Step by Step Instructions

1. Select a waterbody

Almost any lake or river is suitable for study. However, ice formation and breakup on long, skinny lakes that run parallel to the prevailing winds are heavily influenced by air and wave movement, and therefore may not be the best candidates for monitoring ice phenology. Lakes and rivers that are heavily controlled by dams - especially dams operated for hydroelectric facilities - or are affected significantly by upstream water control, are not always the best candidates, as natural freeze-thaw events are affected.

2. Select an observation point

Observers should select an observation point that can be used each season and in future years. The observation point should be readily identifiable so you or the next volunteer can easily find it and repeat the observations for many years to come. For small lakes a location with a view of all or most of the lake surface is preferable. For large lakes, or lakes with convoluted shorelines, a location that allows observation of a readily identifiable portion of the lake surface is preferable. This could be an arm of a separate basin of a large lake. For rivers, an observer should simply be able to see a fairly straight stretch of a gently flowing river that is free of restrictions. On both lakes and rivers select a site that is unaffected by local human influences such as dams, sewage or industrial outlets (currents from these outlets can affect ice thickness and therefore ice breakup for some distance downstream), or agricultural influences such as cattle watering areas, or fish farming operations where aerators are used to keep open water available.

3. Select the part of the waterbody you are going to observe

The observed areas could be an entire lake, the middle of a lake, a bay in a lake, or a stretch of river visible from a building, or road location, or any other easily identifiable location. The area you are observing must be clearly defined so that someone could read your records and continue your observations at exactly the same location. For example, at Lac Croche, Quebec, their ice phenology observer records information on the east basin of the lake. At Lake Mendota, Wisconsin, their ice phenology observer records information on an imaginary line between the tips of two peninsulas. At Lake Suwa, Japan, their ice phenology observer records the dates when the ice that "grows" from two prominent peninsulas meet. Please remember to accurately describe the location from which you are making the observations.

4. Watch for fall freeze or spring thaw and collect your observations

Basic "ice watching" and historical records of fall freeze and spring thaw involve reporting two principle events:

• The date the ice completely covers the lake, bay or river and stays intact for the winter, and
• The date the ice goes out or completely disappears from the lake, bay or river.

Thus, DAILY observations have to be made during the freeze-up and break-up periods. These two dates provide researchers with the length of ice duration - and the associated length of the ice-free season of a waterbody. Our scientists have requested that you collect information on two other events:

• The first date the ice completely covers the lake, bay or river. Sometimes ice will entirely cover waterbodies but then warm weather will cause the ice to partially or totally melt. This freezing and thawing may happen once, several times, or not at all - the first freeze up lasts for the whole winter.
• The first day of ice disappearance from the lake. Sometimes ice will entirely melt in the spring, and then returning cold weather will cause the lake, bay or river to freeze partially or completely again.

The combined information from these 4 days - some of which may be the same day - give researchers a better understanding of the process of ice formation and breakup, and whether these ice processes themselves are changing. This basic ice watching data will form the core of the Icewatch program, particularly since many scientists have already been collecting data in this way.

5. Record your observations on the Icewatch Observation Form

Accurately record your observations on the Icewatch Observation Form and file paper copies of your observations where you or another observer can find them next season.

6. Submit your observations to the EMAN Coordinating Office