What I gathered from the colored symbols is that the more hardness and
higher pH produces more aquatic life ie fertile, and softer lower pH waters
produce less aquatic life and are considered sterile. Sterile maybe in the
fact of what kinds of bacteria can live there.... I kind of think it was
linked to the fact that it is coincidence that most of the large metro areas
in Wisconsin have hard alkaline waters near them. The soft acidic waters are
usually remote. Then the other thing, these hard water areas are "pretty"
lakes and streams, while the hard water areas are "dismal" bogs and swamps.
These books were put together before the end of the sixties, and views of
what is good habitat have changed as well. The only instances I can find of
dark tannin waters low on fish is in the northwoods where they have winter
kills. These lakes are usually home to a amphibians and some turtles, some
crustaceans, a few types of snails, and mudminnows. Its not the water but
the climate that dictates what lives in these lakes. Luckily many are super
deep, and that makes up for it. These have higher numbers of species. Or
those with springs or flows through them.
Ray
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