Prairie Pothole (lake)

Prairie Pothole is a year-long depressional freshwater wetland lake found in Stutsman County, North Dakota. It is on land that is administered by the USGS and USFWS. It is managed as part of the Chase Lake National Wildlife Refuge.

Characteristics
The lake has a watershed of 1.4 km2. It is filled by precipitation in the form of rain and snowmelt during spring and summer. The lake is considered a terminal wetland, as there are no outflows. The geology of the lake is glacial mud, clay, and silt. Soils are typically mollisols.

Reeds and cattails grow in the riparian area around the lake. It has a relatively low water clarity.

Data collection
Ecological monitoring has been conducted at the lake since 2014. It is representative of the greater Prairie Pothole Region.

The lake is home to two meteorological stations, one of which is situated on a buoy. Biological surveying is performed through electrofishing and sampling for zooplankton and macroinvertebrates. Water chemistry is also sampled.