Connecticut State The Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station

   West Hill Pond is a  261 acre deep lake with exceptionally clear water. Residential development around the pond is moderately dense. A Boy Scout camp owns much of the property along the southwestern shore, and houses have been built around much of the rest of the lake. There is a public beach on the eastern shore, and the state maintains a boat ramp at the lake’s northern end. Maximum depth of the lake is 63 feet (20 m), with a mean depth of 34 feet (10 m).

   In spite of its clear water, aquatic plants are limited to the periphery of the lake, growing to a depth of no more than 13 feet (4 m), although Charaphyte occur deeper. The most widespread of the vascular plants observed during our September 2005 survey was Lobelia dortmanna (Dortmann’s cardinal flower), which occurred along the eastern shore at the northern and southern ends of the lake and grew in smaller patches along the southern and  western shores. Myriophyllum tenellum (Slender water milfoil) and Sagittaria sp. (arrowhead) occurred in small patches all around the lake. Several species were observed in limited locations including the invasive Potamogeton crispus (curlyleaf pond weed). Several native species were also observed in few locations:  Elodea nuttallii (western waterweed), Najas flexilis (bushy pondweed), Callitriche sp. (water starwort), and Ludwigia palustris (false loosestrife).

Other West Hill Pond surveys: 2012 survey

Find Common Plant Names

(65 KB, .pdf format*)

*NOTE: Some of these documents are provided in Adobe® Acrobat® (.pdf) format. In order to view or print these documents you need Adobe® Reader®.  If you do not have Adobe® Reader®, click the "Get Adobe® Reader®" image for a free copy.