Algal bloom occurring during 2023 vegetation survey.

Avery Pond, Preston - 2023

Transect Data | Water Data

     Avery Pond is a 36-acre waterbody downstream from Amos Lake in Preston, Connecticut. The western side of the pond is developed with a few homes and a public boat launch for recreation. The Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station Office of Aquatic Invasive Species (CAES OAIS) previously surveyed Avery Pond in 2005 and 2014.

     In 2023, CAES OAIS found northern hydrilla (Hydrilla verticillata ssp. lithuanica) in Amos Lake, which triggered concern that it could also be in nearby waterbodies. A member of the public found what they thought was northern hydrilla in Avery Pond, so CAES OAIS conducted a vegetation survey of the pond. Fortunately, the plant in question was native western waterweed (Elodea nuttallii), a hydrilla look alike.

     CAES OAIS documented 11 different native aquatic plant species and 3 semi-aquatic/wetland plant species during the 2023 survey. The number of native species documented has increased in each survey year. Only 3 native species were documented in 2005 and 7 in 2014. There were 5 native aquatic plant species found in 2023 that weren’t found in 2005 or 2014. These include arrowhead (Sagittaria species), common bladderwort (Utricularia vulgaris), swamp loosestrife (Decodon verticillatus), watershield (Brasenia schreberi), and western waterweed.

     The three semi-aquatic/wetland pant species include native cattail (Typha species), invasive phragmites (Phragmites australis), and invasive purple loosestrife (Lythrum salicaria). Previously, CAES OAIS has not included semi-aquatic species in aquatic vegetation surveys, which is why these species aren’t mentioned in previous survey summaries. It’s possible that all three semi-aquatic species documented in 2023 were present in the other survey years.