Rush Lake

Rush Lake
Location: Summer Hill, just north of Buchanan and just East of 125th
Size: 4 Acres (GPS)
Inlet/Outlet: Inlet pump with no outlet
Developed Shoreline: Homes currently being built around the shoreline. Houses are up off the water but steep banks are a major erosion threat.
Max Depth: 9.7 ft
Mean Depth: 6ft+ (See bathymetry map)
Aquatic Vegetation/Macro Algae: Constructed at the same time as Lily Pond and therefore demonstrating a similar and expected lack of diversity. Chara is blanketing ~2/3 of the bottom substrate. A small bed of Illinois Pondweed exists at the NW corner of the lake and a very small stand of Sago Pondweed has rooted near the pump inlet at the SE corner. Large clouds of filamentous algae were utilizing most of the available nutrients.
Fish Population: No fish of any species were observed during the assessment. A dense leech population was observed during a mid summer sampling event.
Plankton Data: 7-20-2005
No herbicide treatment in 2005
Zooplankton: Rotifers, Copepods and Cladocerans present at low numbers
Phytoplankton: Low diversity sample, dominated by thick Asterionella bloom, some Microcyctis
Very few green algae
Notes: Again, erosion is a major concern. With a low nutrient inlet pump and currently manageable nutrient levels, high water clarity and quality could be maintained simply by stabilizing the bank and establishing non-nuisance natives.
Recommendations: Use as demonstration lake/experimental system. Stabilize the banks and establish native plants. Aggressive minnow stocking is recommended. Could be used as a brood stock pond until native plants take and the forage base is ready to sustain predators.