Lacustrine habitats are inland depressions or dammed riverine channels containing standing water, including both the near-shore (limnetic) and deepwater habitat (littoral). Using this functionaly classification from Cowardin et al. 1979 incorporates both the Lakes and Reservoir classes of Anderson et al. 1976. In Cowardin et al.'s classification, each area must exceed 20 acres (~8 hectares) and be deeper than 6.6 feet (~2 meters). For the California GAP, however, only water bodies larger than 40 hectares were mapped. This class is distinguished from Intermittently-flooded lacustrine habitat only by the typical duration of standing water.
DISTRIBUTION:
This type occurs throughout California at virtually all elevations and in all regions, although less abundant in arid regions.
Source: Modified by the California Gap Analysis Project from Cowardin et al., 1979 and Mayer and Laudenslayer, 1988.