Participatory mapping of surface water hydrology as an initial step in the restoration of Lake Mattamuskeet Grant uri icon

abstract

  • Lake Mattamuskeet is a natural lake system located on the Albemarle-Pamlico Peninsula on the coast of North Carolina. The 40,000-acre Lake Mattamuskeet is the centerpiece of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) Mattamuskeet National Wildlife Refuge (NWR), which provides habitat for wintering waterfowl and other migratory birds. Mattamuskeet NWR annually supports a significant percentage of wintering waterfowl in the Atlantic Flyway. Lake Mattamuskeet has historically contained dense beds of submerged aquatic vegetation that provide food for swans, diving ducks, and puddle ducks and important habitat for fish, but declines in water quality are most likely the cause of recent reductions in submerged aquatic vegetation coverage in the lake. The declining water quality and loss of submerged aquatic vegetation are serious concerns to the citizens of Hyde County and the Refuge. The resources, sport, and recreational opportunities provided by Lake Mattamuskeet are important for the community and the local economy. Despite its status as a National Wildlife Refuge, Lake Mattamuskeet has a long history of human alteration. Understanding the causes and potential corrections for water quality concerns is complicated because of the lake?s large surface area (41,000 acres), extensive shoreline (72 miles), shallow depth (average of 1 meter), and long history of hydrological alteration. In addition, many adjacent land owners farm and/or manage duck impoundments that drain into the lake and can periodically be flooded by the lake during times of high water. Agricultural production and the waterfowl impoundments are vital to the area?s economy, but their impact on the lake ecosystem is unknown. The Refuge and community have an immediate need to improve their understanding of the complex hydrology in the region in order to develop a plan for improving water quality and restoring submerged aquatic vegetation. Due to the flat landscape and the substantial human alterations, understanding the hydrology in the watershed is nearly impossible without community input. In addition, this project will seek input from community members at the beginning of the solutions planning process as any proposed changes must be sustainable for the lake and community.

date/time interval

  • July 2016 - December 2017