Moss Lake Bog - Rushford, NY
Posted by: 
Rayman
N 42° 24.013 W 078° 11.132
17T E 731629 N 4698051
Moss Lake is an 84 acre site which illustrates sphagnum bog taking over and filling in a small lake.
Waymark Code: WM1XXV
Location: New York, United States
Date Posted: 07/29/2007
Views: 144
Moss Lake was formed from a glacier that melted in this area of North America around 10,000 years ago. A huge block of ice broke free from the glacier and was left where the lake is today. Sediments in the streams of the melted water washing away from the glacier built up around the ice block. A huge water filled bowl was left when the ice melted, forming Moss Lake.
Moss Lake is unusual from other lakes or ponds in that it doesn't receive enough water to overflow the bowl or "kettle" in which it sits. Water only leaves the lake through ground seepage or evaporation.
The lake is slowly being taken over by bog. Very slow replacement of the lake's water coupled with decay of dead plant matter results in a low amount of oxygen in the water and a lake acidic in nature. As acidity increases, bacteria of decay are less able to break down dead plants. Peat, or incompletely decomposed plant matter, is the result. Nutrients in dead plant matter become unavailable for growing new plants.
A trail and boardwalk circles around the lake and bog. The area is maintained by Central & Western New York chapter of
The Nature Conservancy. There is no admission fee to enter and is open from sunrise to sunset.
Source: Informational signs at the lake