Uncas Lake, Lyme - 2004
2004 Aquatic Plant Survey Map of Uncas Lake
The 69-acre Uncas Lake (also known as Hog Pond) has a maximum depth of 39 feet and a mean depth of 24 feet. It is bordered on the western side by Nehantic State Forest and on the northeastern side by Beckett Hill State Park. Several houses have been built on the southeastern side of the lake. The State maintains a boat ramp on the lake, but motors are prohibited.
Uncas Lake supports a diverse community of aquatic plants, including 18 species, all of which are native to Connecticut. No invasive species were recorded during a July 2004 survey. White water lily (Nymphaea odorata) occurred all around the lake, extending from the shoreline into water up to 12 feet deep. Yellow water lily (Nuphar variegata), watershield (Brasenia schreberi), floating-leaf pondweed (Potamogeton natans), sevenangle pipewort (Eriocaulon aquaticum), slender naiad (Najas flexilis), spikerush (Eleocharis species), hiddenfruit bladderwort (Utricularia geminiscapa), and humped bladderwort (Utricularia gibba) were found in smaller patches around the lake. Robbins' pondweed (Potamogeton robbinsii) was abundant in a northeastern cove, where purple bladderwort (Utricularia purpurea), Tuckerman's quillwort (Isoetes tuckermannii), and eelgrass (Vallisneria americana) also were recorded.
A patch of snailseed pondweed (Potamogeton bicupulatus) was found in a shallow area on the eastern side of the lake, occurring with coontail (Ceratophyllum demersum). Spiral pondweed (Potamogeton spirillus) was found only in the lake's south end, and ribbon-leaf pondweed (Potamogeton epihydrus) was found in two small patches. Tuckerman's quillwort also was recorded in shallow water on rocky substrate on the eastern side and the lake's north end.