Lake or Pond?

[maverick]

What are the distinguishing differences between the two, without looking it up, choose which is the correct answer from below?

a. size, color, vegetation

b. depth, vegetation, fish

c. wave size, depth, temp uniformity

d. outlet flow rate, inlet size, depth

e. clarity, depth, outlet flow rate

[markskor]

f. spelling?

[Tom_H]

Well, the Brits say a pond is that thing between us and them. I think they're both just oversized tarns.

[balzaccom]

I'll guess B

[SSSdave]

There is not a universally accepted definition for a pond versus a lake. That is why many become confused in differentiating the two and even on USGS maps the designation is inconsistent.

The best I can do as a mountain enthusiast, more focused as to how it might apply in the Sierra Nevada would be to say a pond versus a lake is:

A more often small body of water though there is an overlap between small lakes and large ponds.

A shallow body of water below human head height usually even in deepest areas while lakes are deeper.

A body of water that may be ephemeral especially in dry years while Sierra lakes just shrink.

Both lakes and ponds may have variable clarity, murkiness, and vegetation that will vary with time of year though lakes are more likely to have better clarity.

Summer ponds in the Sierra are common in heavy forest flats above the mean winter snow level and also in higher elevation level bedrock areas.

In winter ponds are more likely to fully freeze.

Both ponds and lakes may have trout though ponds are much less likely to have acceptable oxygenation for trout unless ponds have permanent inlet stream flows.

Conversely ponds are more likely to have vegetation and less chilly summer temperatures thus more likely to have invertebrates and amphibians across their full area.

David prefers taking a fresh daily dip in less chilly ponds than lakes.

David prefers taking water reflection photographs in ponds versus lakes because they are more likely to have above water features, far side features are at more recognizable scales, and water waves dampen far more quickly allowing more perfect mirror reflections.

[oldranger]

I agree with mark! None of the above!

[The Other Tom]

I'll say a

[kpeter]

I'll guess b. I think it has to do with ponds being shallow enough to support underwater plant life. Which is why I think of ponds as green and lakes as blue.

[balzaccom]

I'd love it to be as simple as: a pond you can wade, a lake you can't.

But Walden was a pond...

[SSSdave]

I'll guess b. I think it has to do with ponds being shallow enough to support underwater plant life. Which is why I think of ponds as green and lakes as blue.

Yes ponds are more often green than blue but I bet you've passed by a few ponds that were not green. Like those by August inky black forest ponds with decaying vegetation. Or perfectly clear shallow timberline ponds draining snowy slopes like below Abbot and Gabb. Such high elevation ponds or tarns are just as likely to be sterile and barren as nearby deeper larger lakes because the ice free period is short.