At approximately what elevation above sea level is Lake Erie’s surface?

Lake Erie’s surface is approximately 174 metres above sea level.

That elevation places Lake Erie between the higher Great Lakes to the west and the lower Lake Ontario to the east. Water leaves Lake Erie through the Niagara River, which drops dramatically at Niagara Falls before reaching Lake Ontario.

The figure is an approximate average elevation rather than a permanently fixed level. Great Lakes water levels change with precipitation, runoff, evaporation, ice, wind, and long-term climate patterns. Lake Erie is also the shallowest of the Great Lakes on average, which allows its water temperature and ice cover to respond relatively quickly to seasonal conditions.