Water science news, explainers, and statistics covering freshwater, hydrology, lakes, rivers, groundwater, ice, and Earth’s connected water systems.
A spring tide has a larger-than-average difference between high and low water, while a neap tide has a smaller-than-average tidal range. Spring tides occur near new and full moons, when the Sun, Moon and Earth are nearly aligned. Neap tides occur near the first and third quarter moons, when the solar and lunar tide-producing forces…
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An endorheic basin is a drainage basin with no surface-water outlet to the ocean. Rivers and runoff flow toward an interior low point, where water collects in a lake, wetland or salt flat. Water leaves mainly through evaporation or seepage into the ground rather than through a river crossing the basin boundary. Endorheic basins are…
A lake water budget accounts for every major way water enters or leaves a lake, together with the resulting change in storage. Inputs commonly include precipitation on the lake, stream inflow and groundwater. Outputs include evaporation, stream outflow, groundwater loss and withdrawals. If inflow exceeds outflow, the lake stores more water and its level generally…
Lake stratification occurs when water separates into layers with different densities, usually because the upper part of a lake warms faster than the deep water. The warm surface layer floats above colder, denser water, while a zone of rapid temperature change lies between them. The density difference can resist wind-driven mixing for months. Stratification changes…
