Preprints
https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-475
https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-475
25 Feb 2025
 | 25 Feb 2025

Shrinking Lakes, Growing Concerns: Exploring perceptions of lake level decline as a prism for understanding socionatural hazards

Thomas Vogelpohl, Desirée Hetzel, Daniel Johnson, Lena Masch, Jesko Hirschfeld, Thorsten Faas, Peter Feindt, and Jörg Niewöhner

Abstract. Groß Glienicker Lake and Sacrower Lake are two lakes in the Berlin-Brandenburg region that are facing significant challenges due to declining water levels associated with climate change. A mixed-method approach was employed, incorporating ethnographic research methods, a household survey and stakeholder workshops, in order to elicit perceptions on social-ecological changes and challenges. The interaction of social-ecological structures with these perceptions was analyzed, as well as the willingness to act, both individually and collectively, to address the challenges. The analysis reveals that the hazard of lake level loss offers a prism through which diffracted social-ecological challenges become visible, thus facilitating an understanding of social processes that shape the definition of the hazard beyond ecological aspects and the path forward in governing risks adaptively. This understanding is based on perceptions of social-ecological hazards and the complexity of perceived responsibilities and willingness to contribute to managing risks. The analysis therefore sheds light on practical implications, in that focusing on pure technical solutions to maintaining or raising the water levels fails to orchestrate solutions to the social-ecological hazards.

Publisher's note: Copernicus Publications remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims made in the text, published maps, institutional affiliations, or any other geographical representation in this paper. While Copernicus Publications makes every effort to include appropriate place names, the final responsibility lies with the authors. Views expressed in the text are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher.
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Journal article(s) based on this preprint

01 Dec 2025
Shrinking lakes, growing concerns: exploring perceptions of lake level decline as a prism for understanding socionatural hazards
Thomas Vogelpohl, Desirée Hetzel, Daniel Johnson, Lena Masch, Jesko Hirschfeld, Thorsten Faas, Peter H. Feindt, and Jörg Niewöhner
Nat. Hazards Earth Syst. Sci., 25, 4731–4753, https://doi.org/10.5194/nhess-25-4731-2025,https://doi.org/10.5194/nhess-25-4731-2025, 2025
Short summary
Thomas Vogelpohl, Desirée Hetzel, Daniel Johnson, Lena Masch, Jesko Hirschfeld, Thorsten Faas, Peter Feindt, and Jörg Niewöhner

Interactive discussion

Status: closed

Comment types: AC – author | RC – referee | CC – community | EC – editor | CEC – chief editor | : Report abuse
  • RC1: 'Comment on egusphere-2025-475', Anonymous Referee #1, 18 Mar 2025
    • AC1: 'Reply on RC1', Thomas Vogelpohl, 20 May 2025
  • RC2: 'Comment on egusphere-2025-475', Ortwin Renn, 19 Mar 2025
    • AC2: 'Reply on RC2', Thomas Vogelpohl, 20 May 2025
  • RC3: 'Comment on egusphere-2025-475', Anonymous Referee #3, 09 Apr 2025
    • AC3: 'Reply on RC3', Thomas Vogelpohl, 20 May 2025

Interactive discussion

Status: closed

Comment types: AC – author | RC – referee | CC – community | EC – editor | CEC – chief editor | : Report abuse
  • RC1: 'Comment on egusphere-2025-475', Anonymous Referee #1, 18 Mar 2025
    • AC1: 'Reply on RC1', Thomas Vogelpohl, 20 May 2025
  • RC2: 'Comment on egusphere-2025-475', Ortwin Renn, 19 Mar 2025
    • AC2: 'Reply on RC2', Thomas Vogelpohl, 20 May 2025
  • RC3: 'Comment on egusphere-2025-475', Anonymous Referee #3, 09 Apr 2025
    • AC3: 'Reply on RC3', Thomas Vogelpohl, 20 May 2025

Peer review completion

AR – Author's response | RR – Referee report | ED – Editor decision | EF – Editorial file upload
ED: Reconsider after major revisions (further review by editor and referees) (18 Jun 2025) by Pedro Alencar
AR by Daniel Johnson on behalf of the Authors (29 Aug 2025)  Author's response   Author's tracked changes   Manuscript 
ED: Referee Nomination & Report Request started (09 Oct 2025) by Pedro Alencar
RR by Anonymous Referee #2 (13 Oct 2025)
RR by Anonymous Referee #1 (14 Oct 2025)
ED: Publish as is (14 Oct 2025) by Pedro Alencar
ED: Publish as is (16 Oct 2025) by Uwe Ulbrich (Executive editor)
AR by Thomas Vogelpohl on behalf of the Authors (28 Oct 2025)  Manuscript 

Journal article(s) based on this preprint

01 Dec 2025
Shrinking lakes, growing concerns: exploring perceptions of lake level decline as a prism for understanding socionatural hazards
Thomas Vogelpohl, Desirée Hetzel, Daniel Johnson, Lena Masch, Jesko Hirschfeld, Thorsten Faas, Peter H. Feindt, and Jörg Niewöhner
Nat. Hazards Earth Syst. Sci., 25, 4731–4753, https://doi.org/10.5194/nhess-25-4731-2025,https://doi.org/10.5194/nhess-25-4731-2025, 2025
Short summary
Thomas Vogelpohl, Desirée Hetzel, Daniel Johnson, Lena Masch, Jesko Hirschfeld, Thorsten Faas, Peter Feindt, and Jörg Niewöhner
Thomas Vogelpohl, Desirée Hetzel, Daniel Johnson, Lena Masch, Jesko Hirschfeld, Thorsten Faas, Peter Feindt, and Jörg Niewöhner

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Short summary
Groß Glienicker Lake and Sacrower Lake in Berlin-Brandenburg are losing water. This study examined how people perceive associated challenges as well as their willingness and capacities to respond, using interviews, surveys, and workshops. Findings show the issue is not just environmental but deeply socially embedded, requiring more than technical solutions. Viewing hazards like this one as both natural and social can help create better, more adaptive strategies for managing associated risks.
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