The Development of Anoxia in the Artificial Lake Shihwa, Korea, as a Consequence of Intertidal Reclamation

The reclamation of an intertidal flat recently created Lake Shihwa, in Kyunggi province, on the western coast of Korea. The artificial, saline lake was expected to transform into a freshwater one. However, the drainage structure of the lake does not allow entrapped Yellow Sea water to be fully replaced by freshwater from its hinterland. The lake water is strongly stratified with polluted freshwater at the surface and entrapped, saline water on the bottom. The pycnocline, lying at a depth range of 6–8 m, prevents mixing between the two water bodies, and thus generates anoxic conditions in the deeper waters. The pycnocline matches the oxic/anoxic interface between the oxygenated surface water and the hydrogen sulphide rich deep water. Stratification, the inflow of polluted water, and anoxia all contribute to the disastrous pollution of the lake.