 17th century the haudenosaunee committed genocide against the wendat in southern ontario and settled the northern shores of lake ontario 45 when the haudenosaunee withdrew and the anishinaabe moved in from the north to southern ontario they retained the iroquoian name 46 a map depicting the haudenosaunee settlement of the north shore of lake ontario during the late 17th century it is believed the first european to reach the lake was étienne brûlé in 1615 european colonization of lake ontario was slow and uneven due to the power and organization of the haudenosaunee wendat and ojibwe nations from 1688 to 1694 the haudenosaunee largely excluded the french from lake ontario 47 as was their practice the french explorers introduced other names for the lake in 1632 and 1656 the lake was referred to as lac de st louis or lake st louis by samuel de champlain and cartographer nicolas sanson respectively 48 in 1660 jesuit historian francis creuxius coined the name lacus ontarius in a map drawn in the relation des jésuites 1662 1663 the lake bears the legend lac ontario ou des iroquois with the name ondiara in smaller type a french map produced in 1712 currently in the canadian museum of history 49 created by military engineer jean baptiste de couagne identified lake ontario as lac frontenac named after louis de buade comte de frontenac et de palluau he was a french soldier courtier and governor general of new france from 1672 to 1682 and from 1689 to his death in 1698 in the 17th century sightings of an alleged creature named gaasyendietha similar to the so called loch ness monster were reported in the lake the creature is described as large with a long neck green in colour and generally causes a break in the surface waves 50 51 52 a series of trading posts were established by both the british and french such as fort frontenac in 1673 fort oswego in 1722 and fort rouillé in 1750 as the easternmost and nearest lake to the atlantic seaboard of canada and the united states population centres here are among the oldest in the great lakes basin with kingston ontario formerly the capital of canada dating to the establishment of fort frontenac in 1673 uss general pike and hms wolfe prepare for action on september 28 1813 the battle was one of several engagements that took place on lake ontario during the war of 1812 after the french and indian war all forts around the lake were under british control during the american revolution the british controlled lake ontario from their bases at carleton island navy hall and oswego allowing them to largely exclude the americans from the lake 53 the united states took possession of the forts along the american side of the lake at the signing of the jay treaty in 1794 permanent non military european settlement began during the american revolution with the influx of loyalist settlers following the american revolution sailing commerce slowly returned to lake ontario there was one private commercial vessel the good intent on the lake in 1788 several more vessels were launched prior to 1800 primarily by canadian merchants 54 commerce continued to expand until the embargo of 1807 there was significant smuggling across lake ontario during the embargo 55 during the war of 1812 the royal navy and us navy operated substantial shipyards at kingston ontario and sackets harbor new york respectively and fought in several engagements for control of lake ontario the great lakes including lake ontario were largely demilitarized after the rush bagot treaty was ratified in 1818 as a result most of the naval vessels were sold or abandoned 56 57 the lake became a hub of commercial activity following the war of 1812 with canal building on both sides of the border and significant sailing and steamer commerce sailing commerce on lake ontario was initially significant but declined relative to the other great lakes after the mid 19th century as the centres of colonialist agriculture timbering and mining moved farther west 58 after the erie canal opened much of the movement of people and commodities between the east coast and the great lakes circumvented lake ontario oswego remained an important port on lake ontario during this time because the oswego canal allowed shippers to connect to the erie canal while avoiding bottlenecks at buffalo new york 59 kingston clayton and oswego were major 19th century wooden shipbuilding centres on lake ontario 60 61 oil and coal were important commodities shipped on lake ontario through the early 20th century 62 in the late 19th and early 20th centuries a type of scow known as a stone hooker was in operation on the northwest shore particularly around port credit and bronte stonehooking was the practice of raking flat fragments of dundas shale from the shallow lake floor of the area for use in construction particularly in the growing city of toronto 63 the frontenac was the first steamer on lake ontario and the great lakes this ship was launched in september 1816 from finkle s point now bath near kingston on frontenac was constructed by two shipbuilders who had worked for the americans during the war of 1812 and was captained by a former royal navy sailing master 64 65 the americans at sackets harbor launched a smaller steamship the ontario in march 1817 65 66 as bulk cargoes became increasingly important in great lakes commerce and the number of improved harbours increased so did propeller ships 66 67 the number of propeller ships exceeded the number of side wheel steamers by circa 1857 68 the vandalia was the first propeller ship on the great lakes and the second in the united states launched at oswego in 1841 vandalia s propeller was designed by john ericsson 66 67 steamer activity peaked in the mid 19th century before competition from railway lines 69 70 iron hull construction developed on lake ontario during the mid 19th century but did not become widespread until the early 20th century the first iron hulled ship on the great lakes the british paddle wheel gunboat hms mohawk was launched at kingston in 1843 the passport and the magnet both built for the royal mail line were launched at kingston in 1846 and at niagara in 1847 respectively 71 72 swims across the lake marilyn bell park in toronto as of 2026 more than 60 people have successfully swum across the lake 73 the first person who accomplished the feat was a canadian long distance swimmer marilyn bell who did it in 1954 at age 16 toronto s marilyn bell park is named in her honour the park opened in 1984 and is east of the spot where bell completed her swim 74 in 1974 diana nyad became the first person who swam across the lake against the current from north to south 75 on august 28 2007 14 year old natalie lambert from kingston ontario made the swim leaving sackets harbor new york and reaching kingston s confederation basin less than 24 hours after she entered the lake 76 on august 19 2012 14 year old annaleise carr became the youngest person to swim across the lake she completed the 52 kilometre 32 mi crossing from niagara on the lake to marilyn bell park in just under 27 hours 77 settlements a large conurbation called the golden horseshoe occupies the lake s westernmost shores anchored by the cities of toronto and hamilton ports on the canadian side include st catharines oshawa cobourg and kingston near the st lawrence river outlet close to 9 million people ...