TOAD (EMERALD) LAKE -- WHATCOM COUNTY: 1997

Size (acres)                          33
Maximum Depth (feet)                  31
Mean Depth (feet)                     20
Lake Volume (acre-feet)              660
Drainage Area (square miles)        0.50
Altitude (feet)                      714
Shoreline Length (miles)             1.2

Contour Map

Source of morphometric data: Water Supply Bulletins 42, 43, and 57.


VOLUNTEER-COLLECTED SECCHI DATA
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Date      Temperature      Water      %Cloud Recent        Secchi Lake  
(Y/M/D)    (C)   (F)  pH   Color      Cover  Rain   Wind   (ft)   Ht(in) Abbrev. Comments
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
        STATION 1
97/09/08                   Undefined     0   None   Calm   20.0     0.0  WATER WAS AQUA-MARINE
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LABORATORY RESULTS
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                    Total       Total                   Fecal Col. Bacteria  Turb-    Suspended Solids           
                    Phosphorus  Nitrogen   Chlorophyll  (colonies/100 mL)    idity    Total   Non-Volatile   Color  
Date         Strata (ug/L)      (mg/L)     (ug/L)       Site 1    Site 2     (NTU)    (mg/L)  (mg/L)         (Pt-Co)
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
        STATION 1
97/06/10       E      10        0.64J                      3         1U                                          
97/06/10       H      17        0.66J                                                                            
97/09/08       E       9        0.26        3.2            3         2        0.8                                
97/09/08       H      41        0.32                                                                             
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E=epilimnion composite, H=hypolimnion composite.  Remarks codes: U = Below detection limits; J = Estimate.


SUMMARY OF VOLUNTEER SURVEY


There was no survey response for 1997.

FIELD OBSERVATIONS OF ECOLOGY STAFF
6-10-97  The lake truly is an emerald color.  There were lots of fish fry observed.  A
bullfrog and garter snake were observed.

9-8-97  Two hawks were observed flying overhead.

TROPHIC STATUS
Estimated Trophic State:                                 Oligo-mesotrophic
Mean Trophic State Index (Secchi):                       34N* (Oligotrophic)
Mean Trophic State Index (Total Phosphorus):             36 (Oligotrophic)
Mean Trophic State Index (Chlorophyll a):                42 (Mesotrophic)

*The calculated TSI is an estimate.  The Secchi disk hit bottom (B), entered the weeds
(W), or there were too few valid readings (N), or the calculation was based on
qualified data (J), or TSIP was based on spring data (S).

SUMMARY AND EXPLANATION OF TROPHIC STATE ASSESSMENT
Toad Lake is assessed as oligo-mesotrophic due to its moderate chlorophyll
concentration and the low hypolimnetic DO concentration in the spring and summer.

COMMENTS FROM 97/07/03 AQUATIC PLANT SURVEY
sunny, light breeze.  Floculant algae in lake.  Ducks and geese hanging out, strange
frog noises.  Not many plants in most of lake, steep sided, bare organic sediments.
Patches of P. amplifolius and E. canadensis  Maximum depth of plant growth:  3.0M. 

AQUATIC PLANT LIST  (This list may be from multiple years and sources.)Carex
sp. (sedge)  Chara sp. (muskwort)  Elodea canadensis (common elodea)
Juncus sp. (rush)  Lysimachia thyrsiflora (tufted loosestrife)  
Nuphar polysepala (spatter-dock, yellow water-lily)  Nymphaea odorata 
(fragrant waterlily)  Phalaris arundinacia (reed canarygrass)  Potamogeton
amplifolius (large-leaf pondweed)  Potentilla palustris (purple (marsh)
cinquefoil)  Typha sp. (cat-tail)

Data collected and provided by Washington Department of Ecology's Lake Monitoring Program (Maggie Bell-McKinnon, phone 360- 407-6124).

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