The Great Lake or Canal term is 'Erie', which is a four-letter word. Erie is the fourth-largest lake of the five Great Lakes in North America, located on the international border between the United States and Canada. It is the southernmost, shallowest, and smallest by volume of the Great Lakes and has the shortest average water residence time. It is named after the Erie tribe of Native Americans who lived along its southern shore. The lake is connected to the Atlantic Ocean via the Niagara River and the Welland Canal.