Stillwaters: Snow, Light, Weeds and O2

[Sparkplug]

 

My local Calgary community lake has a large area that is snow-free ice this winter.  Thus the question whether under such circumstances, where sunlight can penetrate, do the weeds still die off (and thus consume O2 in their decomposition)?  Is it just sunlight penetration that determines whether the weeds survive the winter, or are there other variables like water temperature that can/do kill off the weeds under the ice?

 

 

 

 

[Dangus]

1 hour ago, Sparkplug said:

 

My local Calgary community lake has a large area that is snow-free ice this winter.  Thus the question whether under such circumstances, where sunlight can penetrate, do the weeds still die off (and thus consume O2 in their decomposition)?  Is it just sunlight penetration that determines whether the weeds survive the winter, or are there other variables like water temperature that can/do kill off the weeds under the ice?

 

 

 

 

Disclaimer: I have no clue/bs’ing .  But I’d assume with the light lost from the refraction/flection of the ice combined with the Low angle of sun, short days; they still die.  Look at the river as an example.  Bow clears out even areas that are ice free all winter. Although, there are other factors there like flow and water levels that may also play a part. 

B

[DonAndersen]

Weeds die. They start to regrow in late Feb.

[ppb]

Hey sparkplug do you know if they run the aerators periodically during the winter months? 

 

[Sparkplug]

 

PPB that is a good question, was wondering that myself.  Given the holes that showed up in the early ice on the lake, I would guess that they were run back then at least, but would have to ask at the office to be sure.  Last weekend, a guy ice fishing in front of my place said there was about 12" of ice.

I might further guess that they run the aeration in early winter while the lake is closed due to thin ice, and then again once the lake is closed due to thin ice in the spring.

 

 

 

[DonAndersen]

Operating the areators Lars in the winter may cause a kill as the low 02 water within the bottom of the lakes is mixed with the thin layer near the surface.

 

Don