Lake Hydrology: An Introduction to Lake Mass Balance

The first book dedicated to describing the hydrology of water flow in lake systems, geared for limnologists and students of hydrology.

With fresh water becoming a critical issue around the world, lake mass balance―the hydrology or water movement in lakes―is increasingly important to environmental studies and remediation projects. Unfortunately, lake hydrology is often only briefly covered in broader texts on hydrogeology and hydrology or is confined to specialized research papers.

Lake Hydrology rigorously describes the hydrology of flow into and out of lake systems. Explaining the physical parameters that influence lake behavior, as well as the mathematics that describes these systems, this in-depth book fills an important niche in the literature of watershed science. This text

• describes the physical structure and nature of drainage basins and explains the origin and classification of lakes
• explores the hydrology of lake mass balance and storage as it pertains to lake stage, groundwater and lake bottom interaction, hypsometry, lake hydraulics, precipitation, surface flow, evaporation, and transpiration
• provides models, practical information, and solutions for lake management or remediation planning utilizing basic data, including stage fluctuation, evapotranspiration, lake-bottom seepage, precipitation, and surface flow
• uses examples from real-world long-term studies, including Utah's Great Salt Lake and Florida's Lake Jackson, a karstic lake system
• examines the effect of storm events including the temporal and areal distribution of rainfall, and flow paths of water in the catchment from precipitation
• includes an introduction to relevant scientific principles, such as dimensional analysis, the properties of water, and the hydrologic cycle

Unlike most limnology texts, which emphasize lake ecology and biology, Lake Hydrology is designed to truly elucidate the hydrology of lake systems, especially as it relates to components of the hydrologic cycle. This book will greatly benefit professionals and researchers involved in lake management, remediation, or investigation of lake systems, and can be used as is or integrated within graduate and advanced undergraduate courses in limnology.