Prairie Pothole is a year-long depressional freshwater wetland lake found in Stutsman County, North Dakota. It is on land that is administered by the USGS and USFWS. The watershed is managed as part of the Chase Lake National Wildlife Refuge.[1]
| Prairie Pothole | |
|---|---|
 Monitoring equipment at Prairie Pothole | |
  Prairie Pothole | |
| Location | Stutsman County, North Dakota |
| Coordinates | 47°07′47″N 99°15′11″W / 47.129839°N 99.253147°W |
| Type | Lake |
| Basin countries | United States |
| Managing agency | U.S Geological Survey and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service |
| Surface elevation | 579 metres (1,900 ft) |
Characteristics
editThe lake has a watershed of 1.4 square kilometres (0.54 sq mi).[1] It is filled by precipitation in the form of rain and snowmelt during spring and summer. The lake is considered a terminal wetland, as there are no outflows.[2] The geology of the lake is glacial mud, clay, and silt. Soils are typically mollisols.[1]
Reeds and cattails grow in the riparian area around the lake.[1] It has a relatively low water clarity.[3]
Data collection
editEcological monitoring has been conducted at the lake since 2014. It is representative of the greater Prairie Pothole Region.[1]
The lake is home to two meteorological stations, one of which is situated on a buoy. Biological surveying is performed through electrofishing and sampling for zooplankton and macroinvertebrates.[1] Water chemistry is also sampled.[2]
See also
edit- Prairie Lake, another lake in Stutsman County where ecological research is conducted
References
edit- ^ a b c d e f "Prairie Pothole NEON". www.neonscience.org. National Ecological Observatory Network. Retrieved 20 February 2024.
- ^ a b "Prairie Pothole NEON – United States of America". DEIMS-SDR. Retrieved 21 February 2024.
- ^ Thomas, R Quinn; McClure, Ryan P; Moore, Tadhg N; Woelmer, Whitney M; Boettiger, Carl; Figueiredo, Renato J; Hensley, Robert T; Carey, Cayelan C (June 2023). "Near‐term forecasts of NEON lakes reveal gradients of environmental predictability across the US". Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment. 21 (5): 220–226. doi:10.1002/fee.2623. hdl:10919/116178.