The Nature Conservancy’s Emiquon Preserve Fish and Aquatic Vegetation Monitoring 2021 Field Report

Since 2007, the Emiquon Preserve (Emiquon) has been monitored using Key Ecological Attributes (KEA) to determine the success of restoration on the vegetation and fish communities. The KEA’s were developed to reflect a high-functioning, balanced ecosystem at its upper limits. Native submersed aquatic vegetation (SAV) abundance and richness continue to be the dominant macrophyte communities. Submersed aquatic vegetation was dominated by non-native species in 2021. The Emiquon Preserve’s fish community continues to be dominated by native fish species. More specifically, 2021 saw a decrease in abundance of bluegill, bowfin, largemouth bass, black crappie, and golden shiners from the previous years while brook silversides, common carp, gizzard shad, white bass, white crappie, and yellow bass increased in abundance from the previous year. A drawdown was conducted in 2021 bringing the water surface elevation down to 427.98 ft.