Fenner Lake, Adams County- Critical Habitat Designation
Field work for critical habitat area designations was performed on May 25, 2006, on Fenner Lake, Adams County. The designation team was assisted by aquatic plant and shoreline assessment data collected in July, 2005. Potential areas were identified visually, with GPS readings and digital photos providing additional information.
Fenner Lake is a mesotrophic/oliogotrophic seepage lake with fair to very good water quality and very good clarity. Historically, this lake is highly variable in surface area. It had 33.8 surface acres in 1971 (48.98 surface acres in 2005), with a maximum depth of 18 feet in 1971 (20.1 feet in 2005). It has an average depth of 6 feet. As in the case in all seepage lakes, the water level on Fenner Lake fluctuates naturally with the groundwater table. The water level of Fenner Lake has been steadily dropping in the last few years. A study is currently underway to determine causes. Fenner Lake has been designated a no-motor lake for some years. Two exotic invasive plants were documented by the Fenner Lake plant survey in 2005 : Potamogeton crispus (Curly-Leaf Pondweed) and Myriophyllum spicatum (Eurasian Watermilfoil). Neither was observed in 2006 during the Critical Habitat Designation field day.
Final Report and Products