Physical characteristics of Acidic Mining Lake 111

Abstract

Measurements of physical properties have been conducted in Mining Lake 111 (ML111), located in Lusatia, Germany over the time period 1996–2002. In the deepest area of the ML111, a monimolimnion was observed, that persisted for the years 1996–1999. It disappeared in 2000 and again formed in 2001. The definition of the main physical properties, such as the temperature compensation for electrical conductivity, in acidic mining lakes required a lake specific approach. The relation between conductivity, temperature and density was determined for the acidic ML111. The variation in dissolved substances affected these relationships such that conductivity varied with temperature even in different layers of the water column and the limitations for a lake wide correlation was evident. Variation in the conductivity of the epilimnion could be verified, and agreed with the estimates of evaporation from the lake surface during summer stratification. Calculations, following the gradient flux method, indicated vertical transport coefficients between 10^–7 and 10^–6m²/s throughout the hypolimnion. The heat budget indicated that heat was transferred into the lake bed or the ground during spring.