Lake Buel

Infobox lake
lake_name = Lake Buel
image_lake = Lakebuel.jpg
caption_lake = September on the Lake
image_bathymetry =
caption_bathymetry =
location = Berkshire County, Massachusetts
coords =
type =
inflow =
outflow =
catchment =
basin_countries = United States
length =
width =
area = convert|196|acre|abbr=on
depth = convert|20|ft|abbr=on
max-depth = convert|42|ft|abbr=on
volume =
residence_time =
shore =
elevation = convert|908|ft|m|abbr=on
islands =
cities = Monterey, New Marlboro

Lake Buel is a convert|196|acre|km2|sing=on great pond in Berkshire County, Massachusetts just east of Great Barrington.cite web| url=http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~maberksh/directory/lakes.html | title=Lakes and Ponds in Berkshires County| accessdate=2008-03-28] Over one-hundred summer home and a few dozen year-round homes surround it. The Lake is named after Samuel C. Buel of Tyringham, Massachusetts who saved people from drowning on the Lake (called at the time Six Mile Pond) on July 23, 1812. [cite book
last = Taylor
first = Charles J.
authorlink =
coauthors =
title = History of Great Barrington
publisher = Clark W. Bryan & Co.
date = 1882
location = Great Barrington, Mass.
pages = 380
url = http://books.google.com/books?id=qkIOAAAAIAAJ&pg=PA380&dq=%22Lake+Buel%22&lr=
doi =
id =
isbn = ]

The northern shore of the Lake is in the town of Monterey and the southern shore is in New Marlboro. There is a paved boat ramp on the northwest shore that is owned by the Public Access Board and managed by the Division of Forests and Parks.cite web| url=http://www.mass.gov/dfwele/dfw/habitat/maps/ponds/pdf/dfwbuel.pdf | title=LAKE BUEL | accessdate=2008-03-28] It is managed by the Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Game.cite book |title= Clean Lakes and Great Ponds Program, Phase II Project: Lake Buel |edition= Revision |year= 1991 |publisher= Ecosystem Consulting Service, Inc. |location= Coventry, Connecticut |pages=51] A portion of the Appalachian Trail crosses the Lake's watershed.cite book |title= Clean Lakes and Great Ponds Program, Phase II Project: Lake Buel |edition= Revision |year= 1991 |publisher= Ecosystem Consulting Service, Inc. |location= Coventry, Connecticut |pages=51]

Natural characteristics

The mean depth is convert|20|ft|m; the maximum depth is convert|42|ft|m.cite web| url=http://www.landbigfish.com/fishingspots/showcase.cfm?ID=1758 | title=Lake Buel of Massachusetts | accessdate=2008-03-28] The Lake Buel watershed encompasses convert|3268|acre|km2.cite book |title= Clean Lakes and Great Ponds Program, Phase II Project: Lake Buel |edition= Revision |year= 1991 |publisher= Ecosystem Consulting Service, Inc. |location= Coventry, Connecticut |pages=51] At times the Konkapot River Basin becomes part of this watershed.cite book |title= Clean Lakes and Great Ponds Program, Phase II Project: Lake Buel |edition= Revision |year= 1991 |publisher= Ecosystem Consulting Service, Inc. |location= Coventry, Connecticut |pages=58] The Lake's water is well-buffered and hard with a pH between 7.8 and 8.6. This hardness and alkalinity suggest that the Lake generally safe from the effects of acid rain.cite book |title= Clean Lakes and Great Ponds Program, Phase II Project: Lake Buel |edition= Revision |year= 1991 |publisher= Ecosystem Consulting Service, Inc. |location= Coventry, Connecticut |pages=82] The Lake is eutrophic and mesotrophic: eutrophic because of macrophyte production and hypolimnetic metabolism; mestrophic because of total phosphorus content and summer phytoplankton productivity.cite book |title= Clean Lakes and Great Ponds Program, Phase II Project: Lake Buel |edition= Revision |year= 1991 |publisher= Ecosystem Consulting Service, Inc. |location= Coventry, Connecticut |pages=106] The normal full water elevation of the Lake is convert|908|ft|m. The flood elevations for the 10-year and 100-year floods are convert|911.5|ft|m and convert|913.6|ft|m.cite book |title= Clean Lakes and Great Ponds Program, Phase II Project: Lake Buel |edition= Revision |year= 1991 |publisher= Ecosystem Consulting Service, Inc. |location= Coventry, Connecticut |pages=95]

ummer camps

The Lake has a long history of summer camps. A Camp Buel existed as early as 1900. [cite journal
last = Shaw
first = Albert
authorlink =
coauthors =
title = Summer Camp for Boys
journal = The American Monthly Review of Reviews
volume = XXI
issue = Januay-June
pages = 699
publisher = The Review of Reviews Company
location = New York, New York
date = 1900
url = http://books.google.com/books?id=XoQklJ-NiyUC&pg=PA699&dq=%22Lake+Buel%22&lr=
doi =
id =
accessdate = ] In 1915 there was a Camp Berkshire. [cite book
last = Sargent
first = Porter
authorlink =
coauthors =
title = The Handbook of Private Schools
publisher = University of Michigan
date = 1915
location =
pages = 246
url = http://books.google.com/books?id=ZuZJ1CI1fdAC&q=%22Lake+Buel%22&dq=%22Lake+Buel%22&lr=&pgis=1
doi =
id =
isbn = ] Fokine Ballet was listed as a summer camp in the 1950s. [cite book
last = Sargent
first = Porter
authorlink =
coauthors =
title = The Guide to Summer Camps and Summer Schools
publisher = University of Michigan
date = 1953
location =
pages = 69
url = http://books.google.com/books?id=mOo1AAAAMAAJ&q=%22Lake+Buel%22&dq=%22Lake+Buel%22&lr=&pgis=1
doi =
id =
isbn = ] Camp Deerwood and Camp To Ho Ne are now defunct, but Camp Half Moon continues to have campers. In 2008, Kutsher's Sports Academy moved its camp from Monticello, New York to Lake Buel, taking over the old Deerwood site. [ [http://www.recordonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071227/NEWS/712270317 Sports academy leaving Sullivan Orthodox Jewish camp will lease site] ] Kutsher's will host 200 campers and have 100 staff members.cite web| url=http://www.montereyma.gov/Public_Documents/MontereyMA_ZBAMin/I0139B981 | title=Town of Monterey - Zoning Board of Appeals Minutes | accessdate=2008-05-27 ]

Wildlife

The following charts include species found in wetland, grazed wet meadow, forested wetland and aquatic environments in and around Lake Buel.

{| class=wikitable
-
Plants
Species
-
Aquatic plants|
Eurasian Water Milfoil (invasive),
Rigid Hornwort,
Fragrant Water Lily,
Chara sp.,
Common Bladderwort,
Wild Celery,
Slender Naiad,
Water-shield,
Common Duckweed,
Common Pondweed,
Water Buttercup,
Curly-leaf Pondweed (invasive),
Largeleaf Pondweed,
Illinois Pondweed,
Robbins' Pondweed, and
White-stemmed Pondweed;cite book |title= Clean Lakes and Great Ponds Program, Phase II Project: Lake Buel |edition= Revision |year= 1991 |publisher= Ecosystem Consulting Service, Inc. |location= Coventry, Connecticut |pages=104]
Pickerelweed and
Bullhead Lily;cite book |title= Clean Lakes and Great Ponds Program, Phase II Project: Lake Buel |edition= Revision |year= 1991 |publisher= Ecosystem Consulting Service, Inc. |location= Coventry, Connecticut |pages=68]
Sagittaria sp. and
Elodea sp..cite book |title= Clean Lakes and Great Ponds Program, Phase II Project: Lake Buel |edition= Revision |year= 1991 |publisher= Ecosystem Consulting Service, Inc. |location= Coventry, Connecticut |pages=89]
-
Trees|
Speckled Alder,
Red Maple,
Red Osier Dogwood,
Yellow Birch,
Paper Birch,
American Hornbeam,
Tamarack Larch,
American Elm, and
Eastern White Pine;cite book |title= Clean Lakes and Great Ponds Program, Phase II Project: Lake Buel |edition= Revision |year= 1991 |publisher= Ecosystem Consulting Service, Inc. |location= Coventry, Connecticut |pages=68]
Black Willow;cite book |title= Clean Lakes and Great Ponds Program, Phase II Project: Lake Buel |edition= Revision |year= 1991 |publisher= Ecosystem Consulting Service, Inc. |location= Coventry, Connecticut |pages=81]
Eastern Cottonwood.cite book |title= Clean Lakes and Great Ponds Program, Phase II Project: Lake Buel |edition= Revision |year= 1991 |publisher= Ecosystem Consulting Service, Inc. |location= Coventry, Connecticut |pages=136]
-
Shrubs|
Leather Leaf,
American Winterberry,
Swamp Rose,
Bog Myrtle,
Broadleaf Meadowsweet, and
Arrow-wood Viburnum;cite book |title= Clean Lakes and Great Ponds Program, Phase II Project: Lake Buel |edition= Revision |year= 1991 |publisher= Ecosystem Consulting Service, Inc. |location= Coventry, Connecticut |pages=68]
Shrubby Cinquefoil;cite book |title= Clean Lakes and Great Ponds Program, Phase II Project: Lake Buel |edition= Revision |year= 1991 |publisher= Ecosystem Consulting Service, Inc. |location= Coventry, Connecticut |pages=70]
Witch Hazel;cite book |title= Clean Lakes and Great Ponds Program, Phase II Project: Lake Buel |edition= Revision |year= 1991 |publisher= Ecosystem Consulting Service, Inc. |location= Coventry, Connecticut |pages=71]
Baby Rose.cite book |title= Clean Lakes and Great Ponds Program, Phase II Project: Lake Buel |edition= Revision |year= 1991 |publisher= Ecosystem Consulting Service, Inc. |location= Coventry, Connecticut |pages=129]
-
Poales|
Common Reed,
River Bulrush,
Tussock Sedge,
Narrow Leaf Cattail, and
Giant Bur-reed;cite book |title= Clean Lakes and Great Ponds Program, Phase II Project: Lake Buel |edition= Revision |year= 1991 |publisher= Ecosystem Consulting Service, Inc. |location= Coventry, Connecticut |pages=68]
Reed Canary Grass;cite book |title= Clean Lakes and Great Ponds Program, Phase II Project: Lake Buel |edition= Revision |year= 1991 |publisher= Ecosystem Consulting Service, Inc. |location= Coventry, Connecticut |pages=81]
Timothy-grass.cite book |title= Clean Lakes and Great Ponds Program, Phase II Project: Lake Buel |edition= Revision |year= 1991 |publisher= Ecosystem Consulting Service, Inc. |location= Coventry, Connecticut |pages=129]
-
Herbs|
Harlequin Blueflag,
Garden Angelica,
Rough Avens,
Curled Dock, and
Upright Bedstraw;cite book |title= Clean Lakes and Great Ponds Program, Phase II Project: Lake Buel |edition= Revision |year= 1991 |publisher= Ecosystem Consulting Service, Inc. |location= Coventry, Connecticut |pages=129]
Common Milkweed.cite book |title= Clean Lakes and Great Ponds Program, Phase II Project: Lake Buel |edition= Revision |year= 1991 |publisher= Ecosystem Consulting Service, Inc. |location= Coventry, Connecticut |pages=81]
-
Wildflowers|
Goldenrod sp. and
Joe-Pye Weed;cite book |title= Clean Lakes and Great Ponds Program, Phase II Project: Lake Buel |edition= Revision |year= 1991 |publisher= Ecosystem Consulting Service, Inc. |location= Coventry, Connecticut |pages=71]
Field Thistle and
Meadow Buttercup;cite book |title= Clean Lakes and Great Ponds Program, Phase II Project: Lake Buel |edition= Revision |year= 1991 |publisher= Ecosystem Consulting Service, Inc. |location= Coventry, Connecticut |pages=81]
True Forget-me-not and
common Jewelweed.cite book |title= Clean Lakes and Great Ponds Program, Phase II Project: Lake Buel |edition= Revision |year= 1991 |publisher= Ecosystem Consulting Service, Inc. |location= Coventry, Connecticut |pages=129]
-
Ferns|
Sensitive Fern and
Cinnamon Fern;cite book |title= Clean Lakes and Great Ponds Program, Phase II Project: Lake Buel |edition= Revision |year= 1991 |publisher= Ecosystem Consulting Service, Inc. |location= Coventry, Connecticut |pages=68]
Flowering Fern.cite book |title= Clean Lakes and Great Ponds Program, Phase II Project: Lake Buel |edition= Revision |year= 1991 |publisher= Ecosystem Consulting Service, Inc. |location= Coventry, Connecticut |pages=71]
-
Vines|
Nightshade (invasive).cite book |title= Clean Lakes and Great Ponds Program, Phase II Project: Lake Buel |edition= Revision |year= 1991 |publisher= Ecosystem Consulting Service, Inc. |location= Coventry, Connecticut |pages=71]
-
Scouring rushes|
Field Horsetail.cite book |title= Clean Lakes and Great Ponds Program, Phase II Project: Lake Buel |edition= Revision |year= 1991 |publisher= Ecosystem Consulting Service, Inc. |location= Coventry, Connecticut |pages=71]

Milfoid infestation

Lake Buel suffers from an infestation of milfoil (Myriophyllum spicatum). It is likely that this aquatic plant was introduced unintentionally in the early 1960s.cite book |title= Clean Lakes and Great Ponds Program, Phase II Project: Lake Buel |edition= Revision |year= 1991 |publisher= Ecosystem Consulting Service, Inc. |location= Coventry, Connecticut |pages=51] The magnitude and spread of the aquatic plant increased notably between 1974 and 1988, with a particularly dramatic increase between 1974 and 1981. These increases occurred because of fragmentation and vegetation reproduction. Because of decaying milfoil in the Lake's two hypolimnia during this era, the Lake experienced an intensification of hypolimnetic anoxia.cite book |title= Clean Lakes and Great Ponds Program, Phase II Project: Lake Buel |edition= Revision |year= 1991 |publisher= Ecosystem Consulting Service, Inc. |location= Coventry, Connecticut |pages=41]

In the early 1990s the aquatic plant covered over 85 acres (over 40%) of the Lake. This infestation places a large demand of oxygen on the Lake, limiting cold water habitat.cite book |title= Clean Lakes and Great Ponds Program, Phase II Project: Lake Buel |edition= Revision |year= 1991 |publisher= Ecosystem Consulting Service, Inc. |location= Coventry, Connecticut |pages=14]

Aquatic macrophyle harvesting was initiated in 1980. A 90 acre harvest was performed that year.cite book |title= Clean Lakes and Great Ponds Program, Phase II Project: Lake Buel |edition= Revision |year= 1991 |publisher= Ecosystem Consulting Service, Inc. |location= Coventry, Connecticut |pages=14]

Notable residents

*Roy Lichtenstein - In the 1920s, as a child Lichtenstein summered at Lake Buel.cite web| url=http://roylichtensteinfoundation.net/lfchron1.htm | title=The Roy Lichtenstein Foundation - Chronology | accessdate=2008-05-27]

References

External links

* [http://www.mass.gov/dfwele/pab/pabpdfs/pab-14.pdf Map showing ramp access point]
* [http://www.mass.gov/dfwele/dfw/habitat/maps/ponds/pdf/dfwbuel.pdf Map and information]