Sky Pond

Loch Vale
Rocky Mountain National Park, CO

 

Overview

Elevation: 3322 m / 10,899 ft
Max Depth: 7.3 m
Ave Depth: 4.5 m
Surface Area: 3.030 ha
Volume: 121,684 m3`
Spring-Summer
Thermal
Stratification:
No
Latitude: 40° 16.00000'
40.2772500°
Longitude: -105° 40.00000'
-105.6684500°
Basin: Loch Vale

Hydrologic Connection

Lake Above :
Lake Below: Glass Lake

Environmental Data & Lake Links

Photos

Copyright

Maps

 

Access

About a 9.2 mile round-trip hike from the Glacier Gorge Junction Trailhead in RMNP (9240 ft).

Description

Sky Pond is drained by a perennial stream (Icy Brook). It is oligotrophic and dilute, occupying a cirque formed during advances and retreats of the Taylor Glacier. Sky Pond is classified as an alpine lake on the basis of its elevation. It is typical of other alpine lakes in Colorado in that it has a rock-and-gravel watershed and year-round snowfields in the watershed. It does not become thermally stratified during spring and summer (April through October). This lake is visited frequently by hikers during the summer.

 

# Samples Counted : 93
# Taxa Counted: 125

Collection Types:

Positions in Lake:

  • outlet
  • lake center
  • inlet

Row Phylum Name Basionym Synonyms #samples ID
1 Bacillariophyta Achnanthes affinis Achnanthes minutissima var. affinis (Grunow) Lange-Bertalot 5 1001
2 Bacillariophyta Achnanthes detha 10 1004
3 Bacillariophyta Achnanthes exigua 1 1142
4 Bacillariophyta Achnanthes linearis Achnanthidium lineare W. Smith 4 1009
5 Bacillariophyta Achnanthes linearis f. curta 1 1010
6 Bacillariophyta Achnanthes marginulata 5 1011
7 Bacillariophyta Achnanthes microcephala 1 1133
8 Bacillariophyta Achnanthes sp 3 1014
9 Bacillariophyta Anomoeoneis serians var. brachysira 1 1019
10 Bacillariophyta Asterionella formosa 90 1020
11 Bacillariophyta Caloneis bacillum 1 1027
12 Bacillariophyta Caloneis ventricosa var. alpina 1 1143
13 Bacillariophyta Cyclotella stelligera Cyclotella graeca var. stelligera? 17 1031
14 Bacillariophyta Cymbella minuta Cymbella gracilis var. minuta, Encyonema ventricosum var. minutum, Cymbella ventricosa f. minuta,Encyonema minutum 3 1035
15 Bacillariophyta Cymbella minuta var. latens 3 1036
16 Bacillariophyta Diatoma anceps 1 1040
17 Bacillariophyta Diatoma hiemale var. mesodon 2 1042
18 Bacillariophyta Eunotia incisa 1 1045
19 Bacillariophyta Eunotia pectanalis (pictinalis) 1 1046
20 Bacillariophyta Fragilaria capucina 3 1049
21 Bacillariophyta Fragilaria construens 2 1050
22 Bacillariophyta Fragilaria construens var. venter 2 1051
23 Bacillariophyta Fragilaria crotonensis 5 1052
24 Bacillariophyta Fragilaria leptostauron var. dubia 3 1053
25 Bacillariophyta Fragilaria pinnata 15 1054
26 Bacillariophyta Fragilaria virescens 2 1056
27 Bacillariophyta Frustulia rhomboides 1 1057
28 Bacillariophyta Melosira lirata 27 1066
29 Bacillariophyta Meridion circulare 4 1068
30 Bacillariophyta Navicula contenta var. biceps 1 1071
31 Bacillariophyta Navicula luzonensis 1 1082
32 Bacillariophyta Navicula minima 5 1083
33 Bacillariophyta Navicula miniscula 1 1084
34 Bacillariophyta Navicula pseudoscutiformis 5 1087
35 Bacillariophyta Navicula radiosa 1 1089
36 Bacillariophyta Navicula schmassmannii 14 1090
37 Bacillariophyta Navicula sp. 1 1092
38 Bacillariophyta Navicula subbacillum 1 1093
39 Bacillariophyta Navicula viridula 1 1095
40 Bacillariophyta Navicula viridula var. aveame 1 1096
41 Bacillariophyta Neidium sp. 1 1097
42 Bacillariophyta Nitzschia frustulum 2 1100
43 Bacillariophyta Nitzschia linearis 5 1102
44 Bacillariophyta Nitzschia microcephala 3 1103
45 Bacillariophyta Pinnularia borealis 2 1109
46 Bacillariophyta Pinnularia sp. 1 1111
47 Bacillariophyta Surirella sp. 1 1118
48 Bacillariophyta Synedra radians 7 1123
49 Bacillariophyta Synedra rumpens 14 1124
50 Bacillariophyta Synedra rumpens var. familiaris 32 1125
51 Bacillariophyta Synedra rumpens var. rumpens 5 1141
52 Bacillariophyta Synedra sp. 1 1126
53 Chlorophyta Ankistrodesmus falcatus var. acicularis 29 2003
54 Chlorophyta Chlamydomonas dinobryon 1 2008
55 Chlorophyta Chlamydomonas sp. 1 53 2010
56 Chlorophyta Chlamydomonas sp. 2 48 2011
57 Chlorophyta Chlamydomonas sp. 3 23 2012
58 Chlorophyta Chlamydomonas sp. 4 1 2013
59 Chlorophyta Chlorella ellipsoidea 71 2015
60 Chlorophyta Chlorella sp. 1 2017
61 Chlorophyta Chlorococcum infusionum 29 2018
62 Chlorophyta Chlorococcum sp. 5 2019
63 Chlorophyta Chlorogonium sp. 7 2020
64 Chlorophyta Closterium sp. 7 2023
65 Chlorophyta Corone sp. 2 2025
66 Chlorophyta Cosmarium sp. 2 2026
67 Chlorophyta Cosmarium sp. 1 2 2027
68 Chlorophyta Cosmarium sp. 2 1 2028
69 Chlorophyta Dictyosphaerium sp. 35 2031
70 Chlorophyta Dictyosphaerium sp. 1 5 2100
71 Chlorophyta Dictyosphaerium sp. 2 3 2101
72 Chlorophyta Eudorina elegans 27 2034
73 Chlorophyta Eudorina sp. 2 2035
74 Chlorophyta Gloeococcus tetraspora 11 2040
75 Chlorophyta Gloeocystis sp. 11 2041
76 Chlorophyta Golenkinia radiata 1 2102
77 Chlorophyta Gonium sociale 2 2042
78 Chlorophyta Gonium sp. 28 2043
79 Chlorophyta Kirchneriella lunaris 3 2093
80 Chlorophyta Micratinium sp. 5 2103
81 Chlorophyta Nephrocytium limneticum 43 2051
82 Chlorophyta Nephrocytium sp. 4 2052
83 Chlorophyta Octosporiella coloradensis 30 2053
84 Chlorophyta Oocystis sp. 1 2056
85 Chlorophyta Pandoria morum 9 2057
86 Chlorophyta Pandorina smithii 4 2058
87 Chlorophyta Pandorina sp. 2 2059
88 Chlorophyta Pleodorina californicum 5 2062
89 Chlorophyta Scenedesmus serratus 25 2069
90 Chlorophyta Scenedesmus sp. 19 2070
91 Chlorophyta Schroederia setigera 3 2072
92 Chlorophyta Spirogyra sp. 1 2074
93 Chlorophyta Ulothrix sp. 2 2080
94 Chlorophyta Zoospores 7 2083
95 Chrysophyta Dinobryon cylindricum var. alpinum 6 3014
96 Chrysophyta Dinobryon divergens 31 3015
97 Chrysophyta Dinobryon sp. 1 3019
98 Chrysophyta Unicellular flagellate 4 3022
99 Cryptophyta Chroomonas sp. 60 4003
100 Cryptophyta Cryptomonas alpina 3 4015
101 Cryptophyta Cryptomonas erosa 9 4004
102 Cryptophyta Cryptomonas marsonii 5 4005
103 Cryptophyta Cryptomonas ovata 1 4006
104 Cryptophyta Cryptomonas sp. 10 4008
105 Cryptophyta Plagioselmis sp. 2 4010
106 Cryptophyta Rhodomonas minuta 6 4011
107 Cryptophyta Rhodomonas sp. 6 4012
108 Cyanophyta Aphanothece sp. 6 5007
109 Cyanophyta Chroococcus dispersus 22 5036
110 Cyanophyta Chroococcus limneticus 15 5008
111 Cyanophyta Chroococcus sp. 6 5009
112 Cyanophyta Dactylococcopsis acicularis 2 5011
113 Cyanophyta Dactylococcopsis fasciculatus 19 5012
114 Cyanophyta Dactylococcopsis sp. 3 5013
115 Cyanophyta Lyngbya limnetica 2 5016
116 Cyanophyta Oscillatoria limnetica 43 5024
117 Cyanophyta Oscillatoria sp. 1 5025
118 Cyanophyta small blue-green filament 1 5041
119 Cyanophyta Synechococcus elongatus 4 5030
120 Cyanophyta Synechococcus linearis 2 5031
121 Dinophyta Peridinium bipes var. travectum 1 8001
122 Dinophyta Peridinium inconspicua 6 8003
123 Other Synechococcus linearis var. spirale 1 5045

 

Images are not scaled. An individual that looks bigger than its neighbors might actually be smaller. All images were made to fit within an area of 360px high and 200px wide.


Chlorella sp.

Length 1-2 µm
Width 1-2 µm

Chlorococcum sp.

Length 8-10 µm
Width 8-10 µm

Dinobryon sp.

Length 3-5 µm
Width 1-1.5 µm

Synedra sp.

Length 30-40 µm
Width 2-4 µm

Representative images missing for: Achnanthes affinis | Achnanthes detha | Achnanthes exigua | Achnanthes linearis | Achnanthes linearis f. curta | Achnanthes marginulata | Achnanthes microcephala | Achnanthes sp | Ankistrodesmus falcatus var. acicularis | Anomoeoneis serians var. brachysira | Aphanothece sp. | Asterionella formosa | Caloneis bacillum | Caloneis ventricosa var. alpina | Chlamydomonas dinobryon | Chlamydomonas sp. 1 | Chlamydomonas sp. 2 | Chlamydomonas sp. 3 | Chlamydomonas sp. 4 | Chlorella ellipsoidea | Chlorococcum infusionum | Chlorogonium sp. | Chroococcus dispersus | Chroococcus limneticus | Chroococcus sp. | Chroomonas sp. | Chroomonas sp. | Closterium sp. | Corone sp. | Cosmarium sp. | Cosmarium sp. 1 | Cosmarium sp. 2 | Cryptomonas alpina | Cryptomonas erosa | Cryptomonas marsonii | Cryptomonas ovata | Cryptomonas sp. | Cyclotella stelligera | Cymbella minuta | Cymbella minuta var. latens | Dactylococcopsis acicularis | Dactylococcopsis fasciculatus | Dactylococcopsis sp. | Diatoma anceps | Diatoma hiemale var. mesodon | Dictyosphaerium sp. | Dictyosphaerium sp. 1 | Dictyosphaerium sp. 2 | Dinobryon cylindricum var. alpinum | Dinobryon divergens | Eudorina elegans | Eudorina sp. | Eunotia incisa | Eunotia pectanalis (pictinalis) | Fragilaria capucina | Fragilaria construens | Fragilaria construens var. venter | Fragilaria crotonensis | Fragilaria leptostauron var. dubia | Fragilaria pinnata | Fragilaria virescens | Frustulia rhomboides | Gloeococcus tetraspora | Gloeocystis sp. | Golenkinia radiata | Gonium sociale | Gonium sp. | Kirchneriella lunaris | Lyngbya limnetica | Melosira lirata | Meridion circulare | Micratinium sp. | Navicula contenta var. biceps | Navicula luzonensis | Navicula minima | Navicula miniscula | Navicula pseudoscutiformis | Navicula radiosa | Navicula schmassmannii | Navicula sp. | Navicula subbacillum | Navicula viridula | Navicula viridula var. aveame | Neidium sp. | Nephrocytium limneticum | Nephrocytium sp. | Nitzschia frustulum | Nitzschia linearis | Nitzschia microcephala | Octosporiella coloradensis | Oocystis sp. | Oscillatoria limnetica | Oscillatoria sp. | Pandoria morum | Pandorina smithii | Pandorina sp. | Peridinium bipes var. travectum | Peridinium inconspicua | Pinnularia borealis | Pinnularia sp. | Plagioselmis sp. | Pleodorina californicum | Rhodomonas minuta | Rhodomonas sp. | Scenedesmus serratus | Scenedesmus sp. | Schroederia setigera | small blue-green filament | Spirogyra sp. | Surirella sp. | Synechococcus elongatus | Synechococcus linearis | Synechococcus linearis var. spirale | Synedra radians | Synedra rumpens | Synedra rumpens var. familiaris | Synedra rumpens var. rumpens | Ulothrix sp. | Unicellular flagellate | Zoospores | Zoospores |

Sample
ID
Coll.
Date
Samp
Depth (m)
Position
in Lake
Collection
Type
Citation
(counts)
Sample
Notes
#
Taxa
81 1984-05-21 0.0 lake center net tow citation short 18
18 1984-05-28 0.0 lake center water citation short 13
27 1984-05-28 0.0 lake center water citation short Notes 16
36 1984-05-28 0.0 lake center water citation short Notes 15
82 1984-05-28 0.0 lake center net tow citation short 21
19 1984-06-11 0.0 lake center water citation short 12
28 1984-06-11 0.0 lake center water citation short Notes 12
37 1984-06-11 0.0 lake center water citation short Notes 14
83 1984-06-11 0.0 lake center net tow citation short 19
20 1984-06-25 0.0 lake center water citation short 14
29 1984-06-25 0.0 lake center water citation short Notes 13
38 1984-06-25 0.0 lake center water citation short Notes 15
84 1984-06-25 0.0 lake center net tow citation short 24
21 1984-07-09 0.0 lake center water citation short 14
30 1984-07-09 0.0 lake center water citation short Notes 17
39 1984-07-09 0.0 lake center water citation short Notes 16
85 1984-07-09 0.0 lake center net tow citation short 26
22 1984-07-23 0.0 lake center water citation short 13
31 1984-07-23 0.0 lake center water citation short Notes 13
40 1984-07-23 0.0 lake center water citation short Notes 14
86 1984-07-23 0.0 lake center net tow citation short 26
23 1984-08-13 0.0 lake center water citation short 12
32 1984-08-13 0.0 lake center water citation short Notes 11
41 1984-08-13 0.0 lake center water citation short Notes 12
87 1984-08-13 0.0 lake center net tow citation short 19
24 1984-09-10 0.0 lake center water citation short 12
33 1984-09-10 0.0 lake center water citation short Notes 11
42 1984-09-10 0.0 lake center water citation short Notes 9
88 1984-09-10 0.0 lake center net tow citation short 26
25 1984-10-08 0.0 lake center water citation short 12
34 1984-10-08 0.0 lake center water citation short Notes 12
43 1984-10-08 0.0 lake center water citation short Notes 11
89 1984-10-08 0.0 lake center net tow citation short 16
90 1984-12-03 0.0 lake center net tow citation short 7
26 1985-01-21 0.0 lake center water citation short 6
35 1985-01-21 0.0 lake center water citation short Notes 7
44 1985-01-21 0.0 lake center water citation short Notes 9
91 1985-01-21 0.0 lake center net tow citation short 7
274 1985-04-08 6.0 lake center water citation short Notes 15
275 1985-04-08 3.0 lake center water citation short Notes 11
276 1985-04-08 0.0 lake center water citation short Notes 12
277 1985-04-23 6.0 lake center water citation short Notes 17
278 1985-04-23 3.0 lake center water citation short Notes 15
279 1985-04-23 0.0 lake center water citation short Notes 5
280 1985-05-07 6.0 lake center water citation short Notes 24
281 1985-05-07 3.0 lake center water citation short Notes 19
282 1985-05-07 0.0 lake center water citation short Notes 11
283 1985-05-14 6.0 lake center water citation short Notes 15
284 1985-05-14 3.0 lake center water citation short Notes 15
285 1985-05-14 0.0 lake center water citation short Notes 4
286 1985-05-21 6.0 lake center water citation short Notes 17
287 1985-05-21 3.0 lake center water citation short Notes 10
288 1985-05-21 0.0 lake center water citation short Notes 6
289 1985-05-28 0.0 lake center water citation short Notes 19
290 1985-05-28 0.0 outlet water citation short Notes 12
291 1985-06-05 3.0 lake center water citation short Notes 18
292 1985-06-05 0.0 lake center water citation short Notes 8
293 1985-06-11 6.0 lake center water citation short Notes 11
294 1985-06-11 3.0 lake center water citation short Notes 10
295 1985-06-11 0.0 lake center water citation short Notes 15
296 1985-06-18 6.0 lake center water citation short Notes 13
297 1985-06-18 3.0 lake center water citation short Notes 8
298 1985-06-18 0.0 lake center water citation short Notes 11
299 1985-06-18 0.0 inlet water citation short Notes 7
300 1985-06-18 0.0 outlet water citation short Notes 13
301 1985-06-27 6.0 lake center water citation short Notes 13
302 1985-06-27 3.0 lake center water citation short Notes 10
303 1985-06-27 0.0 lake center water citation short Notes 12
304 1985-06-27 0.0 outlet water citation short Notes 8
305 1985-07-10 6.0 lake center water citation short Notes 7
306 1985-07-10 3.0 lake center water citation short Notes 10
307 1985-07-10 0.0 lake center water citation short Notes 8
308 1985-07-10 0.0 outlet water citation short Notes 10
309 1985-07-22 6.0 lake center water citation short Notes 14
310 1985-07-22 3.0 lake center water citation short Notes 12
311 1985-07-22 0.0 lake center water citation short Notes 12
312 1985-07-22 0.0 outlet water citation short Notes 8
313 1985-08-06 6.0 lake center water citation short Notes 9
314 1985-08-06 3.0 lake center water citation short Notes 11
315 1985-08-06 0.0 lake center water citation short Notes 13
316 1985-08-06 0.0 outlet water citation short Notes 5
317 1985-08-21 6.0 lake center water citation short Notes 8
318 1985-08-21 3.0 lake center water citation short Notes 10
319 1985-08-21 0.0 lake center water citation short Notes 8
320 1985-08-21 0.0 outlet water citation short Notes 6
321 1985-09-04 6.0 lake center water citation short Notes 11
322 1985-09-04 3.0 lake center water citation short Notes 13
323 1985-09-04 0.0 lake center water citation short Notes 10
324 1985-09-04 0.0 outlet water citation short Notes 12
325 1985-09-18 6.0 lake center water citation short Notes 12
326 1985-09-18 3.0 lake center water citation short Notes 13
327 1985-09-18 0.0 lake center water citation short Notes 11
328 1985-09-18 0.0 outlet water citation short Notes 10

 

Citations -Count Data

McKnight, D. M., Brenner, M., Smith, R. L. & Baron, J., (1986). Seasonal changes in phytoplankton populations and related chemical and physical characteristics in lakes in Loch Vale, RMNP, CO U.S. Geological Survey Water-Resources Investigations Report, 86–4101. 64 pp.

McKnight, D. M., Miller, C., Smith, R. L. , Baron, J. A., & Spaulding, S. A. (1988). Phytoplankton population in lakes in Loch Vale, Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado: Sensitivity to acidic conditions and nitrate enrichment U.S. Geological Survey Water-Resources Investigations Report, 88–4115. 102 pp. | Abstract