<p>These are classed as ice spikes. You are correct in noting the occurrence downstream of waterfalls, as this extra turbulence is part of the formation process. The <a href="http://nd.water.usgs.gov/sw/iceformations.html" rel="nofollow">USGS page here</a> has information on the formations, photographs and a list of criteria involved in their formation:</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>The winter conditions at each of the ice formation’s locations were
  similar:</p>
  
  <ul>
  <li>Freezing or sub-zero temperatures and low flow in channel during    winter months</li>
  <li>Ice covered the surface of the stream and accumulated at depths long    the banks restricting flow</li>
  <li>In each instance, water flowed over a structure such as a weir or    beaver dam causing turbulence in the flow</li>
  <li>Due to the turbulence and restriction in flow, water emerged from    small surface openings downstream of the structure and began to<br>
  freeze – probably rapidly in some cases due to the sub-zero<br>
  temperatures at times</li>
  <li>Whether the freezing water resulted in a “columnar” or a “frothy,    bubble” ice structure depended on the unique conditions at each<br>
  location and the weather conditions over time</li>
  </ul>
</blockquote>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-05-29T16:57:27.150Z
2016-05-29T16:57:27.150Z
justCal
<p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/r7BQ6.jpg" rel="noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/r7BQ6.jpg" alt="enter image description here"></a></p>

<p>I would like to know the name(s) of this ice formation.
How common or rare is it?
What other regions of the world does this occur in?
What specific requirements are needed to produce it and could it be reliably produced in a lab or a fountain or pond?
What other structures are similar to this?</p>

<p>We also have a video which shows the center of the growing columns bubbling with orange froth, which appears to supply material to the sides of the columns as it grows.</p>

<p>These columns appear to be about two feet or 60 cm high and about eight inches or 20 cm in diameter for the largest ones.</p>

<p>They do not look like they take the shapes of crystals, rather, like the precipitation chimneys of undersea hydrothermal vents.</p>

<p>I heard that this kind of structure has been seen in Nova Scotia. I also heard they form in more than one creek in or near Hamilton, Ontario, Canada (where the pictures and videos were taken). I also heard this has happened in other years, not just this year.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-02-24T05:53:51.450Z
And why is it yellow? I suspect that the answer is related to http://earthscience.stackexchange.com/questions/4220/how-would-an-icicle-grow-upwards
naught101
<hydrology><water>
In -20 °C weather, creeks below waterfalls here form ice columns. What are these called? Ice-canoes?
Doug Wedel
# In -20 °C weather, creeks below waterfalls here form ice columns. What are these called? Ice-canoes?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2016-02-22)

[![enter image description here](https://i.sstatic.net/r7BQ6.jpg)](https://i.sstatic.net/r7BQ6.jpg)

I would like to know the name(s) of this ice formation.
How common or rare is it?
What other regions of the world does this occur in?
What specific requirements are needed to produce it and could it be reliably produced in a lab or a fountain or pond?
What other structures are similar to this?

We also have a video which shows the center of the growing columns bubbling with orange froth, which appears to supply material to the sides of the columns as it grows.

These columns appear to be about two feet or 60 cm high and about eight inches or 20 cm in diameter for the largest ones.

They do not look like they take the shapes of crystals, rather, like the precipitation chimneys of undersea hydrothermal vents.

I heard that this kind of structure has been seen in Nova Scotia. I also heard they form in more than one creek in or near Hamilton, Ontario, Canada (where the pictures and videos were taken). I also heard this has happened in other years, not just this year.

**Tags:** hydrology, water

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: And why is it yellow? I suspect that the answer is related to http://earthscience.stackexchange.com/questions/4220/how-would-an-icicle-grow-upwards  

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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_2 on 2016-05-29. Score: 3

These are classed as ice spikes. You are correct in noting the occurrence downstream of waterfalls, as this extra turbulence is part of the formation process. The [USGS page here](http://nd.water.usgs.gov/sw/iceformations.html) has information on the formations, photographs and a list of criteria involved in their formation:

> The winter conditions at each of the ice formation’s locations were
> similar:
>
> * Freezing or sub-zero temperatures and low flow in channel during winter months
> * Ice covered the surface of the stream and accumulated at depths long the banks restricting flow
> * In each instance, water flowed over a structure such as a weir or beaver dam causing turbulence in the flow
> * Due to the turbulence and restriction in flow, water emerged from small surface openings downstream of the structure and began to  
>   freeze – probably rapidly in some cases due to the sub-zero  
>   temperatures at times
> * Whether the freezing water resulted in a “columnar” or a “frothy, bubble” ice structure depended on the unique conditions at each  
>   location and the weather conditions over time


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