Wanderlust World Wanderlust World Neither the Great Salt Lake nor Lake Erie has a direct outlet to the open ocean, but their hydrological stories are quite different.
The Great Salt Lake, located in Utah, is an endorheic lake—meaning it has no outlet to the ocean. Water flows in from rivers and streams originating in the surrounding mountains (primarily the Bear, Weber, and Jordan Rivers). Since the only way water leaves is through evaporation, dissolved salts and minerals are left behind, giving the lake its famous high salinity.
Lake Erie is one of the five Great Lakes of North America, bordering Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, and Ontario, Canada. While it doesn't flow directly into the Atlantic, it is part of a massive interconnected freshwater system. Water flows from Lake Erie through the Niagara River (including Niagara Falls) into Lake Ontario. From there, it travels down the St. Lawrence River, which eventually empties into the Atlantic Ocean.
So, while Lake Erie is ultimately connected to the ocean via the Great Lakes–St. Lawrence Seaway, the Great Salt Lake remains a terminal basin with no oceanic connection.