Breathtaking! The view of Earth from space is spectacular, as it features vast oceans and swirling clouds. The Earth consists of 71% water, according to NASA, which makes it stand out from the other planets.

Over 96% of that water is contained in salty oceans, and the rest is found in groundwater, glaciers, lakes, rivers and the atmosphere.

One of the most fantastic watery features of Earth is the Great Lakes. After the glaciers receded thousands of years ago, they left a memorable impression by carving out the iconic shape of the lakes and the Mitten State we see today.

The Great Lakes cover 94,250 square miles of the Earth’s surface, give Michigan over 3,000 miles of coastline and hold 5,439 cubic miles of water. That makes them the largest freshwater system on Earth. That’s a big deal!

The large freshwater supply helps hundreds of native plant and animal species call the Great Lakes Region home. The lakes also provide 40 million people in the United States and Canada with drinking water.

Michigan is also home to thousands of inland lakes, hundreds of rivers and other wetlands.

A small inland lake near Fife Lake is home to water lilies and lily pads.

Ingersoll Lake

Even in the winter, creatures rely on open water

Ducks on Lake Cadillac

Like many inland lakes in Michigan, they are secluded and surrounded by woodlands.

Ingersoll Lake

The photo gallery above features different areas in Michigan, all involving water, showcasing the diverse forms of plants and animals that make these areas their habitat.

The water resources also play important roles in maintaining the economy through recreational activities and commercial shipping.

Michigan provides great resources that many people take for granted. And it is important to remember that even though there is a lot of water in this region, it is not an endless supply, and some areas face challenges related to unclean drinking water because of pollution.

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However, there are many groups that work every day to protect the water resources in and around Michigan. The organizations work on projects to keep beaches clean, monitor invasive plant and animal species, and monitor the overall pollution and health of the waterways.

Each effort is important in making sure that the resources are maintained so that Michiganders can continue to have healthy ecosystems, a healthy economy and healthy places to live.

Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) , Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory, Department of Natural Resources, and For the Love of Water are just a few government or nonprofit facilities based in Michigan that work to protect those water resources.

How Individuals Can Help

Here are some simple ways you can help conserve water resources at home:

• Collect rain water in barrels to water gardens.
• Take shorter showers. Standard showers use 2.5 gallons of water per minute! That’s a lot of water down the drain.
• Fix leaky faucets. It might not seem like a lot of wasted water, but even one drip per second adds up to 3,000 gallons a year, according to the EPA.
• Cut down on lawn watering. Using a 5/8″ hose with a typical sprinkler uses about 1,020 gallons per hour. In the hot, dry summer, grass starts to look dull, but it will survive even if it isn’t lush green.
• Don’t litter.

How will you take care of our water? Take this fun quiz to estimate how much water your household uses, called a water footprint. You can find out more about how you can save water resources.