Zones and Shapes in Lakes and Reservoirs - Hydro-Environmental Analysis: Freshwater Environments - page 321

Lake Annie Lake Bonnie

N

N

14

8

8

0 600 1200 1800 2400

0 500 1000 1500 2000

Lake Crooked Lake Disston

N N

0 1000 2000 3000 4000

0 250 500 750 1000

FIGURE 11.3 Bathymetric maps for four Florida lakes. (From Florida LakeWatch, A beginner's guide to
water management—Lake morphometry, Information Circular 104, Florida LakeWatch, University of Florida,
Gainesville, FL, 2001.)

The shape of the hypsographic curve can also be used for a comparison of lakes, such as to aid
in determining the dominant processes impacting their biological characteristics. Of course, in a
lake that is perfectly rectangular, the surface area would be constant. As illustrated in Figure 11.4,
the hypsographic curve for a cone would be convex, and for a truncated cone, it would be relatively
lat in comparison with a circular cone. In contrast, a hemispherical or a bowl-shaped lake would be
expected to have a more convex hypsographic curve.