Connecticut State The Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station

West Side Pond, Goshen - 2012
West Side Pond
The south shore of 42-acre West Side Pond is residentially developed, as is much of the western shore. Much of the northern shore remains wooded. A stream enters the pond from the northeast and there is a dam at the pond's southern end.

The 2012 survey was a resurvey from 2005. The 2012 survey found 23 species of aquatic plants with two invasives: variable-leaf watermilfoil (Myriophyllum heterophyllum) and Eurasian watermilfoil (Myriophyllum spicatum). This differs from the 2005 survey where 21 species were found and only one invasive, Eurasian watermilfoil, was found. In 2012, neither Eurasian watermilfoil or variable-leaf watermilfoil seemed to be growing at nuisance levels. Small to medium patches were found growing co-dominantly in various locations around the entire lake.

Floating-leaf species were the most frequently found plant in the lake. These included watershield (Brasenia schreberi), yellow water lily (Nuphar variegata), white water lily (Nymphaea odorata), and little floating heart (Nymphoides cordata). Watershield was found in large patches in the shallower areas of the lake, especially the south shore and the north center shore. The largest patch of white water lily was along the northeast shoreline but was also found in small scattered patches elsewhere. The largest patch of yellow water lily was the western corner of the lake but this plant was frequently found in smaller scattered patches throughout the shallows. Little floating heart was only found in 2-3 locations in very small frequency.

Deeper water was dominated by submerged broad leaf plants including large-leaf pondweed (Potamogeton amplifolius), Robbins' pondweed (Potamogeton robbinsii), and flat-stemmed pondweed (Potamogeton zosteriformis). Large-leaf pondweed grew in a thick band around much of the lake, reaching the deeper part of the littoral zone. Robbins' pondweed and flat-stemmed pondweed were frequently growing with large-leaf pondweed but in smaller densities.

Species recorded in our 2012 survey of West Side Pond.
Scientific Names
*Invasive Species
Arrowhead Floating-Leaf pondweed Robbins' pondweed Watershield
Canadian waterweed Large-Leaf pondweed Sevenangle pipewort Western waterweed
Coontail Little floating heart Slender naiad White stem pondweed
Eelgrass Pickerelweed Spikerush White water lily
Eurasian watermilfoil* Purple bladderwort Variable pondweed Yellow water lily
Flat-Stemmed pondweed Richardson's pondweed Variable-Leaf watermilfoil*

Other West Side Pond Surveys: 2005