Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

A Freshwater Community On The Shawangunk Ridge In The Lower Mid-Hudson Valley, New York, Beryl Kahn, Howard R. Feldman, Leah Horowitz

Lander College for Women - The Anna Ruth and Mark Hasten School Publications and Research

The Shawangunk Ridge in the lower mid-Hudson Valley extends from the vicinity of Rosendale through New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland and Virginia. Within the first thirty miles can be found five “sky lakes”: Mohonk, Minnewaska, Awosting, Mud Pond and Maratanza. Since these lakes occur on the top of the ridge they have no drainage basin. Here we report on the pH and other abiotic factors that impact the aquatic fauna of Mohonk Lake. The pH of the lake is 7 near the surface. Lake Minnewaska’s pH increased from 4 to 6 in the last twenty years. The pH of the other …