Wononscopomuc Lake, Salisbury

2004 Aquatic Plant Survey Map of Lake Wononscopomuc 
Transect Data | Water Data

The 348-acre Wononscopomuc Lake (also known as Lakeville Lake) is a natural marl lake that supports a diverse community of aquatic plants. The town beach and a boat launch are on the lake’s north shore. Access to the lake is monitored because of fears that the invasive zebra mussel will be introduced on boats or trailers from nearby Twin Lakes. The area around the lake is residentially developed, although the houses are on large lots, and most are set far back from the lake behind tree buffers. The maximum depth of the lake is 102 feet and mean depth is 36 feet.

A total of 18 species were recorded during a September 2004 survey, all of them submerged species. They include two species on the state’s endangered species list. One of the lake’s two invasive species, Eurasian watermilfoil (Myriophyllum spicatum), is very abundant, particularly in deep water.

Extending from the shoreline to water 10 feet deep, a rich community of mixed species occurs all around the lake. Among the plants found in this area are large-leaf pondweed (Potamogeton amplifolius), clasping-leaf pondweed (Potamogeton perfoliatus), flat-stemmed pondweed (Potamogeton zosteriformis), small pondweed (Potamogeton pusillus), variable pondweed (Potamogeton gramineus), Illinois pondweed (Potamogeton illinoensis), curly leaf pondweed (Potamogeton crispus), Sago pondweed (Stuckenia pectinata), Canadian waterweed (Elodea canadensis), slender naiad (Najas flexilis), eelgrass (Vallisneria americana), coontail (Ceratophyllum demersum), and white water crowfoot (Ranunculus longirostris). Although Eurasian watermilfoil occurs among these plants as well, it becomes dominant in water more than 10 feet deep, occurring virtually alone, covering the bottom. Only occasional patches of Illinois pondweed, clasping-leaf pondweed and eelgrass were observed occurring with Eurasian watermilfoil in this deep-water area.

Because of the abundance of Eurasian watermilfoil, the town operates a mechanical weed-harvester on Lake Wononscopomuc five days a week from May until late October. Aquatic plants are managed in front of houses with benthic barriers, and both barriers and sand have been used to reduce growth of plants in shallow water at a town beach.