Wetlands
Traditionally, mountain lake has well-earned its designation as a natural "sub-alpine" lake. Its waters are cold, low in nutrients and algal growth, and are amazingly clear. In most seasons, from a boat, one can see the lake bottom to depths greater than 7 meters (21 feet).
It is easy to view Mountain Lake as a pure and irreplaceable gem cradled among the high Appalachians. But from an ecological viewpoint, the clear waters of the lake are only one link in the overall environment web.
By the 1980s and 1990s, our scientists became aware that various nutrient levels, like nitrogen and phosphorus, in the lake were slowly increasing. Higher levels of such nutrients caused an increase in algal bacterial growth in the lake. This, in turn caused a decline in the clarity of the lake waters, and a decrease in oxygen levels in the deepest portions of the lake
In 1996, The Wilderness Conservancy at Mountain Lake and The Mountain Lake Hotel together created our present ¼ acre wetland. This wetland acts as a living filter for any nutrients associated with the hotel lawns and parking lots. The algae growth that can be seen within the wetland represents nutrients being "scrubbed" from the water before it enters the lake. The effectiveness of our wetland can be seen in the continued clarity of our lake.
Meanwhile, the wetland has also become a haven for local biodiversity, as well as a teaching tool about the value and importance of wetlands in environmental conservation.