Glen Echo Lake

At roughly 15 acres, Glen Echo Lake is the main attraction of the vibrant and varied parcel. Nearly half of the lake is accessible from the trails within the site, and its spring fed waters remain clear and unaffected from the development on the Canton side. The main access point to the lake lies at the southern tip and due north from Glen Echo Boulevard. The location is sheltered by a stand of small to medium
sized pines and one lonely maple that just fell in a recent storm. This access point has great potential for a minimalist intervention that could greatly improve user satisfaction. Currently, aquatic vegetation is encroaching on the shallow waters at the shore. Aquatic control could be explored to relieve this area of the nuisance species and to ease boat access and potential bather use. The area also lends itself well to the addition of a deck or a pier to provide a respite for site users who want to interact with the lake in a more passive way. While Glen Echo Lake water quality remains relatively uninterrupted, even from the vastly developed Canton side, evidence exists of invasive
Milfoil species taking over the benthic zone closest to the shore. The lakes edges tend to be overrun with waterlilies in the peak summer months and extending into the fall. With extremely low readings of E.coli, a water analysis proves the lake to be safe for swimmers.