Billy_Bob
Diamond Member
Attempt to go back to the topic.. Interesting observation from studies on Lake Tahoe where a warming trend has also been identified. Actual water temp measurements since the 60s show about 1.5degF warming. HOWEVER -- NASA satellite data shows "over 3 degrees of warming in just last 16 years".. Needs to be resolved. And the study in THIS OP relies very heavily on satellite measurements.
NC Media Watch: Will Lake Tahoe soon reach boiling point? (Updated 12-27-09, 2027)
So what other effects might be in play here? Certainly Lake Tahoe has been fighting a clarity issue since all the feeders into the lake have been HIGHLY affected by development alongside river/streams. Leading to a very noticeable decline in water clarity which can increase direct solar absorption of heat.
Secchi depth is a test where a white plate is lowered until it can't be seen..
Then there's the side-effects of regulations to control turbidity and pollutants in the feeder systems for the Lake. Highly restricted on what runs off into the Lake throughout the season. Which COULD mean that there is less volume filling the lake or that the streams/rivers are SHALLOWER than before leading to higher temperatures of the new waters entering the lake.
Don't know -- can't tell. Too many possibilities to pin that increase JUST on IR backradiation from increased CO2. Which we already know doesn't directly efficiently heat a volume of water.
Just a couple of observations.
1) The lake has dropped by 23 feet. Thus the water depth is much shallower and the algae plumes have take over. this absorbs heat like nothing else. Wind also can easily 'roll' a shallow lake causing it to warm.
2) The water coming into the lake has also slowed. Given the smaller amounts of water, it heats up in the streams and rivers.
3) This pattern has been seen before in smaller dams and rivers prior to Grand Cooley and other massive projects.I will grant you this is the first time in history for the bigger reservoirs to act as their smaller counter parts.
As waters slow due to the dryer shift in natural climate variation what we are seeing is not unexpected. The current El Nino wet pattern is now shifting inland as the ocean warmth fades. This will return snow and rain to areas which supply these larger lakes and streams. The last 7 years of a drought cycle will fade into three to five years of the wet cycle and its already taking place.
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