Transcript Portage Lake Watershed Forever Plan

Portage Lake
Watershed Forever Plan
Joint Executive Committee and
Technical Advisor Meeting
August 2, 2007
Agenda
 Welcome and introductions
 Portage Lake Watershed Forever
endowment fund update
 Progress report
 Recommended strategy for Phase II
 Next meeting date
 Adjourn
Progress Report Overview
Summary of public engagement
 Phase I report transitioning into
watershed plan
 Plan updates and other follow-up
 Summary of meeting with MDEQ

Public Engagement Update

Focus Groups
 Seasonal resident meeting—June 28
 Final summary of 8 focus groups and
community forum on website
 Nearly 150 people participated in total,
representing diverse interests
 Informed household survey instrument and
the watershed plan

Portage Point Summer Resort Corp.
Annual Meeting
Public Engagement Update

Household Survey
 Targeted year-round and seasonal residents
 228 completed, 28% of households in
watershed
 Collected information about:
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How residents use surface water in the watershed
Water quality concerns
Goals for improvement/protection
Where residents get information
Household Survey

Activities:
1. Boating
2. Swimming
3. Fishing


Most rated overall water quality as excellent/
good and better than other lakes
Concerns:
1. Invasive, exotic species
2. Failing/poorly maintained septic systems
3. Lack of understanding about how actions impact
water quality
Household Survey

Protection goals:
1. Lake Michigan sand dune and beach areas
2. Natural features that help maintain water
quality (e.g., wetlands and buffer strips)

Protection actions:
1. Addressing unplugged and abandoned
hydrocarbon and mineral wells
2. Getting more students involved
3. More effective planning for future growth by
local leaders
Household Survey


Respondents get information from local
newspaper (not local cable, radio,
Internet, e-mail, or newsletters)
Most trustworthy information sources
1. Neighborhood/lake association
2. Manistee County Health Department
3. University Extension, professors, and
scientists
Household Survey

Other tidbits
 38% of respondents live on Portage Lake/river/stream
 74% are full time residents, 26% are seasonal
residents
 80% of respondents maintain a grass lawn
 93% have a washing machine
 45% have a garbage disposal
 72% have a dishwasher
 81% of respondents are served by a septic system:
• 84% have had their system inspected and/or pumped out
in the last five years
• Nearly half (41%) of septic systems are less than 10
years old.
Watershed Plan Updates
Phase I report is transitioning into
watershed plan
 We are addressing questions and
comments raised at last meeting and
meeting with MDEQ
 Updated draft plan posted on website by
August 31, 2007

Updated Land Use
Source: Center for Geographic Information, Michigan
Department of Information Technology, 2001.
Land Use/Cover Projections
SOURCE : The Computational Ecology and Visualization Lab/Michigan Statue University Land
Policy Institute, 2007
Based on MDNR – Michigan Resource Information (MiRIS) data
Land Use/Cover Projection
Summary
Land Use Changes, 190-2040, Acres
Class
1980
2040
Change
%
Increase/
Decrease
Agriculture
4,043
2,701
– 1,132
-33%
Built
1,137
5,790
4,653
409
Forestland
5,508
3,408
– 2,100
– 38
425
175
– 250
– 59
2,493
1,532
– 961
– 39
Wetland
Other vegetation
General Soils Map
SOURCE: United States Department of Agriculture Natural Resource Conservation Service,
Grayling Area Office, 2007.
Location of Oil and Gas Wells
SOURCE: Center for Geographic Information, Michigan
Department of Information Technology, 2007.
Underground Storage Tank Sites
SOURCE: Michigan Department of
Environmental Quality, 2007.
Threatened, Endangered and
Species of Concern
Scientific Name
Common Name
State Status
Buteo lineatus
Red-shouldered hawk
T
Cirsium pitcheri
Pitcher's thistle
T
Pomatiopsis cincinnatiensis
Brown walker
Trimerotropis huroniana
Lake Huron locust
SOURCE: Michigan Natural Features Inventory - MSU Extension, Watershed Element Data.
SC
T
Additional Updates
Additional characterization of water
quality data for tributaries
 Hydrology and precipitation data
 Additional information on invasive species

 Connection to Great Lakes
 Plant, animals, diseases
MDNR fish stocking data since 2000
 Little River Band of Ottawa Indians
Walleye Recruitment Assessment data

Additional Updates
Information about water well nitrate levels
and uncapped wells
 Air quality information (Tribe not currently
monitoring toxics or nutrients)
 Additional data from Onekama Schools
water quality monitoring (pre-2004 and
2007 data)
 Onekama Township 2006 water quality
monitoring data (will not be included in
plan)

Additional Follow Up
Beach monitoring during times of heavy
use—assisting Onekama Township with a
2007 interim monitoring strategy
 Additional dissolved oxygen profiles
during summer stratification—MDNR
completed July 16
 Information on how to identify Eurasian
water milfoil (posted on website)

Eurasian Water Milfoil
SOURCE: Wisconsin DNR, 2004.
Meeting with MDEQ
Purpose: Discuss approval requirements
 Participants: PSC, PLWF, MDEQ
 Summary

 Agreed on components and general outline
 Not anticipated that additional data collection
will be required
 Recommend consideration of inventory work by
committees, if there is a need and can be led by
volunteers
 Additional needs for monitoring/inventorying can
be identified as action items in plan
Meeting with MDEQ

Additional information needed
 More detailed description/info on tributaries
 Hydrology and precipitation
 Chart of designated and desired uses,
sources, and causes
 Estimates of known or suspected pollutant
loadings
 List and map critical areas for designated and
desired uses, organized by threat or
opportunity
 Analysis of how/if local programs, projects,
and plans could further watershed plan goals
and objectives
Meeting with MDEQ

Additional information needed
 Development of long-term goals, measurable short-term
outcomes, and tasks—including time frame and cost
estimate for each task
Long-term
goals
Goal 1
Short-term
objectives
1.1
Applicable
designated/desired
uses addressed
BMPs
(tasks)
1.1.1
1.1.2
1.2
1.2.1
1.2.2
1.2.3
Goal 2
2.1
2.1.1
Timeline
Cost
estimate
Task partner
(responsible
party)
Meeting with MDEQ
General comment: The primary purpose
of the plan is to help the community
identify what should be done next—and
why—to protect the Portage Lake
Watershed
 MDEQ review could take 45–60 days per
draft, including Lansing review
 This meeting provided foundation for
finalizing Phase II strategy

Phase II Strategy
Identify and prioritize potential threats,
pollutants, sources, and causes for
designated and desired uses
 Establish long-term goals for protecting
designated and desired uses
 List and map critical area for meeting
goals for designated and desired uses
 Establish measurable objectives and
identify management measures and other
actions to help achieve goals

Phase II Strategy
Inform, educate, and engage the public
 Analyze how/if local programs, projects,
and plans could further plan goals and
objectives
 Develop an evaluation process to track
plan progress
 Assemble the Portage Lake Watershed
Forever Plan and submit to MDEQ

Total cost = $50, 015
Additional Recommendations
Although not requirements of approvable
watershed plans, the following are viewed
as priority needs:
Portage Lake Watershed Forever website
($5,800)
 Comprehensive water quality monitoring
strategy ($3,000)

Phase II Time Line
Elements of Phase II are already under
way
 Draft plan submitted to Executive
Committee and Technical Advisors by
September 30
 Draft plan submitted to MDEQ by October
31 (after review by EC, TA, PLWF
Committee)

Request for Committee Assistance

Goals:
 Community engagement
 Leveraging local talent/building capacity
 Cost efficiency
Priority inventory needs
 Website
 Analysis of local programs, projects,
plans
 Fund raising for near-term needs
 Additional ideas?

Discussion and Request for
Approval
Next Meeting Date
Goal–Setting Session
Joint Executive Committee and
Technical Advisor Meeting
September 4, 2007
4:00–6:00 PM
Manistee County Road Commission
Community Meeting Room
Thank You!
Your time and input are critical to making the
Portage Lake Watershed Forever Plan and its
implementation a success.