Last Epishelf Lake in Canadian Arctic Vanishes After Ice Shelf Calves

The Milne Ice Shelf on Ellesmere Island, Nunavut, calved in 2020, causing the island’s final known epishelf lake to drain into the sea and disappear permanently. Epishelf lakes form when meltwater pools behind an ice shelf, creating a unique ecosystem with distinct freshwater and marine layers. Milne Fjord’s lake was the last of an estimated 10‑17 such lakes that dotted the island’s north coast in the 20th century. A study published in Scientific Reports confirms the lake will not reappear. The loss, part of the broader retreat of the Last Ice Area—once thought to hold Arctic sea ice longest—signals accelerating climate change and underscores that Arctic shifts affect global systems.