Ocean Grove Record

The Nature Grove

What Lurks Within Fletcher Lake?

by Mike Au Natural

Fletcher Lake, the beautiful (usually) and serene (again, usually) water body which forms most of the southern boundary of Ocean Grove occasionally reveals some of its secrets as well as its sicknesses. This lake, like so many urbanized areas of New Jersey, has suffered due to run-off of fertilizers, pesticides, car fluids, litter, and inordinate amounts of goose droppings. Yet, life within the lake struggles on and in some cases, thrives. Yes, believe it not, there is life within that water. In some cases, however, they are alien life forms.

Since life has yet to be discovered outside Earth, referring to an animal or plant species as being “alien” simply means that it is not a species native to the area. Several of Fletcher Lake’s inhabitants fit that description. One of the more successful species is the common carp.

Carp are freshwater fish which are known to live in excess of 47 years and may potentially weigh over 75 pounds. Native to Europe and Asia, the common carp was introduced into streams, lakes, ponds and reservoirs in the US during the late 1880’s by the US Fish Commission as a food fish. However, they have proved detrimental to native fish populations and have never become as popular as game and food fishes in the US as they are in Europe. They are now found across the entire US from Mexico to Canada and are resident within Fletcher Lake.

According to people whom I’ve talked to while they were fishing the lake, other species of fish present within the lake are sunfish, bass, yellow perch, and catfish.
In terms of reptiles, there is at least one fairly large red-bellied turtle residing within the lake.

Red-bellied turtles are native to the central and southern portions of New Jersey. They can be seen basking on rocks along the shoreline or lounging at the water’s surface. They are the largest basking turtle in our area (snapping turtles are the largest NJ turtles not including sea turtles), reaching a size of up to 15 ¾ inches, and may be observed usually between March and October. Neptune Township’s most recent Environmental Resource Inventory (“ERI”) indicates that snapping turtles occur within Fletcher Lake. But I have yet to see one and I would imagine that, something as large as a snapping turtle would be relatively easy to spot in this particular lake.

Rodents are the mammalian representatives of Fletcher Lake, more specifically, the common muskrat and Norway rat.

Muskrats are herbivores and invertivores (meaning, they eat plants and small invertebrates like mussels, crayfish, and/or insects). Norway rats, on the other hand, will eat anything and everything and like their name suggests, they are not a species native to the U.S.

Numerous bird species can be found on or around Fletcher Lake throughout the entire year, with some species nesting along its shores in the spring and summer.

The fish-eating species include osprey, belted kingfisher, great blue heron, great egret, night-herons, hooded merganser, least tern, and double-crested cormorant. Other species with a major presence in the area are the ubiquitous Canada goose, red-winged blackbird, and several species of gull.

In addition to the above species, there are even more invertebrate species present. Insects, including dragonflies and damselflies, which begin their lives under the surface of the water, abound during summer.

Many residents may find this teeming habitat as a bit of a surprise. Indeed, I’ve talked to a few people who merely regard this lake as a stormwater basin full of refuse and prone to overflowing. Granted, I would never personally drink the water in Fletcher Lake, nor even snorkel in it, but it isn’t as bad as many people may think.

Fletcher Lake was historically larger than it is today. At one time, it extended westward to Route 71. The western-most block was filled-in sometime between 1879-1889 so that Lawrence Avenue became the western edge of the lake. Then, after 1889, the lake lost five more blocks on its west side, bringing it approximately to within the shoreline we see today (bordered on the west by Pennsylvania Avenue). Present-day Inskip Avenue, west of Pennsylvania Avenue, sits atop what was once Fletcher Lake.

As if that wasn’t enough punishment to our beloved lake, it has effectively become a retention pond for the surrounding communities.

Since the founding of Ocean Grove and Bradley Beach, development has become denser around the lake, increasing the area covered by impervious surfaces which results in more storm run-off into the lake. That’s one reason the lake overflows with more frequency.
The run-off water carries with it more problems. Car fluids such as oil and antifreeze, pesticides, and fertilizers (necessary to maintain those infamous “grass” strips) get washed into storm drains which inevitably empty into the lake. Fertilizers are, in fact, the leading cause of nutrient enrichment in many water bodies which can result in algae blooms, excessive weed growth, reduction in oxygen and potential harm to aquatic life. And then there’s litter – plastic bottles, plastic bags, tires, fishing line, etc. Not only is this material unsightly, but it can also be dangerous to wildlife which may become entangled within it or accidentally ingest it and later die.

Goose droppings are another very visible blight. I’ve walked my dog along the shoreline many times only to feel like I’m navigating a mine field. And I find it ironic to stoop down and pick-up my dog’s waste with a biodegradable “doggie bag” when there are mounds of goose droppings to every side of me. I don’t blame the geese – they’re simply doing what geese do, eating and expelling the waste product. I blame the landscaping.
Geese eat grass, so the manicured lawn surrounding the lake is ideal for them. The more you manicure it, the more they like it.

If you let an area go “wild” (don’t cut the grass, let it grow high and allow some shrubs to move in), then the geese will be less likely to visit. Not only will you reduce their food supply, but you’ll also make them more nervous. High grass, shrubs, and other low-growing plants could be potential hiding spots for a predator. Thus, geese shun such areas. So don’t blame them – they’re simply taking advantage of our odd fondness of manicured lawns.

What can you do to help clean-up Fletcher Lake?

Minimize or, better yet, eliminate your use of pesticides and/or fertilizers. Maintain your vehicle – if you notice your car leaking oil, antifreeze, etc., get it serviced and lay a pan underneath the leak, so those fluids won’t get washed into the storm drains. Pick-up after your pet and dispose of all waste properly, which means do not pour oil, paint, or chemicals into storm drains and don’t allow them to get washed into storm drains. Litter, such as food wrappers, bottles, cans, and cigarette butts must be disposed of with your garbage or recycled. Get involved – the Fletcher Lake Commission meets once every month and you can find more details about meeting times and location on the websites for Neptune Township’s or Bradley Beach’s municipal government.

Read Mike's previous column here,
and find links to all his columns