-The volume of Lake Erie is 480 km3. The main inflows into Lake Erie include the Detroit River and Buffalo River, and the main outflows include the Niagara River and Welland Canal. If the water level of Lake Erie remains level and the amount of water flowing into Lake Erie is 0.500 km3 per day, what is the approximate residence time for the water in Lake Erie?
A) 2.6 years
B) 960 years
C) 240 years
D) 8.5 months

Question

-The volume of Lake Erie is 480 km3. The main inflows into Lake Erie include the Detroit River and Buffalo River, and the main outflows include the Niagara River and Welland Canal. If the water level of Lake Erie remains level and the amount of water flowing into Lake Erie is 0.500 km3 per day, what is the approximate residence time for the water in Lake Erie?
A) 2.6 years 
B) 960 years 
C) 240 years 
D) 8.5 months

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The residence time is calculated by dividing the volume of the lake by the inflow rate. For Lake Erie, 480 km³ / 0.500 km³/day = 960 days. Converting days to years, 960 days / 365 days/year ≈ 2.6 years.

-The Volume of Lake Erie Is 480 Km3