Adirondack Park - Eagle Lake Property Owner's Inc.

egimes. Recent research suggests that this plant preserves some ecological function in invaded
sites. However, dense Phragmites stands in North America can crowd out native species, thereby
decreasing native biodiversity and quality of wetland habitat, particularly for migrating waders
and waterfowl species. As with many invaders it’s appearance at a given local is often linked to
disturbances (i.e. roadside ditch maintenance, road salting).
Adapted from:
http://www.invasiveplants.net/phragmites/Default.asp
Alewife (Alosa pseudoharengus)
Now in LC and Green Pond, Santa Clara, Franklin County in Saranac drainage. A total of seven
individuals were found in L. Champlain in 2003 and 2004. Source of population is unclear,
perhaps linked to a population established Lake St. Catherine in Poultney, Vermont, in the late
1990’s. It’s appearance in Lake Champlain may also be linked to the Richelieu river or some
source other than Lake St. Catherine. In other waters (notably the Great Lakes), alewife have
been linked to reproduction problems in the trout and salmon that feed upon them. This
thyaminase-driven Early Mortality Syndrome has generated great concern within the Lake
Champlain Fisheries Technical Committee, tasked with managing/establishing sustainable
populations of lake trout and Atlantic land-locked salmon.
Sea lamprey (Petromyzon marinus)
Though recent genetic analysis indicates sea lamprey is a native species, it remains classified as a
nuisance species with an enormous impact on lake trout, landlocked salmon, and other native
fish in Lake Champlain. Its parasitic life style at the sub-adult stage results in extremely high
wounding rates for its targeted species – primarily salmon and trout. The economic damage
attributable to this species has not been calculated to date, though some costs have been tallied.
Sea lamprey control is prominently listed in the Lake Champlain Basin Program ANS Plan, and
is only mentioned for completeness in the Adirondack ANS Plan.
Native but widely introduced fish species (NWBI): not counted in priority species of concern.
See table III.1 and related discussion.
Zebra mussel (Dreissena polymorpha)
(revise below text from LCBP ANS Plan)
The zebra mussel, a small freshwater mollusk native to Eastern Europe, likely entered Lake
Champlain through the Champlain Barge Canal. It was first discovered in the southern end of the
Lake in 1993 and can now be found throughout the entire length of the Lake. In 1997, zebra
mussel larvae, known as veligers, were recorded at a level in excess of 400,000 veligers/m 3 in the
southern end of the Lake. In many areas, all firm submerged surfaces are densely covered by
adult zebra mussels.
In 1995, zebra mussels were found in the New York portion of the Lake Champlain Basin in
Glen Lake in Queensbury, a few miles south of Lake George. In 1995 and 1997, zebra mussel
veligers were found in Lake George, and adults were subsequently found in the southern part of
the Lake. While active control and spread prevention programs are currently in place in Lake
George, a new population of adult zebra mussels was discovered in 2004. The New York
infestations were likely caused by the overland transport of contaminated boats. The upper
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