Great Moose Lake 2008 Invasive Aquatic Plant Screening Survey Report

By Lake and Watershed Resource Management Associates

PO Box 65, Turner, ME 04282

To: Great Moose Lake Association

We are writing to document the findings of the Level 1 Invasive Aquatic Plant Screening Survey, contracted by GMLA and conducted on Great Moose Lake by Lake & Watershed Resource Management Associates on August 27, 2008. A Level 1 survey concentrates exclusively on the high-risk areas in the waterbody such as public boat landings, and the screening includes the littoral zones associated with and adjacent to these areas. (The littoral zone is defined as the portion of the waterbody where sunlight penetrates to the bottom and where rooted aquatic plants grow.)

A level 1 survey focuses on areas where invasive aquatic plants are most likely to be introduced and to colonize. However, to be certain that aquatic invaders are not present in a lake, a level 3 survey (entire littoral area within the lake) should be conducted.

The 2008 survey concentrated on the public boat landing off of Great Moose Drive. The site was screened for the presence of the eleven invasive aquatic plants listed by Maine law as imminent threats to Maine waters: Brazilian elodea, curly-leaf pondweed, Eurasian water-milfoil, European Frogbit, European naiad, fanwort, parrot feather, yellow floating heart, variable water-milfoil, water chestnut, and hydrilla. The survey was conducted under suitable conditions (good light, relatively calm water) by two surveyors: one surveying the shallower portions of the littoral zone in a kayak, the other diving with SCUBA equipment to closely observe the deeper areas. Both surveyors utilized standardized protocols and equipment.

FINDINGS: No invasive aquatic plants were observed.

Though complete, detailed native plant inventories were not part of the 2008 survey project; the following 33 native plant species were observed and noted during the course of the survey. (Five species were dominant in the area; they are listed in bold font.)

aquatic moss

arrowhead, common (Sagittaria latifolia)

arrowhead spp. (sterile) (Sagittaria spp.)

bladderwort, common (Utricularia macrorhiza)

bur-reed, floating leaf (Sparganium fluctuans)

bur-reed, narrow floating leaf (Sparganium angustifolium)

creeping spearwort (Ranunculus flammula)

freshwater sponge

horsetail, water (Equisetum fluviatile)

little floating heart (Nymphoides cordata)

manna grass spp. (Glyceria spp. )

muskgrass (Chara spp.)

naiad, slender (Najas flexilis)

pipewort (Eriocaulon aquaticum)

pondweed, flat-stem (Potamogeton zosteriformis)

pondweed, fern (Potamogeton robbinsii)

pondweed, large-leaf (Potamogeton amplifolious)

pondweed, ribbon-leaf (Potamogeton epihydrus)

pondweed, small (Potamogeton berchtoldii)

pondweed, spiral fruited (Potamogeton spirillus)

pondweed, variable (Potamogeton gramineus)

quillwort spp. (Isoetes spp.)

rush, bayonet Juncus militaris)

spatterdock (Nuphar variegata)

spikerush, needle (Eleocharis acicularis)

stonewort spp. (Nitella spp.)

water lily, fragrant (Nymphea odorata)

water marigold (Bidens beckii)

water milfoil, dwarf (Myriophyllum tenellum)

watersheild (Brasenia schreberi)

waterwort (Elatine minima)

waterweed, common (Elodea canadensis)

wild celery (eel grass) (Vallisneria americana)