08-06-2003, 06:36 PM
Lundman, I should apologize, because you are absolutely correct! However, inflowing water can negate the impacts of sunlight not reaching the plant life in winter. Here is a part of a document from the University of Wisconsin:
"Oxygen gas is a common substance dissolved in lake water. It is absorbed from the atmosphere and is produced by aquatic plants. However, in winter the oxygen in the atmosphere is sealed off from the lake by ice, and a snow blanket on the ice may prevent sunlight from reashing the plants. Without light, the plants die. Then, instead of the plants producing oxygen, their decomposition consumes oxygen. The combination of these two factors often causes winterkill in shallow lakes which are not replenished by inflowing water."
Walt Donaldson NER (Nort Eastern Region) Utah DWR Supervisor, July 2002: “Most of the High Uinta lakes associated with inflowing water are stable and should over-winter trout populations. However, high cirque lakes with limited inflow are expected to have either partial or total winterkill of trout”
With the drought we are in, we can expect more winterkill this coming winter.....
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"Oxygen gas is a common substance dissolved in lake water. It is absorbed from the atmosphere and is produced by aquatic plants. However, in winter the oxygen in the atmosphere is sealed off from the lake by ice, and a snow blanket on the ice may prevent sunlight from reashing the plants. Without light, the plants die. Then, instead of the plants producing oxygen, their decomposition consumes oxygen. The combination of these two factors often causes winterkill in shallow lakes which are not replenished by inflowing water."
Walt Donaldson NER (Nort Eastern Region) Utah DWR Supervisor, July 2002: “Most of the High Uinta lakes associated with inflowing water are stable and should over-winter trout populations. However, high cirque lakes with limited inflow are expected to have either partial or total winterkill of trout”
With the drought we are in, we can expect more winterkill this coming winter.....
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