Ciscos Sonar

Bullrushes
By Bryce Nielson, The Cisco Kid

Bear Lake has stayed full all summer.  This has resulted in the plant community changing.  On the

Utah half of the lake, the tamarisk which plagued us 20 years ago is gone and did not take the shoreline vegetation.  The cottonwoods and all types of terrestrial vegetation, have been uprooted, chewed up by the erosive wave action, turned to organic debris (black muck) are now back into the lake ecosystem.  The phragmities, predicted to take over the Lake's littoral zone has been uprooted and drowned by ice and waves.

I, because of earlier observations 40 years ago, predicted that this would happen and was opposed to the spraying of herbicides, burning, disking of those plant communities.  The shoreline vegetation had invaded shoreline was due to the water elevation.  They were not invasive species destined to take the lake over.  They just took advantage of the low water habitat and were temporary. Bear Lake takes care of itself.

While all the debates on what to do then, I researched old photos taken in the 1800's.  They all were at higher water levels with pointy vegetation sticking up.  Those depicted the native vegetation before humans started to control the levels of the lake.  After years of being dry with 1000's of people tromping in them, they are back.

Hardstem bullrush, Schoenoplectus acutus, a native plant is now growing above the surface in three to five feet of water.  It is native to North America and commonly called tule (toole).  The phases "out in the tules" originated in California meaning "where no one would want to live."  It reproduces by rhizomes but the seeds can be eaten or pounded into flour.  Ducks feed on it and it provides cover for waterfowl and shore birds.  Muskrats feed on the roots and use the stems to construct their "houses".

Historically, Indians used it to make bowls, roofs, canoes, decoys and hundreds of other items.

Currently, tules are used to stabilize shoreline areas and treat sewerage.  Currently, because of their many uses, commercially grow plants are now available.

I would hope that all of us who use and enjoy Bear Lake will not attempt to harm the tules.  These are part of the ecosystem and even though stems cut off by ice or hanging on your boat motor may be a distraction, remember where you are.