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Bass Lake Water Transparency more information water transparency Bass Lake has been monitored for water transparency from 2003 to 2011. The historical mean is 10.7, which is similar to the other lakes in PGOLID. Bass Lake is relatively sheltered from the large waves that can occur on Pelican and Fish Lakes. It has vegetation on the south end, which is suitable fish spawning habitat. 2011 Results In 2011, the Secchi disk average was 11.3 ft, which is higher than the historical average (10.7).

Historical Secchi Disk Annual Means 1997-2011:

The transparency varies year-to-year due to changes in weather, precipitation, lake use, flooding, temperature, lake levels, etc. Site 201 in Bass Lake has been monitored from 1997-2011. The annual means for Bass Lake range from 9.6-13.4 ft. The annual mean transparency stays right around the historical mean for most years. Transparency was highest in 2002, and lowest in 2010.

Trend analysis is inconclusive. Data show that the transparency is either staying the same or declining 0.25-2.39 feet per decade. This transparency trend is most likely due to the increasing trend in chlorophyll a concentrations. To see more about this trend click here.

Bass Lake transparency ranges from 7.5 to 20 feet throughout the summer. The figure above shows the seasonal transparency dynamics. Bass Lake transparency varies greatly in May and early June and then declines slightly throughout the summer, except for 2011. This pattern is typical for a lake of this depth in Minnesota. The transparency dynamics have to do with algae population dynamics and lake turnover.

to next page: Bass Lake chlorophyll-a results

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