Fish in the lake consist of crappie, bluegill, largemouth bass and cutthroat trout. The lake is drained in winter to allow for flood control, but the resulting marsh (and wildlife refuge) hosts tree frogs, newts, ospreys, rare purple martins (in spring), black-tailed deer, red foxes, beavers, muskrats, minks, pond turtles, and great blue herons. There are 250 bird species to be observed including tundra swans, northern harriers, Canadian geese, mergansers, and peregrine falcons. Perhaps the most eye-catching are the egrets because of their white plumage and large size.