My lake assessment on May 15, 2026 revealed the following.

1. The lake is at full pool with water levels well controlled. The lake looks both healthy and in excellent condition. The lake for the third season in a row is not dominated by a spring aquatic plant commonly known as Curlyleaf pondweed (CLP). Prior to 2023, CLP would often consist of 50 to 70 surface acres of the lake that would peak in May and have a natural die off (senescence) period by mid to late June if not treated earlier in the season. Years of control measures along with the dredging project and high water levels the past three years prevented the formation of seeds (turions) which would overwinter and grow under ice only to emerge in the spring where it would begin it’s lifecycle again. The ecology of CLP is an interesting topic especially at Lake Mohawk where fish structure for a healthy fisheries is limited. In summary, CLP can be both beneficial and a nuisance as an exotic aquatic plant species.

2. All three Lake Mohawk beaches are in pristine condition. Paul Mickley and crew do an excellent job at maintaining these beaches. Not only are the beaches extremely well maintained, the restrooms associated with Main Beach and West Beach are extremely clean also.

3. Water clarity varies from bay to bay and generally has the most transparency in the northern basin of the lake which is normal and typical given the morphology (shape/depth) and inputs into the lake. Bay 9/10 (barefoot bay) often has the least clarity which is affected by suspended soil particles due to it’s shallow depth. Click for Depth Map . Bays 6, 7, and 8 are also affected by soil particle suspension both from the lake sediments and inputs into the lake from those respective areas.
4. Bay 9/10 wetland area. Bay 9/10 has a beautiful and beneficial small wetland area in the back of the bay which is home to many waterfowl and migratory birds. In addition to being a beneficial habitat, the wetland plant community acts an excellent natural filter to incoming potential pollutants and runoff.

5. Watermilfoil – (Myriophyllum sp.) An aquatic plant with the common name watermilfoil is making it’s presence known in several locations around the lake. Areas particularly affected at this point include the back cove area of bay 3 and along sporadic areas around the shoreline of bays 6 and 7. This rooted aquatic plant most likely overwintered and survived winter drawdown by being located in depths where the roots were not subject to freezing temperatures.

Limited growth of watermilfoil can be beneficia for the fisheries and the lake ecology however, milfoil can quickly spread to other parts of the lake by plant fragmentation. There were years in the past when this plant became very dominant (abundant) around much of the entire lake. Fortunately there are ways to manage this plant through judicial and targeted use of aquatic pesticides. There are times in our northern lakes that watermilfoil is naturally controlled by a weevil appropriately named the milfoil weevil (Euhrychiopsis lecontei). This natural biological controI is a slow process as it takes time for the weevil population to increase enough to control the plants adequately. Generally, the best method of control is with the application of a systemic herbicide early in the season which controls both all parts of the plant including the roots, stem, and leaves.

Abundant spring precipitation has resulted in Lake Mohawk reaching full pool early in the season affecting many biological aspects of the lake. Managing water levels at Lake Mohawk is extremely challenging considering the fact that Lake Mohawk uses a “drawdown” winter method of lake management to prevent damage to docking structures and shoreline retaining walls. Drawdown also is a selective natural method of aquatic plant control. Allowing too much water out in the spring followed by summer drought conditions results in an abundance of nuisance aquatic vegetation and docking issues in shallow portions of the lake. Paul Mickley does an excellent job at managing water depth throughout the season.

Water clarity was good with a healthy balance of spring planktonic algae which benefits the overall aquatic ecology of the lake. Relatively few aquatic plants were observed around the entire perimeter of the lake with the exception of the marina. Watermilfoil fragments were observed accumulating in the marina due to prevailing southwest winds. The origin of the plant fragments have yet to be determined. Watermilfoil while beneficial to the fisheries to some degree can quickly spread to other portions of the lake and become a nuisance. Management of watermilfoil will be ongoing throughout the season.

An electrofishing survey of the fisheries was being conducted by Jones Fish and Lake Management on the day of my lake assessment. While generally not recommended during the spring spawning season of bass and crappie, this survey was initiated due to concerns over the health of the fisheries. Spring crappie “die off” is often alarming to many people even though it is a natural part of the crappie life cycle. Spawning stress, overwintering, natural aging, etc., often results in a relatively minor die off. I will post the results of the electrofishing study here when it is available.

by Jeff Gray M.S. Aquatic Biologist