Lakes Stars Ice Features...have you seen them and where?

[Sundancefisher]

We have these here and got me wondering...where else in Alberta are they found and/or common?

http://lakeice.squarespace.com/ice-stars/

These are formed in a very cool process of up-flow and capillary action.

Small micro fissures or cracks or springs can allow water to flow to the surface when snow covered.

Snow weighs the ice down and once the warmer water below the ice starts flowing up to the surface, the insulation factor of the snow combined with the sponge action of the snow draws more and more water up and increases the weigh which in turn increase flow.

These can go from zero to quite large in a day.

This can create holes and may provide a hazard for all us anglers to watch out for.

If you find slush ice, it could be due to Lake Stars.



Please post photos if you have any.

[Cold lake guy]

Yup don’t let off the throttle close to one of those I’ve learned

[Sundancefisher]

Originally Posted by Cold lake guy

Yup don’t let off the throttle close to one of those I’ve learned

Supposed to be like wet cement on snow shoes.

Have you seen them up at Cold Lake.

It’s odd because all the driving I’ve done on lakes around Edmonton I never came across it.

[Sundancefisher]

Anyone seeing slush ice on lakes?

[Drewski Canuck]

I have driven on ice all my adult life and have never seen anything like this formation in any lake in Alberta, in the winter.

I know of a lake with an active spring by Smoky Lake, which keeps a hole open in the winter, but it is not a star ice formation.

I can see how early ice could suffer such a breakdown, but once the lake has a foot of ice, it would be pretty surprising to see a spontaneous formation like what is described.

Now gas holes do happen, though few and far between.

Drewski

[Blastoff]

Seen them on Blackett in the past, I always call them blow holes so I guess its kind if the same deal, I definitely stay away from them

[Sundancefisher]

Originally Posted by Drewski Canuck

I have driven on ice all my adult life and have never seen anything like this formation in any lake in Alberta, in the winter.

I know of a lake with an active spring by Smoky Lake, which keeps a hole open in the winter, but it is not a star ice formation.

I can see how early ice could suffer such a breakdown, but once the lake has a foot of ice, it would be pretty surprising to see a spontaneous formation like what is described.

Now gas holes do happen, though few and far between.

Drewski

I’ve witnessed them growing out of 10 inch ice. I wonder if I never noticed them and they’ve been around. I have driven on many lakes and never came across any significant slush ice fishing except in late spring when I always walked on.

Here is a link to the only paper ever written on these lake stars.

https://users.math.yale.edu/users/we..._LakeStars.pdf