Hidden Lake, Higganum - 2005
2005 Aquatic Plant Survey Map of Hidden Lake
The 39-acre Hidden Lake is bordered by dense development of residential homes. A dam exists at the lake’s west end. Access is limited to residents, and boats with motors are prohibited.
Aquatic plants were abundant at the time of our July 2005 survey. Submerged plants covered nearly the entire bottom of the shallow waterbody, and floating-leaved species were scattered through the middle of the lake, though they were most abundant at the ends of three sheltered coves. No invasive aquatic plant species were found.
White water lily (Nymphaea odorata) was the most abundant species in Hidden Lake, occurring almost continuously in the deeper water. The other floating-leaved species, watershield (Brasenia schreberi) and yellow water lily (Nuphar variegata) also were found throughout the lake but in much smaller patches.
A number of submerged plants grew under the floating-leaved species throughout the lake. The most abundant of these was eelgrass (Vallisneria americana), which grew throughout most of the lake. Slender naiad (Najas flexilis) and charaphyte (Chara) also were found all around the lake, but in much smaller quantities. Ribbon-Leaf pondweed (Potamogeton epihydrus), common bladderwort (Utricularia macrorhiza), and purple bladderwort (Utricularia purpurea) were found in small patches on all sides of the lake, but these species were mostly confined to the shallow water.
Other less abundant submerged plants were snailseed pondweed (Potamogeton bicupulatus) and floating-leaf pondweed (Potamogeton natans) found in the north, south, and west edges of the lake and needle spikerush (Eleocharis acicularis) found in the south and west edges as well as one small patch in the middle of the lake with floating bladderwort (Utricularia radiata). Pickerelweed (Pontederia cordata) and small pondweed (Potamogeton pusillus) were found on the north and west sides of the lake, and small waterwort (Elatine minima), golden hedge-hyssop (Gratiola aurea), Engelman's quillwort (Isoëtes engelmannii) and flat-leaf bladderwort (Utricularia intermedia) were only found on the west side.