70 Conservation Department 



entering op])osite each other, have built out large deltas, Long 

 point and MePherson ])oint, which have nearly divided the lake. 

 The sides of the lake are stee]) and the bottom fairly flat. A 

 broad, sandy shoal extends into the lake for over one-half mile 

 from the north end. In general the lake is shallow; most of the 

 bottom is probably between 35 and 40 feet deep. The greatest 

 depth observed was 61 feet. The lake is fed by springs and several 

 small streams, the largest of which is Conesus inlet, entering at 

 the southwest corner. It is drained into the Genesee river by 

 Conesus creek which leaves the lake from the northwest corner. 



Records from Soundings in Conesus Lake.^ — Soundings were 

 made along five transects or lines across Conesus lake. The tran- 

 sects are numbered I to V, from north to south, and the stations 

 along each transect are numbered consecutively from west to east 

 (Fig. 10). 



With the aid of a bottom sampler and trawl, records were 

 obtained of the depth, nature of bottom, animal life present, and 

 plant life present for each of the 38 stations where soundings were 

 made (App. VI). 



The data from the soundings made along transect IV and V 

 illustrate the general condition of the lake bottom. The rooted 

 aquatic plants are limited to the water, which is about 15 feet or 

 less in depth, the most profuse growth appearing in the 6-15 foot 

 depth. The shallow bottom near the shore (1-5 feet) is often 

 very bare of plants. The 15-foot depth is reached but a short 

 distance from the shore, except in some of the coves. As a result, 

 most of the beds of ^'weeds'' are very narrow. The deeper water 

 contains no rooted aquatics but the bottom mud, 30-45 foot depths, 

 is very rich in bloodworms — Chironomus and Sayoniya sp.- being 

 very common at the 40-foot depth. 



Vegetation of Conesus Lake. — The largest beds of weeds in 

 Conesus lake occur at the south end, especially in and near the 

 inlet and in the coves along the east side (Fig. 10). This is con- 

 ceded to be one of the best spawning grounds for fish. Most of 

 the weed beds contain several species, among which Potamogetons 

 ])redominate. Chara and Vallisneria sometimes occur in i)ui'e 

 stands over extensive areas. 



^ The present studies on Coiu'sus lake are siipplcinciital to those made by 

 E. A. Birge and Clianeey .Tiiday for this lake in 1911-12. See, A Limnolooieal 

 Study of tlie i<inger 'Lakes * of Xew York. T. S. IJull. of the Bur. of 

 Fisheries, Vol. 32, 1!)12. 



2 Identifieations bv A. O. .Tohannsen. 



