A University of Wisconsin study reportedly suggests northern U.S. lakes have been losing annual ice cover earlier each year for the past 30 years.
Researchers re-examined ice trends for 56 lakes across Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, Ontario and New York from 1971 to 2002, the Duluth (Minn.) News-Tribune reported Tuesday, and found all 56 lakes had an ice breakup averaging three days earlier each decade.
The latest study shows the lakes are losing faster than before 1975, the newspaper said.
The study was led by University of Wisconsin limnologist Barbara Benson and continues 2000 research that showed lakes losing 18 days of ice cover from 1846 to 1995.
Benson declined comment on the details of her research until after it has been published in Science magazine early next year. The News-Tribune said it obtained its latest information from an abstract Benson presented in August.
Copyright 2005 by United Press International
