Earth:Lake retention time

From HandWiki
Short description: Average amount of time that water or a dissolved substance spends in a given lake
The lake retention time for a body of water with the volume 2,000 m3 (71,000 cu ft) and the exit flow of 100 m3/h (3,500 cu ft/h) is 20 hours.

Lake retention time (also called the residence time of lake water, or the water age or flushing time) is a calculated quantity expressing the mean time that water (or some dissolved substance) spends in a particular lake. At its simplest, this figure is the result of dividing the lake volume by the flow in or out of the lake. It roughly expresses the amount of time taken for a substance introduced into a lake to flow out of it again. The retention time is particularly important where downstream flooding or pollutants are concerned.

Global retention time

The global retention time for a lake (the overall mean time that water spends in the lake) is calculated by dividing the lake volume by either the mean rate of inflow of all tributaries, or by the mean rate of outflow (ideally including evaporation and seepage). This metric assumes that water in the lake is well-mixed (rather than stratified), so that any portion of the lake water is much like any other. In reality, larger and deeper lakes are generally not well-mixed. Many large lakes can be divided into distinct portions with only limited flow between them. Deep lakes are generally stratified, with deeper water mixing infrequently with surface water. These are often better modeled as several distinct sub-volumes of water.[1]

More specific residence times

It is possible to calculate more specific residence time figures for a particular lake, such as individual residence times for sub-volumes (e.g. particular arms), or a residence time distribution for the various layers of a stratified lake. These figures can often better express the hydrodynamics of the lake. However, any such approach remains a simplification and must be guided by an understanding of the processes operating in the lake.

Two approaches can be used (often in combination) to elucidate how a particular lake works: field measurements and mathematical modeling. One common technique for field measurement is to introduce a tracer into the lake and monitor its movement. This can be a solid tracer, such as a float constructed to be neutrally buoyant within a particular water layer, or sometimes a liquid. This approach is sometimes referred to as using a Lagrangian reference frame. Another field measurement approach, using an Eulerian reference frame, is to capture various properties of the lake water (including mass movement, water temperature, electrical conductivity and levels of dissolved substances, typically oxygen) at various fixed positions in the lake. From these can be constructed an understanding of the dominant processes operating in the various parts of the lake and their range and duration.[1]

Field measurements alone are usually not a reliable basis for generating residence times, mainly because they necessarily represent a small subset of locations and conditions. Therefore, the measurements are generally used as the input for numerical models. In theory it would be possible to integrate a system of hydrodynamic equations with variable boundary conditions over a very long period sufficient for inflowing water particles to exit the lake. One could then calculate the traveling times of the particles using a Lagrangian method. However, this approach exceeds the detail available in current hydrodynamic models and the capacity of current computer resources. Instead, residence time models developed for gas and fluid dynamics, chemical engineering, and bio-hydrodynamics can be adapted to generate residence times for sub-volumes of lakes.[1]

Renewal time

One useful mathematical model the measurement of how quickly inflows are able to refill a lake. Renewal time is a specific measure of retention time, where the focus is on 'how long does it take to completely replace all water in a lake.' This is modeling can only be done with an accurate budget of all water gained and lost by the system. Renewal time simply becomes a question how quickly could the inflows of the lake fill the entire volume of the basin (this does still assume the outflows are unchanged). For example if Lake Michigan was emptied, it would take 99 years for its tributaries to completely refill the lake.[2]

List of residence times of lake water

The residence time listed is taken from the infobox in the associated article unless otherwise specified.

Lake Location Basin countries Residence time
Stausee Ferden Ferden, Valais Switzerland 000000.004 36 hours


Lake Wohlen / Wohlensee Canton of Berne Switzerland 000000.006 2.1 days


Lake Hévíz Hévíz Hungary 000000.008 3 days


Lake St. Clair Great Lakes Canada, United States 000000.019 7 days (2-30 days)


Lake Arapuni North Island New Zealand 000000.019 1 week


Milton Pond Strafford County, New Hampshire, York County, Maine United States 000000.030 11.1 days


Gibson Lake Gibson Generating Station, Princeton, Indiana United States 000000.038 2 weeks


Råcksta Träsk Stockholm Sweden 000000.048 2-3 weeks


Lake Sagami Kanagawa Japan 000000.050 0.05 year


Lake Cristallina Ticino Switzerland 000000.058 2-4 weeks


Northeast Pond Strafford County, New Hampshire; York County, Maine United States 000000.065 23.7 days


Brandy Pond Naples, Maine United States 000000.093 34 days


Champagne Pool Waiotapu, North Island New Zealand 000000.093 34 days


Prospect reservoir Prospect, New South Wales Australia 000000.097 30-40 days


Sicklasjön Stockholm Sweden 000000.100 0.1 year


Devils Lake Lincoln County, Oregon United States 000000.150 0.15 years


Lough Derg Shannon River Basin Ireland 000000.150 0.15 years


Derwent Water Cumbria United Kingdom 000000.151 55 days


Lake Biel / Bielersee / Lac de Bienne Canton of Berne Switzerland 000000.159 58 days


Veluwemeer Flevoland, Gelderland Netherlands 000000.167 2 months


Hacksjön Tullinge Sweden 000000.200 0.2 years


Kamloops Lake British Columbia Canada 000000.200 ca. 0.2 years (20-340 days)


Malham Tarn North Yorkshire, England United Kingdom 000000.212 11 weeks


Lac d'Anterne Passy, Haute-Savoie France 000000.247 90 days


Graham Lake Hancock County, Maine United States 000000.250 3 months


Grand Lac de Clairvaux Jura department, Franche-Comté France 000000.250 3 months


Laduviken Djurgården Sweden 000000.250 3 months


Esthwaite Water Lake District, Cumbria United Kingdom 000000.260 0.26 years


Trehörningen Huddinge, Southern Stockholm County Sweden 000000.270 0.27 years


Lac de Divonne Divonne-les-Bains, Ain France 000000.274 100 days


Lake Lesina / Lago di Lesina Province of Foggia, Apulia Italy 000000.274 100 days


Seeweidsee Canton of Zurich Switzerland 000000.274 100 days


Hüttnersee Hütten, Canton of Zurich Switzerland 000000.329 120 days


Lake Lauerz / Lauerzersee Canton of Schwyz Switzerland 000000.338 0.3378 years


Morris Lake Halifax Regional Municipality, Nova Scotia Canada 000000.345 4.1 months


Sobradinho Reservoir Sobradinho, Bahia Brazil 000000.350 0.35 years


Balch Pond Carroll County, New Hampshire; York County, Maine United States 000000.373 136 days


Magelungen Huddinge Sweden 000000.375 4-5 months


Russell Lake Halifax Regional Municipality, Nova Scotia Canada 000000.383 4.6 months


Loweswater Lake District, Cumbria United Kingdom 000000.411 150 days


Lappkärret Stockholm Sweden 000000.417 5 months


Lough Feeagh County Mayo Ireland 000000.470 0.47 year


Egelsee Bubikon, Canton of Zurich Switzerland 000000.493 180 days


Lac de Vouglans Jura, Franche-Comté France 000000.493 180 days


Mettmenhaslisee Canton of Zurich Switzerland 000000.493 180 days


Albysjön Stockholm Sweden 000000.500 0.5 year


Chesuncook Lake Piscataquis County, Maine United States 000000.500 6 months


Clinton Lake DeWitt County, Illinois United States 000000.500 6 months


Flagstaff Lake Somerset County and Franklin County, Maine United States 000000.500 6 months


Lake Coeur d'Alene Northern Idaho United States 000000.500 0.5 years


Lac de Saint-Point Doubs department, Franche-Comté France 000000.548 200 days


Kyrksjön Bromma Sweden 000000.583 7 months


Newnan's Lake Gainesville, Florida United States 000000.600 0.6 years


Staples Pond Temple, Maine United States 000000.683 8.2 months


Lac Cornu Chamonix-Mont-Blanc, Haute-Savoie France 000000.685 250 days


Lac du Brévent Chamonix, Haute-Savoie France 000000.685 250 days


Lake Silvaplana / Silvaplanersee / Lej da Silvaplauna Engadin, Grisons Switzerland 000000.685 250 days


Loch Awe Argyll and Bute, Scotland United Kingdom 000000.700 0.7 year


Långsjön Stockholm Sweden 000000.792 9-10 months


Lake Sarnen / Sarnersee Obwalden Switzerland 000000.800 0.8 years


Lake Lovozero Kola Peninsula, Murmansk Oblast Russia 000000.833 10 months


Drevviken Stockholm Sweden 000000.875 10-11 months


Mörtsjön Huddinge Sweden 000000.900 < 1 year


Judarn Bromma, Stockholm Sweden 000000.917 11 months


Coniston Water Lake District, Cumbria United Kingdom 000000.932 340 days


Ullswater Lake District, Cumbria United Kingdom 000000.959 350 days


Khanka Lake Heilongjiang Province, China and Primorsky Krai, Russia China , Russia 0000001.000 1 year


Lake Monona Dane County, Wisconsin United States 0000001.100 1.1 years


Long Lake Maine United States 0000001.100 1.1 years


Mooselookmeguntic Lake Franklin County, Maine United States 0000001.100 1.1 years


Greifensee Canton of Zurich Switzerland 0000001.118 408 days


Nainital Lake Uttarakhand India 0000001.160 1.16 years


Manasbal Lake Kashmir Valley India 0000001.200 1.2 years


Lake Zurich / Zürichsee Zürich Switzerland 0000001.205 440 days


Tegernsee Bavaria Germany 0000001.280 1.28 years


Deer Creek Reservoir Utah United States 0000001.300 1.3 year


Orlången Huddinge Sweden 0000001.330 1.33 years


Haweswater Reservoir Lake District, Cumbria United Kingdom 0000001.370 500 days


Loch Shiel Lochaber, Highland, Scotland United Kingdom 0000001.370 1.37 year


Lake Walen /Walensee / Lake Walenstadt St. Gallen, Glarus Switzerland 0000001.426 1.4258 years


Keoka Lake Maine United States 0000001.500 1.5 years


Kootenay Lake British Columbia Canada 0000001.5 1.5 years


Lake Murten /Lac de Morat /Murtensee Canton of Fribourg, Vaud Switzerland 0000001.600 1.6 years


Oeschinen Lake Bernese Oberland Switzerland 0000001.610 1.61 years


Lac de Lessy Haute-Savoie France 0000001.644 600 days


East Grand Lake Maine / New Brunswick Canada, United States 0000001.700 1.7 years


Lake Ikeda Kyūshū island Japan 0000001.700 1.7 years


Lake Poyang Jiujiang China 000000.173 0.173 years

[3]

Faaker See Carinthia Austria 0000001.800 1.8 years


Ossiacher See / Lake Ossiach Carinthia Austria 0000001.800 1.8 years


Varese Lake/Lago di Varese Province of Varese, Lombardy Italy 0000001.800 1.8 years


Long Lost Lake Clearwater County, Minnesota United States 0000001.800 1.8 years


Ältasjön Älta Sweden 0000001.800 1.8 years


Lake Thun / Thunersee Canton of Berne Switzerland 0000001.874 684 days


Green Lake Maine United States 0000001.900 1.9 years


Gömmaren Huddinge Sweden 0000001.900 1.9 yrs


Loch Lomond Dunbartonshire, Central Scotland Scotland, United Kingdom 0000001.900 1.9 years


Lake Balaton Hungary Hungary 0000002.000 2 years


Lake Rotoroa Hamilton, Waikato, North Island New Zealand 0000002.000 approx. 2 years


Lake Tūtira Hawke's Bay, North Island New Zealand 0000002.000 2 years


Türlersee Canton of Zurich Switzerland 0000002.000 730 days


Pfäffikersee Canton of Zurich Switzerland 0000002.085 2.085 years


Caniapiscau Reservoir Quebec Canada 0000002.200 2.2 years


Lake Sils / Silsersee /Lej da Segl Engadin, Grisons Switzerland 0000002.200 2.2 years


Wilersee Canton of Zug Switzerland 0000002.200 2.2 years


Great Pond Maine United States 0000002.300 2.3 years


Moberly Lake British Columbia Canada 0000002.400 2.4 years


Päijänne Jyväskylä Finland 0000002.500 2.5 years


Lake Erie North America Canada, United States 0000002.600 2.6 years


Rangeley Lake Franklin County, Maine United States 0000002.600 2.6 years


Lake Brienz / Brienzersee Canton of Berne Switzerland 0000002.690 2.69 years


Ammersee / Lake Ammer Upper Bavaria Germany 0000002.700 2.7 years


Großer Plöner See Schleswig-Holstein Germany 0000003.000 3 years


Paudash Lake Haliburton County, Ontario Canada 0000003.000 3 years


Moosehead Lake Maine United States 0000003.100 3.1 years


Trekanten Stockholm Sweden 0000003.100 3.1 years


Great East Lake Carroll County, New Hampshire; York County, Maine United States 0000003.300 3.3 years


Lake Champlain North America Canada, United States 0000003.300 3.3 years


Flathead Lake Montana United States 0000003.400 3.4 years


Lake Lucerne /Vierwaldstättersee Central Switzerland Switzerland 0000003.400 3.4 years


Lake Winnipeg Manitoba, Canada Canada 0000003.500 3.5 years


Lac de Paladru Isère France 0000003.600 3.6 years


Lake Hallwil / Hallwilersee Aargau Switzerland 0000003.900 3.9 years


Flaten Southern Stockholm Sweden 0000004.000 4 years


Lake Annecy / Lac d'Annecy Haute-Savoie France 0000004.000 4 years


Lake Maggiore / Verbano / Lago Maggiore Lombardy and Piedmont, Italy; Canton Ticino, Switzerland Italy, Switzerland 0000004.000 4 years


Todos los Santos Lake Los Lagos Chile 0000004.000 4 years


Lake Baldegg / Baldeggersee Canton of Lucerne Switzerland 0000004.200 4.2 years


Lake Iseo / Lago d'Iseo Lombardy Italy 0000004.200 4.2 years


Lake Constance / Bodensee Germany , Switzerland , Austria Germany, Switzerland, Austria 0000004.300 4.3 years


Corey Lake Michigan United States 0000004.400 4.4 years


Elk and Beaver Lakes Saanich, British Columbia Canada 0000004.400 4.4 years (Elk Lake),


Lake Como Lombardy Italy 0000004.500 4.5 years


Lake Mendota Wisconsin United States 0000004.500 4.5 years


Sea of Galilee Galilee Israel 0000005.000 5 years


Walden Pond Massachusetts United States 0000005.000 5 years
[4]
Bannwaldsee Allgäu, Bavaria Germany 0000005.200 5.2 years


Sebago Lake Cumberland County, Maine United States 0000005.250 5.1 to 5.4 yrs


Kennisis Lake Haliburton Highlands, Ontario Canada 0000005.260 5.26 years


Bay Lake Crow Wing County, Minnesota United States 0000005.500 4-7 years


Lake Biwa / 琵琶湖 Shiga Prefecture Japan 0000005.500 5.5 years


Jordan Pond Hancock County, Maine United States 0000006.000 6 years


Lago di Mergozzo Piedmont Italy 0000006.000 6 years


Lake Ontario North America Canada, United States 0000006.000 6 years


Lac la Nonne Alberta Canada 0000006.500 6.5 years


Lago di Candia Province of Turin Italy 0000006.500 6 or 7 years


Ägerisee Canton of Zug Switzerland 0000006.800 6.8 years


Loch Morar Morar, Lochaber, Highland, Scotland United Kingdom 0000006.870 6.87 years


Lake Powell Utah/Arizona United States 0000007.200 7.2 years


Millstätter See / Lake Millstatt Carinthia Austria 0000007.500 7.5 years


Moose Lake Alberta Canada 0000007.500 7.5 years


Schaalsee Schleswig-Holstein Germany 0000007.500 5 to 10 years


Iliamna Lake Lake and Peninsula Borough, Alaska United States 0000007.800 7.8 years


Lac du Bourget Savoie, France France 0000008.000 8 years


Odell Lake Klamath County, Oregon United States 0000008.000 8 years


Lake Lugano /Lago di Lugano Ticino, Lombardy Switzerland, Italy 0000008.200 8.2 years


Lake Neuchâtel / Lac de Neuchâtel / Neuenburgersee Romandy Switzerland 0000008.200 8.2 years


Lake Orta /Lago d’Orta /Cusio Piedmont Italy 0000008.900 8.9 years


Weissensee Carinthia Austria 0000009.200 9.2 years


Quesnel Lake British Columbia Canada 0000010.100 10.1 years


Schweriner See Mecklenburg-Vorpommern Germany 0000010.100 10.1 years


Lake Taupo Taupo District, Waikato region, North Island New Zealand 0000010.500 10.5 years


Wörthersee / Lake Wörth West of Klagenfurt Austria 0000010.500 10.5 years


Lake Chelan Washington (state) United States 0000010.600 10.6 years


Lake Geneva Switzerland , France Switzerland, France 0000011.400 11.4 years


Lake Wakatipu Queenstown-Lakes District, Otago Region, South Island New Zealand 0000012.000 c. 12 years


Higgins Lake Michigan United States 0000012.500 12.5 years


Crescent Lake Klamath County, Oregon United States 0000013.000 13 years


Yellowstone Lake Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming United States 14 years
Lake Zug / Zugersee Central Switzerland Switzerland 0000014.700 14.7 years


Müritz Mecklenburg-Vorpommern Germany 0000015.000 15 years (?)


Western Brook Pond Gros Morne National Park, Newfoundland, Newfoundland and Labrador Canada 0000015.400 15.4 years


Lake Sempach / Sempachersee Canton of Lucerne Switzerland 0000016.900 16.9 years


Skaneateles Lake New York United States 0000018.000 18 years


Cayuga Lake New York United States 0000018.200 18.2 years


Bear Lake Idaho, Utah United States 0000019.600 19.6 years


Green Lake Green Lake County, Wisconsin United States 0000021.000 21 years


Lake Starnberg /Starnberger See Bavaria Germany 0000021.000 21 years


Lake Huron North America Canada, United States 0000022.000 22 years


Lake Garda / Lago di Garda Northern Italy Italy 0000026.800 26.8 years


Waldo Lake Cascade Mountains United States 0000032.000 32 years


Crystal Lake Benzie County, Michigan United States 0000045.000 30 to 60 years


Lake Columbia Jackson County, Michigan United States 0000047.000 47 years


Okanagan Lake British Columbia Canada 0000052.800 52.8 years


Lake Ohrid Albania, Republic of Macedonia 0000070.000 70 years


Lake Michigan Michigan United States 0000099.000 99 years


Arendsee Saxony-Anhalt Germany 0000100.000 100 years


Gull Lake Alberta Canada 0000101.000 >100 years


Lake Yosemite California United States 0000121.000 121 years


Great Bear Lake Northwest Territories Canada 0000124.000 124 years


Crater Lake Oregon United States 0000157.000 157 years


Lake Superior North America Canada, United States 0000191.000 191 years


Caspian Sea Azerbaijan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Russia, Turkmenistan 0000250.000 250 years


Lake Baikal Southern Siberia Russia 0000350.000 330 years


Lake Tahoe California , Nevada United States 0000650.000 650 years


Lake Titicaca Peru, Bolivia 0001343.000 1343 years


Lake Eucumbene Snowy Mountains, New South Wales Australia 0001953.000 1953 years


Lakes Qaban Kazan Russia 0002000.000 2000 years


Lake Tanganyika Burundi, DR Congo, Tanzania, Zambia 0005500.000 5500 years


Lake Vostok Antarctica 0013300.000 13300 years


See also

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 Duwe, Kurt (2003-01-03). "D24: Realistic Residence Times Studies". EUROLAKES. http://www.hydromod.de/Eurolakes/results/D24.pdf. 
  2. Wetzel, R. G. (2001). Limnology 3rd Edition. New York: Academic Press. 
  3. "Poyang Lake". International Lake Environment Committee Foundation. http://wldb.ilec.or.jp/Lake.asp?LakeID=SASI-033&RoutePrm=0:;4:load;. 
  4. Colman, John A and Paul J. Friesz. "Geohydrology and Limnology of Walden Pond, Concord, Massachusetts". USGS. https://pubs.usgs.gov/wri/wri014137/. 

Further reading

External links