Upper Bolton Lake, Coventry

2005 Aquatic Plant Survey Map of Upper Bolton Lake

Transect Data | Water Data

Upper Bolton Lake is 50 acres and is the smallest of the three Bolton Lakes. Its maximum depth is 7.5 feet, and its mean depth is 3 feet. Upper Bolton Lake feeds into Middle Bolton Lake through a culvert under the road on its southern shore. Surrounded mostly by wetland, there is no residential development on the shoreline. Public access is available only at the state-owned boat ramp on the southern shore and boat motors are limited to 6hp.

The CAES IAPP July 2005 survey, revealed large amounts of vegetation in the entire lake. The southern and deepest portion of the lake was covered mainly by watershield (Brasenia schreberi) and common bladderwort (Utricularia macrorhiza). Along the west side there were numerous patches of yellow water lily (Nuphar variegata), white water lily (Nymphaea odorata), watershield, slender naiad (Najas flexilis), ribbon-leaf pondweed (Potamogeton epihydrus), spotted pondweed (Potamogeton pulcher), small pondweed (Potamogeton pusillus), purple bladderwort (Utricularia purpurea), and to a lesser extent,Oakes' pondweed (Potamogeton oakesianus). There was a large patch of western waterweed (Elodea nuttallii), and several large patches of needle spikerush (Eleocharis acicularis), small pondweed and white water lily located in the southern portion of the lake, as well as the invasive variable-leaf watermilfoil (Myriophyllum heterophyllum). The western side of the lake had several large patches of white water lily and yellow water lily, and smaller patches of spotted pondweed, sevenangle pipewort (Eriocaulon aquaticum), and small pondweed. The northern part of the lake was also covered in vegetation with pickerelweed (Pontederia cordata) as the dominant species and contained large patches of watershield, yellow water lily, white water lily, and common bladderwort.