In the span of three weeks, spring crept over the Siberian landscape surrounding the northern half of the Lena River. Many of the rivers in Earth’s temperate zones run high in the spring when melting snow and spring rain flood river basins. On the Lena River, however, spring flooding is almost inevitable for another reason: ice. Like other north-flowing rivers, the upper reaches of the Lena melt before their downstream counterparts. Because the northern mouth of the river remains frozen while the southern body of the river flows freely, water naturally builds behind the ice, forming a temporary reservoir that drains as the ice dwindles.
Published Jun 2, 2007
Each spring, the Canadian Arctic is the site of a fierce battle between water and ice.
Published Jun 8, 2020
Heavy rains and temperature swings triggered a long ice jam in Connecticut.
Published Jan 24, 2018
A sharp bend in the Yukon River triggered a pile-up of ice that sent water spilling into a nearby town.
Published May 30, 2013
Russia’s Ob River flows from south to north, and each summer, it thaws in the same direction. The result is that an ice jam sits downstream from thawed portions of the river, which is laden with heavy runoff from melted snow.
Published Jul 11, 2007
