Thermal Stratification Modeling of Lakes with Sediment Heat Flux

Abstract

A sediment heat flux submodel was developed, based on the findings of related limnological studies, and incorporated into a mixed‐layer (integral‐energy) lake‐stratification model. The basic and modified versions of the mixed‐layer model were applied to three years of field data for four different lakes. The inclusion of the submodel was necessary to adequately calibrate the model to the stratification conditions observed in the two shallow transparent lakes. The stratification regimes of the two other deeper lakes were accurately simulated without accommodating sediment heat flux. These results suggest that the accurate simulation of thermal stratification in shallow transparent lakes requires consideration of sediment heat flux. Sediment and water budgets calculated with the modified model support the developed sediment heat flux submodel.