Influence of a lake on river water thermal regime: A case study of Lake Sławianowskie and the Kocunia River (Pomeranian Lakeland, Northern Poland)

Water temperature is one of the basic physical parameters of rivers and lakes. Rising temperature can transform these ecosystems over a broad range of factors (water mixing, water quality, biological conditions, etc.). In the case of rivers, their thermal regimes also can be modified by local conditions (e.g., tree cover, adjoining water bodies, etc.). In this paper, we address the functioning of the river-lake system in northern Poland (Kocunia River-Lake Sławianowskie) in terms of the effect of the lake on temperature conditions in the river. Dependencies in daily water temperatures between stations located above and below the lake were assessed with linear regression. Based on daily morning water temperatures for the period 2012-2017, it was determined that water temperature in the river below the lake was higher than at the measurement site located above the lake by an average of 1.1°C. The greatest differences were recorded in summerautumn months when average monthly downstream water temperatures were as much as 3.9°C higher than upstream water temperatures. This phenomenon is an example of a local factor (the lake) magnifying global factors, i.e. rising temperatures associated with climate change. The information in this paper can provide future reference for decision makers and state institutions with responsibility for measures aimed at reducing the effects of climate change.