West Hill Pond, New Hartford - 2012

West Hill Pond is a public, man-made pond located in New Hartford, CT. It is a 245-acre pond managed by the West Hill Pond Association; there is a private beach for members only located on the southwestern shoreline of the pond and a public boat ramp managed by the CT DEEP on the northern portion of the pond with restrictions of an 8 HP limit, a 15 MPH maximum speed limit, and no water-skiing.

The CAES IAPP 2012 survey of West Hill Pond is a resurvey from our 2005 initial survey. In 2005, 19 species of aquatic plants were found with one invasive species, curlyleaf pondweed (Potamogeton crispus) located in small abundance in a cove on the western shoreline. The 2012 survey of West Hill Pond found 18 species of aquatic plants none of which were invasive. Curlyleaf pondweed grows rapidly in the spring and dies off each summer. Thus, it is often not found in summer surveys as performed here. It could still be present if looked for in the spring. There was not one dominant species found growing in the pond, but many shoreline plants were growing co-dominantly around the pond including small waterwort (Elatine minima), arrowhead (Sagittaria species), Dortmann's cardinalflower (Lobelia dortmanna), and needle spikerush (Eleocharis acicularis). Two floating plants were found: yellow water lily (Nuphar variegata) and white water lily (Nymphaea odorata).

Other West Hill Pond Surveys: 2005