Alkali bulrush (Scirpus maritimus) on the east side of Mud Lake in the Bear Lake National Wildlife Refuge. The wetland lies at the north end of Bear Lake, and receives water diverted from the Bear River.


The photo was taken during a class field trip as part of a project to study eutrophication in Cutler Reservoir, that lies lower in the watershed. Mud Lake is relatively unimpacted, and the results there were used as a reference system for Cutler, that receives domestic waste and considerable non-point source pollution. For reports on the class project see:
2009 report - http://www.bearriverinfo.org/library/object.aspx?id=210


2008 report - http://www.bearriverinfo.org/library/object.aspx?id=205



Photo: September 2009