Where does the water go?
Cap'n Crunch, Sat Feb 23 2019, 10:47AM
I posed a question in the chatbox about Grout Creek runoff and where the water goes when it hits the frozen lake. Lumber Jill confirmed that the creek is still flowing and that the warmer runoff melts the area where the creek intersects the lake.
I'm still curious about where the runoff, including groundwater, goes when it hits the frozen lake. I assume the groundwater gradually raises the entire sheet of ice on the surface of the lake.
But what happens with the areas of concentrated inflow from streams? Does the water flow past the melt zone and over the ice to then freeze into a thicker layer? Does it flow under the ice and create a localized bulge in the ice layer?
I found an article online that dealt with thermal transfers in ice formation but nothing to explain where the volume of incoming water goes. Can anyone help me to understand the dynamics here?
Re: Where does the water go?
Lumber Jill, Sat Feb 23 2019, 11:09AM
The water the flows under the ice increases the water level in the lake (no localized bulging) If the water is flowing fast enough, it can flow over the ice, and increase it's thickness (it'll freeze pretty quick after it stops flowing) If the creek is flowing fast enough, it can also create an ice dam and temporary flooding. Grout Bay is big enough that this isn't likely to be a problem for that area.
Re: Where does the water go?
Cap'n Crunch, Sat Feb 23 2019, 11:54AM
Once again, thanks for the explanation LJ.
Re: Where does the water go?
Benny ⭐, Sat Feb 23 2019, 01:15PM
Thanks Jill!! Cap'n crunh, the lake isn't frozen solid, it's all water, just the top few inches are frozen, the water's still flowing into the lake...
Cap'n Crunch, Sat Feb 23 2019, 10:47AM
I posed a question in the chatbox about Grout Creek runoff and where the water goes when it hits the frozen lake. Lumber Jill confirmed that the creek is still flowing and that the warmer runoff melts the area where the creek intersects the lake.
I'm still curious about where the runoff, including groundwater, goes when it hits the frozen lake. I assume the groundwater gradually raises the entire sheet of ice on the surface of the lake.
But what happens with the areas of concentrated inflow from streams? Does the water flow past the melt zone and over the ice to then freeze into a thicker layer? Does it flow under the ice and create a localized bulge in the ice layer?
I found an article online that dealt with thermal transfers in ice formation but nothing to explain where the volume of incoming water goes. Can anyone help me to understand the dynamics here?
Re: Where does the water go?
Lumber Jill, Sat Feb 23 2019, 11:09AM
The water the flows under the ice increases the water level in the lake (no localized bulging) If the water is flowing fast enough, it can flow over the ice, and increase it's thickness (it'll freeze pretty quick after it stops flowing) If the creek is flowing fast enough, it can also create an ice dam and temporary flooding. Grout Bay is big enough that this isn't likely to be a problem for that area.
Re: Where does the water go?
Cap'n Crunch, Sat Feb 23 2019, 11:54AM
Once again, thanks for the explanation LJ.
Re: Where does the water go?
Benny ⭐, Sat Feb 23 2019, 01:15PM
Thanks Jill!! Cap'n crunh, the lake isn't frozen solid, it's all water, just the top few inches are frozen, the water's still flowing into the lake...
