Rivers Connecting the Great Lakes

Primary connecting rivers:

• St. Marys River – Lake Superior → Lake Huron
• St. Clair River – Lake Huron → Lake St. Clair
• Detroit River – Lake St. Clair → Lake Erie
• Niagara River – Lake Erie → Lake Ontario
• St. Lawrence River – Lake Ontario → Atlantic Ocean

Additional canals and waterways:

• Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal – Lake Michigan → Mississippi Basin
• Welland Canal – bypasses Niagara Falls, connects Lake Erie → Lake Ontario
• Trent‑Severn Waterway – Lake Huron → Lake Ontario
• Rideau Canal – Lake Ontario → Ottawa River

These waterways enable transportation, regulate water levels, and link the lakes to the Atlantic.