Plants for Fluctuating Lake Shorelines: Surviving Flood and Drought

Lake Nottely's 20-foot drawdown creates an extreme environment: months underwater, then baked dry. Few plants tolerate both, but some bog-adapted species can bridge the gap.

Top Candidates for the Drawdown Zone

• Yellow flag iris (Iris pseudacorus) — vigorous, tolerates saturation and dry periods.
• Japanese iris (Iris ensata) — needs moisture but survives summer drawdown.
• Sweet flag (Acorus calamus) — rhizomatous, handles wet/dry cycles.
• Virginia sweetspire (Itea virginica) — shrub for upper bank, suckers to hold soil.
• Spreading liriope (Liriope spicata) — anecdotal reports of surviving submersion; test a small patch.

Strategy

Plant in zones by elevation. Test species in small areas first. Accept that no plant thrives in both extremes—aim for erosion control via root mats from species that persist at each moisture level.