Platte and Betsie River Watershed Biosurveys 2018
MI/EGLE/WRD-20/009 MICHIGAN DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT, GREAT LAKES, AND ENERGY WATER RESOURCES DIVISION MARCH 2020 STAFF REPORT Biological and water chemistry surveys of selected stations in the Betsie, Platte, and Crystal Rivers, and Herring and Bowens Creeks watersheds; Benzie, Leelanau, Grand Traverse, and Manistee Counties, Michigan; June-September 2018 Introduction Biological and physical habitat conditions of selected water bodies in the Betsie, Platte, and Crystal Rivers, and Herring and Bowens Creeks watersheds; Benzie, Leelanau, Grand Traverse, and Manistee Counties, were assessed by staff of the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE), Water Resources Division (WRD), Surface Water Assessment Section (SWAS), from June-September 2018. Water bodies include those listed in Table 1. The primary objectives of the assessments were to: 1) Assess the current status and condition of individual water bodies and determine if Michigan Water Quality Standards (WQS) are being met. 2) Evaluate biological integrity temporal trends. 3) Satisfy monitoring requests submitted by internal and external customers. 4) Evaluate the effectiveness of the Nonpoint Source (NPS) Program. 5) Identify NPS of water quality impairment. Watershed Information Platte River Watershed The Platte River is a coldwater designated stream (Michigan Department of Natural Resources [MDNR], 1997) that originates approximately 30 miles upstream from its confluence with Lake Michigan. There are only three designated warmwater tributaries in the Platte River watershed (Table 1). The Platte River starts as an outlet of Long Lake in the western portion of Grand Traverse County. A watershed management plan is available for Long Lake (Great Lakes Environmental Center for The Long Lake Watershed Partnership, 2009).
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