Effects of the Wind on Water Movements in Lake West Okoboji, Iowa

The term seiche was introduced in to limnological literature by Forel in 1895. He observed surface-oscillations on the Lake of Geneva and recognized them as rhythmic movements or standing waves, caused by the wind, especially noticeable when the wind fluctuated in force or ceased altogether, permitting the surface water which had piled up on the downwind surface of the lake to seek its own level again. Surface seiches have also been observed on some American lakes; Lake Mendota (Bryson and Kuhn, 1952) and Lake Erie (Hayford, 1922) to mention only a few. The amplitude of the surface seiche decreases with the size of the body of water and on most smaller lakes such as West Okoboji the phenomenon is difficult to demonstrate