Little Long Lake Recreational and Environmental Carrying Capacity Study
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Little Long Lake Recreational and Environmental Carrying Capacity Study Prepared for: Four Township Water Resources Council P.O. Box 634 Study Carrying Capacity Richland, MI 49083-0634 Prepared by: Progressive AE 1811 4 Mile Road, NE Grand Rapids, MI 49525-2442 616/361-2664 June 2005 Project No: 51830108 Little Long Lake Recreational and Environmental Carrying Capacity Study Prepared for: Four Township Water Resources Council P.O. Box 634 Richland, MI 49083-0634 Prepared by: Progressive AE 1811 4 Mile Road, NE Grand Rapids, MI 49525-2442 616/361-2664 June 2005 Project No: 51830108 Table of Contents INTRODUCTION . .1 LAKE AND WATERSHED CHARACTERISTICS . .3 LAKE WATER QUALITY . .8 Temperature . .9 Dissolved Oxygen . .9 Phosphorus . .10 Chlorophyll-a . .10 Secchi Transparency . .10 Little Long Lake Water Quality . .11 RECREATIONAL CARRYING CAPACITY . .15 The Concept of Recreational Carrying Capacity . .15 Lake Physical Characteristics . .15 Use Characteristics . .16 Environmental Impacts . .16 Useable Lake Area . .17 Boating Density . .18 Lake Use Rate . .19 Little Long Lake Recreational Carrying Capacity . .19 ENVIRONMENTAL CARRYING CAPACITY . .20 The Little Long Lake Watershed . .20 The Importance of Phosphorus . .22 Environmental Carrying Capacity Calculations . .24 RECOMMENDATIONS AND CONCLUSIONS . .26 Recreational Carrying Capacity . .26 Keyhole or Funnel Development Control Ordinances . .26 Watercraft Control Ordinances . .27 Information and Education . .27 Environmental Carrying Capacity . .28 Wetland Protection . .29 Shoreland Overlay District . .30 Open Space Development . .30 Low Impact Development . .31 Little Long Lake 51830108 Recreational and Environmental Carrying Capacity Study ii TABLE OF CONTENTS APPENDICES Appendix A - Little Long Lake Septic Phosphorus Loading Calculations Appendix B - Michigan Court of Appeals Decision and Riparian Lot Use Regulations Appendix C - Lakeside Landscaping and Septic System Maintenance Guidelines Appendix D - Sample Shoreland Overlay District REFERENCES LIST OF TABLES Table 1. Little Long Lake Physical Characteristics . .3 Table 2. Lake Classification Criteria . .10 Table 3. Little Long Lake Deep Basin Water Quality Data . .12 Table 4. Little Long Lake Surface Water Quality Data . .12 Table 5. Little Long Lake Moored Boat Count Data - July 22, 2004 . .16 Table 6. Summary of Boating Density Statistics . .19 Table 7. Estimated Total Phosphorus Load to Little Long Lake . .24 Table A1. Phosphorus Loads for Household Wastewater Discharged to Septic Systems (lbs/capita/year) . .A-1 Table A2. Soil Efficiency Rating for Immobilizing Phosphorus from Septic Systems . .A-2 Table A3. Number of Residences per Soil Type Adjacent to Little Long Lake . .A-2 Table A4. Estimate of Annual Septic Contribution to Little Long Lake . .A-3 LIST OF FIGURES Figure 1. Project Location Map . .1 Figure 2. Little Long Lake Depth Contour Map . .4 Figure 3. Little Long Lake Watershed Map . .5 Figure 4. Little Long Lake Undeveloped Shoreline Area . .6 Figure 5. Little Long Lake Watershed Aerial Photography . .7 Figure 6. Little Long Lake Sampling Location Map . .11 Figure 7. Little Long Lake Marl Deposits . .14 Figure 8. Little Long Lake Watershed Land Use Map . .21 Figure 9. Little Long Lake Watershed Percent Land Use . .22 Figure 10. Little Long Lake Watershed Wetland Map . .23 Figure 11. Phosphorus Loading Determinants and Lake Response . .22 Figure 12. Estimated Total Phosphorus Loadings to Little Long Lake . .24 Figure 13. Lake Keyhole Development . .26 Figure 14. Lakeside Vegetative Buffer or Greenbelt . .28 Figure 15. Increased Imperviousness and Runoff . .31 Figure 16. Low Impact Development Lot Level Source Controls . .32 Little Long Lake 51830108 Recreational and Environmental Carrying Capacity Study iii Introduction The Four Township Water Resources Council was established in 1994 as a volunteer, non-profit group dedicated to protecting water quality in Barry and Prairieville Townships in Barry County and Richland and Ross Townships in Kalamazoo County (Figure 1). The Council's mission is to assist with the development and implementation of land use strategies that retain the rural environment currently enjoyed by township residents, protecting lakes, streams, drinking water, agriculture, and open space. In 1998 and 2002, the Council received grants from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency under Section 319 of the Federal Clean Water Act to implement the Four Township Water Resources Project. 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Project location map. Little Long Lake 51830108 Recreational and Environmental Carrying Capacity Study 1 INTRODUCTION For the purposes of this report, recreational carrying capacity refers to the number of boats that can be operated on a lake without compromising safe recreational use, aesthetic enjoyment, and/or environmental quality. Environmental carrying capacity refers to a lake's ability to sustain pollution inputs without degrading water quality. A key element of an environmental carrying capacity evaluation is an analysis of the watershed. A watershed is a geographic.