ABSTRACT
Lakes and reservoirs vary widely in shape, size, and origin. Their size is often characterized by their depth, surface area, and volume. However, these metrics are not constant, but can vary both spatially and temporally, particularly for some reservoirs. For reservoirs, the dam and dam design, as translated into reservoir operations, impact the characteristics of, and transport within, the reservoir. Other metrics are needed to characterize the physical differences between and within lakes and reservoirs as they impact their physical, biological, and chemical characteristics.
