Welsh Journals

On the supposed ice dammed lakes of South Wales by D. Q. BOWEN (University College of Wales, Aberystwyth) The former existence of extensive proglacial lakes in south Wales (Fig. 1) is widely accepted and is firmly entrenched in the literature (e.g. Pringle & George, 1961). Their reconstruction by successive writers derived very largely from the simple and attractive model of ice withdrawal published by P. F. Kendall in 1902. Kendall envisaged that as the ice withdrew from high to low ground its retreating margin formed barriers behind which melt-waters became ponded up to form lakes. Particularly favourable circumstances occurred when the lower reaches of valleys were blocked, and this situation led to lake development upstream from such ice dams. Water from the ice dammed lakes was considered to escape in two ways: (1) by flowing between the ice margin and the emerging topography, when ice marginal overflow channels were cut (e.g. Fig. 2), (2) by breaching interstream divides, when direct overflow channels were cut (e.g. Fig. 3). The identification PLATE!. A superimposed englacial meltwater channel near Maesprior, Carmarthen. (Fig. 6. 9). Melt water channels have also been called overflows, spillways and glacial drainage channels.