Lost Canyon Lake

Lost Canyon Lake
Location: Off Cheyenne Wells Trail near the North Entrance Gate
Size: 6.7 Acres (GPS)
Inlet/Outlet: None
Developed Shoreline: No
Max Depth: ~10 ft
Mean Depth: ~6ft
Aquatic Vegetation/Macro Algae: Chara dominated with lily pads in shallow areas. Small patches of sparse Illinois Pondweed mainly in the southern half of the lake with a small bed of Sago Pondweed at the north end associated with cattails.
Fish Population: Hybrid bluegills and sunfish (green) dominant. Sunfish were spawning on shallow sandy bar at time of assessment. Notable yellow perch observed. Largemouth bass present with very few larger fish observed
Plankton Community: 7-20-2005
(No herbicide treatment applied in 2005)
Zooplankton: Rotifers, Copepods and Cladocera very common and diverse reflecting balanced system
Phytoplankton: Very diverse, only semblance of dominance by small thin filamentous Ocillatoria-like. Ceratium present. Sample very low in blue-greens with no “cyctins”
Sample very mixed with ample smaller green algae
Notes: Lost Canyon Lake is a great example of a natural system with no shoreline development and natural buffer zones surrounding the lake. Water clarity remained high throughout the 2005 summer season despite massive nutrient inputs from aspen “snow”. Released nutrients were taken up by non-nuisance native plants before algae could gain momentum. One of the true hidden jewels of the Canadian Lakes development and one of the most undisturbed aquatic systems.
Recommendations: Shallow water is limiting the fish population due to overwinter stress and lack of biodiversity potential. Having no observed minnow species is also limiting fishery production. This system would be an ideal canidate for an experimental Golden Shiner/Fathead minnow stocking. It may also be an ideal system to introduce non-nuisance native aquatic plant species to demonstrate stabilizing effects of native biodiversity. Maintenance crew should leave a buffered area along the East shoreline, it is being mowed down to the water’s edge currently in conjunction with mowing of the park and tennis court on that side of the lake.

Camper Pond North and Camper Pond South
Location: In the Campground near the NE and SW corners of Camper Lake
Size: ~1 acre each (No GPS Map)
Inlet/Outlet: None
Developed Shoreline: None on the South Pond but trailers on South West and North shore of North Pond
Max Depth: <10 ft
Mean Depth: <6ft
Aquatic Vegetation/Macro Algae: Chara dominated, lily pads near shore and in the shallows, with Utricularia or Bladderwort being the dominant aquatic vascular plant.
Fish Population: Unobserved
Plankton Data: 7-20-2005