Mirror Lake Water Quality

The following is a report from Brendan Wiltse, Ph.D. of the Ausable River Association. Visit their link for the complete report and analysis.
https://www.ausableriver.org/watershed/lakes/mirror-lake/current-water-quality

The following is a report from Brendan Wiltse, Ph.D. of the Ausable River Association. Visit their link for the complete report and analysis.

Profiles from today are attached. There is still 10-12″ of ice on the lake, but it is starting to degrade in quality. We may make it out once more before ice off.

From a salt perspective, the lake is about in the same condition as it was this time last year. Dissolved oxygen concentrations are starting to dip throughout the water column. This is typical for lakes in the winter, as respiration occurs and with very little photosynthesis and no exchange with the atmosphere, oxygen declines. If fall turnover were to also be interrupted the natural decline in oxygen experienced over the winter could result in concentrations low enough to threaten the fish and other life in the lake. You can view these changes on the more detailed plots we have on our website (https://www.ausableriver.org/watershed/lakes/mirror–lake/current-water-quality).