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- Limnology of Cultus Lake, British Columbia
- abstract: From 2001 to 2003, we carried out a limnological investigation of Cultus Lake, B.C. The lake was warm monomictic and thermally stratified from May-November each year. Epilimnetic temperatures exceeded 20 degree C from June or July until September. Average euphotic zone depths were 15.8 m, 2.5x deeper than average ephilimnion depths. Total phosphorus averaged 7.4 pg/L (8.9 pg/L at spring overturn) and average values of a number of chemical variables were the highest ever recorded in B.C. sockeye lakes. The seasonal average daily photosynthetic rate of 449 mg C m-2 d -1 was also the highest ever recorded in these lakes. A range of chemical and biological variables indicated that Cultus Lake is mesotrophic and much more productive than most sockeye nursery lakes in B.C. The zooplankton community was abundant and dominated by Daphnia throughout the year. Data from this and from an earlier study indicate that Cultus Lake has warmed substantially in the last 75 yr and there are a number of indications that its productivity has increased as well.