Abstract
This paper summarizes the initial results (first 4 yr) of a whole‐catchment manipulation to evaluate the impact of a loss of hydrologic connectivity of a boreal lake with its watershed on lake thermal and evaporative regimes. We diverted the upstream flow to a fourth order lake resulting in a marked reduction (81%) in watershed area, and compared the response to a comparable control lake in a headwater position. The manipulation reduced runoff into the experimental lake from 2400 mm to 90 mm, greatly increased theoretical residence time (from 2.3 yr to 18.3 yr), and reduced average dissolved organic carbon concentration from 5.8 ± 0.3 mg L −1 to 5.5 ± 0.3 mg L −1 . Average Secchi depth was increased by 0.6 m, resulting in a 0.25 m deeper epilimnion and cooler surface water temperatures (8% of the time) than those predicted by pre‐manipulation relationships. There was some evidence that the response of evaporation to episodic events was altered, but this was not extensive enough to alter annual evaporation or median evaporation rates. Our findings show that the impacts of hydrologic connectivity on lake chemistry can cascade to alter the energy budgets of boreal lakes. These results can inform how differences in hydrological connectivity across the landscape due to lake‐watershed topology and climate will impact boreal lakes. Of note is that very clear lakes in the boreal region are highly sensitive to impacts from a change in clarity. Information on their spatial distribution will be necessary to assess impacts of hydrological connectivity on the boreal lake complex.