Trends in ice cover duration in the mountain lakes of the North Coast & Cascades Network

Mountain lakes are ecologically important and charismatic features of the high country of the national parks of the North Coast and Cascades Network (Olympic, Mount Rainier, North Cascades). These lakes are ice-free approximately 5 months of the year. The remainder of the year they are locked under a thick blanket of ice and snow that limits the amount of light, atmospheric gas exchange, nutrient dynamics, and the pace of biological activity. As the global climate changes due to warming, the duration of winter ice cover is expected to decrease with potentially profound changes to these fragile ecosystems. We present a long-term dataset (up to 16 years) of ice duration from 21 NCCN lakes. This period of record illustrates changes in ice duration and includes examples of conditions expected a near-future warmed world.
Dr. Steven Fradkin*
Olympic National Park
Bill Baccus
Olympic National Park
Presentation given at North Coast & Cascades Science Days, 2024
go.nps.gov/sciencedays
[OLYM] [MORA] [NOCA]