How much of the USA's fresh water is in the Great Lakes?
How much of the USA's fresh water is in the Great Lakes? They cover more than 94,000 square miles and hold an estimated six quadrillion gallons of water – about one-fifth of the world's fresh surface water supply and nine-tenths of the U.S. supply. The system is invaluable as the source of drinking water for more than 40 million people in the U.S. and Canada.
Which country owns the Great Lakes?
The water in the Great Lakes is owned by the general public according to the Public Trust Doctrine. The Public Trust Doctrine is an international legal theory – it applies in both Canada and the United States, so it applies to the entirety of the Great Lakes.
Do the Great Lakes contain 95% of the fresh surface water in the United States?
The Great Lakes contain 95% of the surface fresh water in North America. From space, several large cities can be seen, including Minneapolis-St. Paul at left-center edge, Chicago at the southern tip of Lake Michigan, and Detroit between Erie and Huron.