The CAES IAPP vegetative survey was a resurvey from 2005. This year, 25 species were found compared to 18 species in 2005. The same two invasive species, variable-leaf watermilfoil (Myriophyllum heterophyllum) and fanwort (Cabomba caroliniana) were present in the lake.
Variable-Leaf watermilfoil is the most dominant species and was found growing in the entire lake in depths of up to 24 feet of water. It was the only plant growth that occurred on the small island in the middle of the lake. This was an increase since 2005 when the plant was mainly found in the southern portion of the lake with only a few patches around the shoreline. Variable-leaf watermilfoil was present on 76% of the transect points compared to 66% in 2005.
The other invasive species, fanwort, also increased since the previous survey. In 2005, the invasive plant was found in small patches in the coves and along the shoreline. This year, fanwort expanded to several patches throughout the lake with a rather large patch in the southern portion.
In the southern portion of the lake, purple bladderwort (Utricularia purpurea) expanded from the few small patches present in the previous survey to form one large patch. Yellow water lily (Nuphar variegata) and white water lily (Nymphea odorata) also increased in abundance in the southern point of the lake.
Species found in this year’s survey that were not recorded in 2005 include water starwort (Callitriche species), spineless hornwort (Ceratophyllum echinatum), primrose-willow (Ludwigia species), southern naiad (Najas guadalupensis), leafy pondweed (Potamogeton foliosus), and common bladderwort (Utricularia macrorhiza). In the southern portion of the lake, a large patch of common bladderwort was established along with a few small patches scattered around the shoreline. Water starwort was found in one small patch along the southwest shore near Transect 7 along with a larger patch of southern naiad. Spineless hornwort was present in one small patch on the eastern shore on Transect 1. Primrose-Willow and leafy pondweed occurred in widely scattered patches along the lakeshore.