High Mountain Lake Research Natural Areas in Idaho Fred W. Rabe The Author Fred W. Rabe is an aquatic ecologist and retired professor from the Biological Sciences Department at the University of Idaho in Moscow, ID. Abstract High mountain lakes in Idaho total about 1800 and represent one of the most pris- time type ecosystems in the country. Limnological characteristics are described for 27 lakes and 20 ponds in 32 established and proposed Research Natural A r e a s (RNA) representing seven subregions in the state. Field collections were made from the 1960s through 1999 by diff e r e n t researchers. Even though data about some of these lakes is not currently available, the databases can be updated as research continues. A classification is developed to include elevation, size, depth, production potential and lake origin. Additional infor- mation that describes the sites is pH, rock type and hydrology. Aquatic plants, zoo- plankton, immature aquatic insects and cold water vertebrates inhabiting the water bodies are described. The classification can be applied to gap analysis to identify missing or under-represented natural area types. Future research efforts can focus on covering the gaps and bringing more high mountain lakes into the RNA system. Keywords: high mountain lakes, lake clas- sification, reference area, macroinverte- brates, zooplankton Cover photo: View of Theriault Pond locat- ed in a cirque basin on the side of Marble Mountain within Theriault Lake Research Natural Area in north-central Idaho. Photo by the author, July 12, 1998. HIGH MOUNTAIN LAKE RESEARCH NATURAL AREAS IN IDAHO Fred W. Rabe Contents Idaho Subregions .....................................................................................................................................i Introduction..............................................................................................................................................1 Field Methods ..........................................................................................................................................7 Classification ...........................................................................................................................................9 Description of high mountain lake Research Natural Areas in Idaho..............................................17 North Idaho Subregion .........................................................................................................................19 Snowy Top Lake..........................................................................................................................21 Three Ponds ...............................................................................................................................25 Scotchman No. 2 Pond...............................................................................................................27 Pond Peak Pond.........................................................................................................................29 Idaho Batholith Subregion....................................................................................................................33 Theriault Pond.............................................................................................................................35 Bacon Lakes...............................................................................................................................39 Steep Lakes................................................................................................................................43 Grave Peak Lake and Ponds.....................................................................................................49 Fenn Mountain Lakes .................................................................................................................55 Salmon Mountain Lake and Ponds.............................................................................................57 Allan Mountain Ponds.................................................................................................................63 Fish Lake ....................................................................................................................................67 Square Mountain Lake................................................................................................................71 Dome Lake..................................................................................................................................75 Belvidere Lakes and Ponds........................................................................................................77 Mystery Lake...............................................................................................................................85 Chilcoot Lake..............................................................................................................................89 Cache Creek Lakes and Pond....................................................................................................93 Master Sergeant Lake and Ponds..............................................................................................99 Western Fringe Subregion..................................................................................................................103 Little Granite Creek Lakes........................................................................................................105 Goat Lake .................................................................................................................................109 Lava Butte Lake and Ponds......................................................................................................111 Steamboat Lake........................................................................................................................115 Needles Lake and Pond............................................................................................................117 Fiddle Lake................................................................................................................................119 Sawtooths Subregion..........................................................................................................................123 Surprise Valley Lake and Pond.................................................................................................125 Smiley Mountain Lake and Ponds............................................................................................129 Broad Valleys Subregion.....................................................................................................................137 Kenney Creek Pond .................................................................................................................139 Upper Mill Lake.........................................................................................................................141 Upper Merriam Lake.................................................................................................................145 Great Basin Subregion........................................................................................................................149 Mount Harrison Pond................................................................................................................151 Southeast Idaho Subregion................................................................................................................155 Bloomington Lake.....................................................................................................................157 Summary and Discussion ..................................................................................................................161 Recommendations...............................................................................................................................166 Table 1. Classification elements of high mountain lakes........................................................................10 Table 2. Association between physical, chemical and biotic factors with production potential in high lakes ..................................................................................................................................10 Table 3. Modifiers used in classification of high mountain lakes............................................................13 Table 4. Classification elements associated with high lakes and ponds ..............................................162 Table 5. Dominant Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera and Trichoptera from lakes ponds and streams....................................................................................................................................166 Glossary ...............................................................................................................................................169 Appendix A: Vascular and Nonvascular Plant Species ...................................................................173 Appendix B: Zooplankton Species ....................................................................................................175 Appendix C: Macroinvertebrate Taxa.................................................................................................177 Acknowledgements Sedges, grasses and shrubs were identi- The support for this project was supplied in fied at some RNAs by Mabel Jones and part by the Rocky Mountain Research Michael