Oligotrophic ponds are low in nutrients and primary production, rich in oxygen throughout, and have good water clarity.
There are several thousand occurrences statewide. Very many occurrences are presumed to have good viability and are protected on public land or private conservation land. This community has statewide distribution, and includes several large, high quality examples. The current trend of this community is probably stable for occurrences on protected land, or declining slightly elsewhere due to moderate threats related to pond shore development, invasive species, and atmospheric deposition.
The numbers and acreage of oligotrophic ponds in New York have probably remained stable in recent decades as a result of wetland protection regulations. However, the condition of some of these ponds may have declined slightly to moderately due to the spread of invasive aquatic species. There may be a few cases of slight decline due to alteration of hydrology (e.g., ditching and impoundments) and reduced water quality from nutrient input from surrounding developed uplands. Atmospheric deposition of pollutants (e.g., acid rain and heavy metals) may diminish oligotrophic dimictic lakes, especially in the Adirondack Mountains.
The numbers and acreage of eutrophic ponds in New York have probably declined moderately from historical numbers likely correlated to alteration of hydrology (e.g., ditching and impoundments, conversion to farm ponds). The water quality of several of these lakes has likely declined significantly as a result of several human caused disturbances (e.g., atmospheric deposition, impoundments, nutrient and pollution run-off, invasive species, watershed development, etc.).
Where practical, maintain or increase the adjacent wetland and upland buffer to reduce storm-water, pollution, and nutrient run-off, while simultaneously capturing sediments before they reach the pond. Buffer width should take into account the erodibility of the surrounding soils, slope steepness, and current land use. If possible, minimize the number and size of impervious surfaces in the surrounding landscape. Avoid habitat alteration within the lake and surrounding landscape. For example, roads should not be routed through the pond shore buffer area. If a pond must be crossed, then bridges and boardwalks are preferred over filling and culverts. Restore ponds that have been affected by unnatural disturbance (e.g., remove obsolete impoundments and ditches in order to restore the natural hydrology). Prevent the spread of invasive exotic species into the pond through appropriate direct management, and by minimizing potential dispersal corridors.
Oligotrophic ponds are threatened by development in the surrounding landscape and its associated run-off (e.g., agricultural, residential, roads, railroads, golf courses, campgrounds), recreational overuse (e.g., boating, shoreline camping), and habitat alteration in the adjacent landscape (e.g., excessive logging, pollution, nutrient loading). Alteration to the natural hydrology is also a threat to this community (e.g., impoundments, blocked culverts). Oligotrophic ponds are threatened by invasive species, such as variable leaf watermilfoi (Myriophylluum heterophyllum), Eurasian milfoil (Myriophyllum spicatum), and curly leafed pondweed (Potamogeton crispus). Atmospheric deposition of pollutants (e.g., acid rain and heavy metals) is also a threat to some oligotrophic ponds, especially in the Adirondack Mountains (Jenkins et al. 2005). Although most ponds are recovering from historical DDT impacts, there is the potential threat that the proposed use of herbicides to control exotic plants (e.g., SONAR) may affect non-target native species.
Where practical, establish and maintain a pond shore buffer to reduce storm-water, pollution, and nutrient run-off, while simultaneously capturing sediments before they reach the pond. Buffer width should take into account the erodibility of the surrounding soils, slope steepness, and current land use. If possible, minimize the number and size of impervious surfaces in the surrounding landscape. Avoid habitat alteration within the pond and surrounding landscape. For example, roads should not be routed through the pond shore buffer area. If a pond must be crossed, then bridges and boardwalks are preferred over filling and culverts. Restore ponds that have been affected by unnatural disturbance (e.g., remove obsolete impoundments and ditches in order to restore the natural hydrology). Prevent the spread of invasive exotic species into the pond through appropriate direct management, and by minimizing potential dispersal corridors.
When considering road construction and other development activities minimize actions that will change what water carries and how water travels to this community, both on the surface and underground. Water traveling over-the-ground as run-off usually carries an abundance of silt, clay, and other particulates during (and often after) a construction project. While still suspended in the water, these particulates make it difficult for aquatic animals to find food; after settling to the bottom of the wetland, these particulates bury small plants and animals and alter the natural functions of the community in many other ways. Thus, road construction and development activities near this community type should strive to minimize particulate-laden run-off into this community. Water traveling on the ground or seeping through the ground also carries dissolved minerals and chemicals. Road salt, for example, is becoming an increasing problem both to natural communities and as a contaminant in household wells. Fertilizers, detergents, and other chemicals that increase the nutrient levels in wetlands cause algae blooms and eventually an oxygen-depleted environment where few animals can live. Herbicides and pesticides often travel far from where they are applied and have lasting effects on the quality of the natural community. So, road construction and other development activities should strive to consider: 1. how water moves through the ground, 2. the types of dissolved substances these development activities may release, and 3. how to minimize the potential for these dissolved substances to reach this natural community.
Resurvey known occurrences and survey for occurrences statewide to advance documentation of the current stucture, composition, and condition of oligotrophic ponds. Continue searching for ponds in good condition (A- to AB-ranked). Review and incorporate data on occurrences in NY gathered by the Adirondack Lakes Survey Corporation, the Adirondack Park Invasive Plant Program, and the New York State Federation of Lake Associations, Inc.
There is a need to research the composition of oligotrophic dimictic lakes statewide in order to characterize variations. Continued research is needed on the impacts that atmospheric deposition has on this community. Three to four ecoregional variants (Northern Appalachian, Lower New England, Allegheny Plateau, and possibly North Atlantic Coast types) are suspected to differ in dominant, and characteristic vascular plants, fishes, mollusks, and insects. Tarn ponds, and flow-through or fluvial ponds, might be distinct variants worthy of recognition as separate communities, but need further evaluation. Tarn ponds occur in alpine to subalpine zones, and are typically frozen annually for extended periods.
Widespread throughout New York State, especially common in the Adirondack Mountains. Also likely to be abundant in the Appalachian Plateau, Taconic Highlands, Tug Hill, and Rensselaer Plateau regions.
This broadly-defined community may be worldwide. Examples with the greatest biotic affinities to New York occurrences are suspected to span north to southern Canada, west to Minnesota, southwest to Indiana and Tennessee, and southeast to North Carolina.
The aquatic community of a small, shallow, nutrient-poor pond. The water is very clear, and the bottom is usually sandy or rocky. Oligotrophic ponds are too shallow to remain thermally stratified throughout the summer; they often freeze and become inversely stratified in the winter (coldest water at the surface), therefore they are winter-stratified monomictic ponds. Additional characteristic features of an oligotrophic pond include the following: blue or green water with high transparency (Secchi disk depths of 4 to 8 m); water low in plant nutrients (especially low in nitrogen, also low in calcium); low primary productivity (inorganic carbon fixed = 7 to 25 g/m2/yr). Alkalinity is typically low (less than 12.5 mg/l calcium carbonate).
Aquatic vegetation is typically sparse, and species diversity is low. Littoral, epilimnion, and acidic tolerant species assemblages are usually dominant. Characteristic species are rosette-leaved aquatics such as pipewort (Eriocaulon aquaticum), water lobelia (Lobelia dortmanna), and quillwort (Isoetes echinospora). Additional characteristic aquatic macrophytes may include ribbon-leaved pondweed (Potamogeton epihydrus), Farwell’s water milfoil (Myriophyllum farwellii), bladderwort (Utricularia macrorhiza), and floating bur-reed (Sparganium fluctuans).
Known examples of this community have been found at elevations between 1,416 feet and 2,011 feet.
Small oligotrophic ponds can be viewed year round from the shore. Larger ponds are fun to explore in mid- to late summer by canoe. Since these ponds have very clear water they are great to explore by snorkeling.
Percent cover
This figure helps visualize the structure and "look" or "feel" of a typical Oligotrophic Pond. Each bar represents the amount of "coverage" for all the species growing at that height. Because layers overlap (shrubs may grow under trees, for example), the shaded regions can add up to more than 100%.
Edinger, G. J., D. J. Evans, S. Gebauer, T. G. Howard, D. M. Hunt, and A. M. Olivero (editors). 2014. Ecological Communities of New York State. Second Edition. A revised and expanded edition of Carol Reschke’s Ecological Communities of New York State. New York Natural Heritage Program, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, Albany, NY. https://www.nynhp.org/ecological-communities/
New York Natural Heritage Program. 2023. New York Natural Heritage Program Databases. Albany, NY.
Nichols, W. F. 2015. Natural Freshwater Lakes and Ponds in New Hampshire: Draft Classification. NH Natural Heritage Bureau, Concord, NH.
Olivero-Sheldon, A. and M.G. Anderson. 2016. Northeast Lake and Pond Classification. The Nature Conservancy, Eastern Conservation Science, Eastern Regional Office. Boston, MA.
Roberts, D.A., R. Singer, and C.W. Boylen. 1985. The submerged macrophyte communities of Adirondack Lakes (New York, U.S.A) of varying degrees of acidity. Aquat. Bot. 21:219-235.
This guide was authored by: Gregory J. Edinger
Information for this guide was last updated on: May 18, 2021
Please cite this page as:
New York Natural Heritage Program. 2023.
Online Conservation Guide for
Oligotrophic pond.
Available from: https://guides.nynhp.org/oligotrophic-pond/.
Accessed October 3, 2023.