A frozen pond question....

[KFC911]

What happens if a pond freezes over, and a substantial spring is still flowing into it? Will the cover of ice rise with the H2O?

[oldE]

If the outflow is blocked, you have two possibilities.
If the water feeds in under the ice, it will float the ice. In some cases, if the ice is frozen into vegetation, the incoming water will flow over the ice and if the temp remains low enough, a new layer of ice will form.
I've seen both happen.
Best
Les

[KFC911]

Thank you Les. No vegetation on top of any...I'm gonna try to see what's going on later with mine. Three ponds...spring under the largest (acre) flowing into another 1/4 acre...then another even smaller....via 4" pipes (with overflow pipes)....ice never entered my mind before...I'm southern

Haven't been able to see if my "engineering" is working...yet.

[flatbutt]

What kind of outflow is in place? Is it a spillway or does it have toe drains?

[masraum]

If the seal made by the ice is strong enough and the spring is week enough, maybe the spring will stop filling the pond and the water that would normally flow out of your spring will flow out of whatever other spring or outlet the water has (or even create a new spring somewhere.

I'm assuming your spring isn't the only outlet for the source and even if it is, water is capable of finding a new outlet.

[cabmandone]

I was thinking the same thing as Steve that the pressures would equalize and the flow would be reduced of not stopped altogether.

[KFC911]

Originally Posted by flatbutt

What kind of outflow is in place? Is it a spillway or does it have toe drains?

On the largest...a 4" pipe, with a 10"? next to it.
Second one is a 4", inside of a 10"?
Last one is still more of a spillway, under construction...non-issue.
The outflows go from a garden hose on full blast (normal) to a fire hose (whole 4" intake under water) ....if that makes sense.

This storm has been a freak...never thought of this schit before.

[KFC911]

I have no clue....I need to dig out and go look ....

Thanks all!

[flatbutt]

So long as the ice doesn't block the outflow there should be no issue. If blocked then the rising water level will lift the ice as the ice floats on the surface. But if the ice gets too thick then ...I really can't say.

[GH85Carrera]

In North Carolina I can't imagine the ice will be super thick. I suspect it will just float up. If a concrete ship will float from simple water displacement, that ice will too. I just can't believe the ice will ever get so thick as to make a cap. Water will find a way out.

[KFC911]

^^^ I'm still trying to dig my truck out....started as a foot of snow topped with a nice thick layer of ice on top. I don't know if I'll be able to see what this thread is all about today after all...

This is VERY unusual for here before winter...even during.

....and a LOT of rain coming tonight/tomorrow.

[cabmandone]

Look on the bright side, if you wait till tomorrow all that snow and ice will be gone. You'll have another mess to deal with but the snow an ice will be gone.

[Craig T]

I love these threads. Interesting. It's like you are speaking in Latin to a Southern California boy.

[masraum]

Originally Posted by Craig T

I love these threads. Interesting. It's like you are speaking in Latin to a Southern California boy.

Ice goes in cocktails, drinks and coolers. The idea that it could occur naturally outside of a freezer is pretty odd.

[Craig T]

Originally Posted by masraum

Ice goes in cocktails, drinks and coolers. The idea that it could occur naturally outside of a freezer is pretty odd.

Have you ever tried walking on it? I did once when I was a kid

[Racerbvd]

Originally Posted by masraum

Ice goes in cocktails, drinks and coolers. The idea that it could occur naturally outside of a freezer is pretty odd.

[CurtEgerer]

If the pond is big enough (Lake Huron), and there's open water in the middle, and the winds are high enough ... this happens. That's not piles of snow. It's 25-foot tall piles of 10"x10" ice cubes, much of it winding up in people's living rooms.

[Jim Richards]

Originally Posted by KC911

What happens if a pond freezes over, and a substantial spring is still flowing into it? Will the cover of ice rise with the H2O?

It means you're in too cold of a climate, KC.

[craigster59]

[Steve Carlton]

If that extra water gets forced downward into a volcano, there's going to be a big explosion. Don't ask me how I know, because I don't.