Location: Clear Lake, Iowa

The purpose of this project is to understand the effects of introduced common carp and invading zebra mussels on water quality and the native fish, invertebrate, and plant communities in Clear Lake, and to organize this knowledge into a simulation model for predicting future changes and the outcomes of management actions. The resulting model will enable prediction of the effects of both biotic and abiotic factors on water quality in Clear Lake, and facilitate evaluation of a variety of scenarios and management alternatives for future water quality.

Output from this project can be found in:

Colvin, M. E. 2012. Impacts of nuisance species in a shallow lake: A systems modeling approach for evaluating restoration and management policies. Iowa State University, Ames, IA. 314 pages. PDF Colvin, M. E., E. Katzenmyer, T. W. Stewart, and C. L. Pierce. 2010. The Clear Lake Ecosystem Simulation Model (CLESM) Project. Iowa State University, Ames, IA. 160 pages. PDF Colvin, M. E., E. Katzenmyer, T. W. Stewart, and C. L. Pierce. 2009.The Clear Lake Ecosystem Simulation Model (CLESM) Project. Iowa State University, Ames, IA. 142 pages. PDF Colvin, M. E., E. Katzenmyer, T. W. Stewart, and C. L. Pierce. 2008. The Clear Lake Ecosystem Simulation Model (CLESM) Project. Iowa State University, Ames, IA. 110 pages. PDF