Moe Pond Explained

Moe Pond
Pushpin Map:New York
Pushpin Map Caption:Location of Moe Pond within New York State
Location:Otsego County, New York
Coords:42.7178°N -74.945°W
Outflow:Willow Brook
Length:2264feet[1]
Depth:5.97feet
Max-Depth:12.47feet
Volume:75389156gal
Elevation:[2]
Cities:Cooperstown

Moe Pond is a small man-made lake in Otsego County, New York, located northwest of Cooperstown. Moe Pond drains south via Willow Brook, which flows into Otsego Lake. Mount Ovis is located east and Hannah's Hill is located southeast of Moe Pond. The pond was named for Henry Allen Moe, a past member of the New York State Historical Association. Moe Pond was created in 1939. The pond and surrounding area is currently privately owned by the State University of New York at Oneonta (SUNY Oneonta), which uses it for educational and research purposes only.

Fish populations

In 1995, a physical and chemical limnological summary as well as an ecological survey was conducted. It found a fish community consisting solely of brown bullhead and golden shiner. It was believed that the large population of shiners was responsible for the decline in larger zooplankton, which leads to a decrease in phytoplanktivory and lower Secchi readings as a result of greater algal blooms. The study suggested that addition of smallmouth bass and largemouth bass might reduce shiner populations through predation. However, after further assessment, a small population of smallmouth and largemouth bass were discovered in Moe Pond in 1999. It was estimated the bass, of unknown origin, were stocked in the spring of 1999.

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Moe Pond Limnology and Fish Population Biology: An Ecosystem Approach . www.oneonta.edu . January 2000 . State University of New York at Oneonta . November 25, 2020 . Oneonta, NY.
  2. 2788146 . Moe Pond . December 5, 2017.