Predicting Maximum Lake Depth from Surrounding Topography
Author Information
Author(s): Hollister Jeffrey W., Milstead W. Bryan, Urrutia M. Andrea
Primary Institution: United States Environmental Protection Agency
Hypothesis
Can maximum lake depth be predicted from the slope of the surrounding topography?
Conclusion
The study successfully developed a method to predict maximum lake depth for approximately 28,000 lakes in the Northeastern United States with reasonable accuracy.
Supporting Evidence
- The method allows for the prediction of maximum lake depth for nearly 28,000 lakes.
- The average cross-validated RMSE for depth predictions was 5.95 m.
- The correlation coefficients for the predictions were 0.82 and 0.69 for different regions.
Takeaway
The researchers figured out a way to guess how deep lakes are by looking at the land around them, which helps us understand lakes better.
Methodology
The study used the National Elevation Dataset and the National Hydrography Dataset to estimate the slope of surrounding lakes and predict maximum lake depth, validated with field measurements.
Potential Biases
Initial predictions were generally higher than measured depths, indicating potential bias in the model.
Limitations
The method does not account for local variations in slope and sediment loads that may affect lake depth predictions.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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