Why are Lake Michigan and Lake Huron considered hydrologically one lake?

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Lake Michigan and Lake Huron are considered hydrologically one lake because they share the same mean surface elevation of 577 feet (176 metres) above sea level.12

Unlike the other Great Lakes, which drop in altitude as they flow toward the Atlantic Ocean, these two basins are connected by the Straits of Mackinac, a deep channel that allows water to flow freely between them. Because they exist at the same elevation and are joined by this wide passage, they function as a single, unified body of water in the Great Lakes system.2