Do freshwater lakes have currents?

In the Great Lakes, there are permanent currents and variable currents. Permanent currents are always found in certain locations — and only vary in strength. For example, strong currents are always present along piers and breakwalls, and can be found where rivers and streams empty into the lake.



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In large deep lakes, away from the boundaries, where wind stress effects may be balanced by Coriolis force effects, theory suggests that the surface current will move in a direction 45° to the right of the wind and that deeper currents are progressively weaker and directed farther to the right.

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The water in lakes comes from rain, snow, melting ice, streams, and groundwater seepage. Most lakes contain fresh water. All lakes are either open or closed. If water leaves a lake by a river or other outlet, it is said to be open.

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True tides—changes in water level caused by the gravitational forces of the sun and moon—do occur in a semi-diurnal (twice daily) pattern on the Great Lakes. Studies indicate that the Great Lakes spring tide, the largest tides caused by the combined forces of the sun and moon, is less than five centimeters in height.

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Lakes are a bastion for bacteria, and predators.

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Located in Russia in the southern region of Siberia, Lake Baikal is the world's largest freshwater lake by both volume (22995 km3) and depth (1741m). Lake Baikal contains 20% of the world's fresh surface water. Lake Baikal hides its vast waters under a relatively small surface area (31500 km2).

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It may surprise you to know there is no technical difference between lakes and ponds, according to the National Park Service(Opens in a new window). However, a general rule of a thumb is if a body of water is large and deep it's a lake and if it's short and shallow it's a pond.

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