What Is Turnover in a Lake

Lake turnover is the process of a lake’s water turning over from top (epilimnion) to bottom (hypolimnion). During the summer, the epilimnion, or surface layer, is the warmest. It is heated by the sun. … This dense water forces the water of the hypolimnion to rise, “turning over” the layers.

How does stratification occur in a lake?

The warming of the surface of the water by the sun causes water density variations and initiates thermal stratification. Cooler, denser water settles to the bottom of the lake forming the hypolimnion. A layer of warmer water, called the epilimnion, floats on top.

What is lake Spring turnover?

Spring lake turnover is the process by which a lake mixes itself, thereby replenishing its oxygen supply. Oxygen is vital for lake quality – it is the gas that drives the life cycles of aquatic plants and animals. Algae, fish, aquatic insects and crustaceans are sustained only in waters that contain adequate oxygen.