Flooded Home Optical Illusion

Here is another spontaneous optical illusion. Julie from Muscoda, Wisconsin posted this on Webcanvas back in March of 2002.

Before we get to the optical illusion let's look at the below picture. From the ground to the top of the lattice doors below the decks is about 4' 6" and the lot is level.

Julie experienced some flooding and took multiple pictures on this day but the one below was the only picture that exhibited an optical illusion. This picture was not manipulated beyond the addition of the letters and arrows.

Arrows "A" point to the actual level of the water. Let's say about one foot deep. The question that Julie had was why does the level of the water appear to be about three feet higher on the lattice at the bottom "C" than on the lattice on the top "B"?

Can anyone here explain why this optical illusion causes this distortion.

You can go to the Webcanvas post to see the answers that were given to her to explain this effect. I was able to wade through what they said and I can explain it a little simpler, but the right answer is in these posts.

I might add my interpretation in the comments section in about a week.

So, what do you think caused this effect?

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