West Hill Pond, New Hartford - 2005

West Hill Pond is a 261-acre, deep lake with exceptionally clear water. Residential development around the pond is moderately dense. A Boy Scout camp owns much of the property along the southwestern shore, and houses have been built around much of the rest of the lake. There is a public beach on the eastern shore, and the State maintains a boat ramp at the lake's northern end. Maximum depth of the lake is 63 feet (20 m), with a mean depth of 34 feet (10 m).

In spite of its clear water, aquatic plants are limited to the periphery of the lake, growing to a depth of no more than 13 feet (4 m), although charaphyte occur deeper. The most widespread of the vascular plants observed during our September 2005 survey was Dortmann's cardinalflower (Lobelia dortmanna), which occurred along the eastern shore at the northern and southern ends of the lake and grew in smaller patches along the southern and western shores. Slender watermilfoil (Myriophyllum tenellum) and arrowhead (Sagittaria species) occurred in small patches all around the lake. Several species were observed in limited locations including the invasive curlyleaf pondweed (Potamogeton crispus). Several native species were also observed in few locations: western waterweed (Elodea nuttallii), slender naiad (Najas flexilis), water starwort (Callitriche species), and marsh primrose-willow (Ludwigia palustris).