Elk-Skegemog Lakes Association Newsletter-January, 2012

wells are now being drilled into INSIDE THIS ISSUE: much deeper shale formations with a substantially greater risk of ad- President’s Message 1-2 verse impacts to the environment. Fish Shelters 2 Coalition activities have already resulted in strengthening certain Rapid River Update 3-4 regulations. Thank you to those ESLA Membership 3 who contacted legisla- Road End Legislation 4 tors at the behest of the coalition. Julie Courtrade 4 ESLA has made significant im- 1980’s Lake Trout 5 Bob Kingon provements to its website, President’s Message www.elk-skegemog.org. Please Lake Monitoring Update 6 ESLA Officers 7 visit the website and view the win- ning entries to ESLA’s first annual 2012 Dues Renewal 8 Dear fellow Riparian, photo contest. The best of the na- I hope you all had a wonderful holi- ture photos were used in the ESLA to reduce response times. day and that your new year is off to 2012 calendar. See page 8 for 24/7 coverage is now in place. great start. 2011 was a very produc- more details. tive year for ESLA as we took on  Discussed Aarwood many new projects and issues, many ESLA also weighed in on a num- Bridge designs with the con- which benefitted members directly. ber of issues that came to our at- tract engineer and wrote a We can all now visit the Village of tention, often by alert members: letter to MDEQ requesting Elk Rapids by boat and know we  We wrote a letter to the Cher- improvements for handling can find a slip. ESLA contributed ryland Electric Cooperative in an water run-off from the paved $5,000 to the Village for the instal- attempt to dissuade them from ap- surfaces. lation of our new courtesy docks. plying herbicides adjacent to sur-  Met with the Elk Rapids Because of concerns about the in- face waters and wetlands. Fol- Village Manager and wrote a creasing sediment in Rapid River lowed-up with letters to the editors letter requesting that pervious and its potential impact on the Torch of 3 newspapers alerting consum- surfaces be used for the con- Bayou, Torch River and Lake Skeg- ers to an opt-out phone number struction of proposed parking emog, ESLA began a project on the that Cherryland had not publicized. areas that are adjacent to wet- Rapid River. We are conducting a  Appeared before the White- lands that drain directly into variety of activities to identify water Township Board in opposi- Elk River. sources of sediment and potential tion to placing a water ski slalom remediation. An update is provided  Requested that the Elk course adjacent to the Battle Creek Rapids Golf Club conduct on page 3. Natural Area. Followed-up with a sampling of surface and Early in 2011, ESLA joined a coali- letter to MDNR stressing potential ground waters for an herbi- tion led by the Tip of the Mitt Wa- impact on nesting loons. cide that was applied by the tershed Council (TOM) that seeks to Club in the spring and has improve the regulation of  We wrote a letter to Elk Rap- ids Township in support of ex- since been recalled by the “fracking”. While this process for EPA. extracting natural gas from shale has panding onsite coverage for emer- been used in our area for some time, gency fire and ambulance services ESLA J AN. 2102 N EWSLETTER P AGE 2

President’s Message Cont. Fish Shelter Update

We have not yet prevailed on all of these issues, With review by the DNR and DEQ, fifteen shelter but our positions have been conveyed strongly and locations, based upon a 1979 map used to locate past clearly. We of course conducted our weekly water enhancements, have been approved for Elk Lake. quality monitoring of Elk Lake and Lake Skege- ESLA has formed a committee of fishermen who have mog throughout the summer. See Thom Yocum’s extensive knowledge about the Elk Lake fishery and report on page 6. And we maintained vigilance they have identified the 15 most desirable locations. over the MDEQ and Adam Jankowski is their monitoring of the chairman of the Burnett Foods permit Committee and to dispose of cherry members are Lou processing by- Sanford, Ken products on land sur- Krentz, Lee Welch faces adjacent to Elk and Rick McCaghy. Lake. We selected 15 po- In 2011, ESLA tential sites . strengthened our rela- The sites are in tionships with our Elk front of road ends at River Watershed part- Bussa, Easley, ners. Under an um- Ringler and brella agreement ad- Hoopfer roads, the ministered by the DNR boat launch off East Elk Lake Watershed Center Rd and in front of (TWC), we shared Shippey Lane in resources and consultants with the Three Lakes Milton Township. In Whitewater Township we se- Association (TLA) (Bellaire, Clam and Torch) as lected sites in front of road ends at Skegemog Point, they performed work on Grass River that was simi- Townline, Carns, Gay and Angell roads and also in lar to our work on Rapid River. Another collabora- front of the Whitewater Township Park and off Skeg- tive project is now being launched to place fish emog Point near Drake road. In Elk Rapids Township shelters in our lakes to increase fish habitat. See we selected a site North of Townline Rd., a site off picture on this page. With TOM, TWC, TLA and Clearwater Point and a site in Spencer Bay. others we hosted a meeting at Camp Hayo-Went- Ha in November for township and county officials Adam appeared before the Milton Township Board in from throughout the Elk River Watershed. The November and the Whitewater Township Board in meeting was very successful and established con- December to request use of their riparian bottomland nections that should benefit our moving ahead to- by virtue of several road ends and parkland. The gether with water quality initiatives. Boards graciously approved motions allowing our project. Enclosed with this newsletter is the annual ESLA dues envelope. Our all-volunteer organization Letters are currently being sent to riparians adjacent to needs your support. We are much more effective the sites for their approval as required by MDNR and when the preponderance of our riparians are ESLA MDEQ. Pending approval by affected riparians we members. are on course to file our application by March 1, 2012 as planned. Then the hard work will begin locating And while our bank accounts are healthy, we know supplies, construction and placement of the structures. there is the looming threat of Eurasian Water Mil- foil that will require substantial resources to ad- Anyone wanting additional information or willing to dress successfully. volunteer should contact Adam Jankowski at [email protected] ESLA J AN. 2012 N EWSLETTER P AGE 3

Rapid River Update  —West of Freedom Park – Good  —East of Freedom Park – Fair/Poor  —East of Kellogg Bridge – Fair The environmental problem being addressed by this  —East of Underhill Road – Poor ongoing project is the amount of sand and sediment  —Seven Bridges – Good accumulating in Rapid River, particularly just east of Aarwood Bridge and west to where the River  —Wood Road west of Rugg Pond – Fair joins Torch River. This section of Rapid River has  —Wood Road northeast of Rugg Pond – Poor become noticeably wider, shallower, and warmer  —Birch Street northeast of Rugg Pond – Poor than it was twenty years ago. Aerial photos also show heavy deposition of sediment in Rugg Pond ESLA volunteers walked the length of Rapid River where the east branch of the River and Little Rapid from Rugg Pond to Torch River. The length of this River each flow into the Pond. Sedimentation is one stretch by Valley Road is 8.1 miles, but walking the of highest priority threats to lakes and streams in meandering River is probably twice that length or our EPA & DEQ-approved Watershed Protection more. Our volunteers were also fishermen/women Plan. Consequently this project is being conducted who enjoyed their sport at the same time as conduct- in collaboration with The Traverse Bay Watershed ing our research. Other than road crossings, only Center and Tip of the Mitt Watershed Council. A two erosion sites were identified as caused by hu- parallel project to investigate sedimentation is being man intervention, both in the 7 Bridges area. Vege- conducted by the Three Lakes Association on Grass tation on the banks was very heavy throughout this River using similar methodologies and expert guid- stretch of the River. We will walk the length of the ance. River east of Rugg Pond and the length of the Little The following short-term goals for this project were Rapid River in 2012. accomplished in 2011: There are 16 road crossings; 7 west of Rugg Pond, 4 east of Rugg Pond and 5 on the Little Rapid River.  Conduct semiannual macroinvertebrate collec- Data was systematically collected at all crossings tions at an increasing number of sites. east of Rugg Pond except at Aarwood Bridge, which  Walk the river and identify major erosion sites. had been scheduled for replacement. Serious ero-  Evaluate Road Crossings. sion was found at each of these 6 road crossings ex- Establish multiple ongoing data collection sites. cept at Rapid City Road/Freedom Park. Two of the road crossings each have two culverts both of which In 2011 we had over 20 volunteers (6 teams) that have multiple erosion sites. While not all of the oth- conducted macroinvertebrate collection and identifi- er road crossings have been evaluated, the Wood cation in June and October. We included 6 addi- Road crossing northeast of Rugg Pond was evaluat- tional sites in 2011. Each team had a captain who ed in July with evidence of very serious erosion and had received training from The Watershed Center. sediment deposition. The Kalkaska County Road The variety of species and number of each species Commission has since repaved both the north and is converted into a score that represents the relative south grades to the road crossing with curbing the health at that site on the River, compares sample length of both approaches and multiple water divert- sites to one another, and allows tracking of changes ers well upland from the River. This appears to be over time. Furthermore, data will be used by Michi- an excellent approach to greatly reducing the gan DEQ to identify sites that need further assess- amount of sand that will wash into the River. ment and as supplemental data for statewide water resource management. Below are recent findings We have established ongoing data collection sites for different sites on Rapid River: along the stretch of the River(s). Our three Elk Rap- ids High School summer interns were especially  —West of Aarwood Bridge – Fair helpful with this aspect of the project. They have  —East of Aarwood Bridge – Fair created a report of their work and made presenta- tions to the ESLA Board of Directors and the Elk ESLA J AN. 2012 N EWSLETTER P AGE 4

Rapid River Update (cont.) ESLA Supports Road End Legislation

Rapids School Board in December. The follow- ing occurred in 2011: Recent court rulings involving lake access at road  A transducer was placed at the Rapid City ends have established guidelines regulating place- Road crossing in June. It collects water level and ment of hoists or anchoring devices at road ends, temperature data every 30 minutes 24 hours a along with prohibiting overnight mooring at road day. ends between midnight and sunrise. Michigan Sen-  Four staff gauges installed - Freedom Park, ator Mike Kowall introduced S. B. 778 last fall that Wood Road NW, Seeley Road, and 131 Bridge. was voted out of the Judiciary Committee in No- We conduct periodic measurements at these sites vember and will soon be considered by the full that include water level, water velocity, suspend- Senate. ed sediments, and dissolved oxygen. The bill would amend Part 301 (Inland Lakes and  Temperature loggers have been installed at Streams) of the Natural Resources and Hansen Road, Rice Road, Priest Road and west Environmental Protection Act to specify that, un- of Aarwood Bridge. These record temperatures less a recorded deed, recorded easement, or other every 30 minutes 24 hours a day. recorded dedication expressly provided otherwise, a

public road end could not be used for any of the The data from these instruments and our volun- following purposes: construction, installation, teer measurements are accumulated in computer maintenance, or use of boat hoists or boat anchor- files that are analyzed by the Tip of the Mitt Wa- age devices; mooring or docking of a vessel be- tershed Council and our consultant at the College tween midnight and sunrise; or any activity that of Brockport (NY) who is supported by The Wa- obstructed ingress to or egress from an inland lake tershed Center. We will share more of these data or stream. A public road end also could not be used with you in subsequent newsletters. for the construction, installation, maintenance, or

use of a dock or wharf, other than a single seasonal Preliminary conclusions from 2011 activities: public dock or wharf that was authorized by the  We are just beginning and must be diligent in local government unit that had jurisdiction over the collecting systematic data over time. public road.  Macroinvertebrate data indicates that fish habitat is less than desired. ESLA will closely follow the progress of this legis-  There are not serious human causes of ero- lation and will send an email alert to members to sion (sand deposits) below Rugg Pond other than contact your legislators, as may be appropriate. road crossings.  We need to collaborate with townships, County Commissioners, and the Road Commis- Julie Courtade leaving the ESLA Board sion. Julie Courtade has been a valuable and long serv- ing member of the ESLA Board of Directors. Julie We are now preparing for presentations to town- has provided many valuable insights and fresh ap- ship and County officials, and will continue data proaches to issues facing ESLA. She has never collection activities throughout 2012. Another hesitated to participate in ad hoc committees to 2012 goal is to submit applications for grants to launch new activities. She is moving from her further engage stream hydrology experts from home on Elk Lake to the Village of Elk Rapids. In Michigan State University to work with collabo- addition to resigning from the ESLA Board, she is rators from the Tribe of Ottawa & Chippewa In- also leaving her position on the Whitewater Town- dians, College of Brockport, The Watershed Cen- ship Planning Commission. We will miss her pres- ter, Tip of the Mitt, and Three Lakes ence on our Board and know she will be a valuable asset to the Elk Rapids community. ESLA J AN. 2012 N EWSLETTER P AGE 5

MDNR fisheries biologists make amaz- temperature monitors in Elk Lake are located in water that is too shallow. Capturing fish with ing discovery in Elk Lake nets in water this deep is also difficult. The re- searchers want to avail themselves of underwater "Five years ago, we were doing a large lake survey robotic technology being used to capture fish in on Elk Lake, and pulled the Great Lakes and in some lake trout and plan to start bottom they just looked differ- mapping with high ent, like something spe- tech sonar equipment cial" said Jory Jonas, a that can differentiate research biologist with bottom substrates the Charlevoix Fisher- starting next summer. ies Research Station. So far 130 fish have The fish the DNR had been tagged and re- netted seemed more leased. Subsequent net bullet shaped with the drops were successful dorsal fin set further back on the body and they but only two tagged fish have been recaptured. If had a different coloration. These observations led you catch a tagged lake trout, the DNR would Jonas to have genetic analysis performed on sam- like you to send the date, location of capture, ples from 25 fish. The results showed these lake length of the fish and the tag (if kept) or tag trout had more similarities to Lake Superior geno- number (if released) to the Charlevoix Great types than to current hatchery brood stock or to Lakes Station or report the information on the lake trout stocked in Elk Lake during the 1980’s. following website; http:// They had other unusual traits as well. When water www.michigandnr.com/taggedfish/ For addi- temperatures drop to 46-52 Degrees F in the fall, tional information, fishermen may call (231) 547 it’s spawning time for lake trout. Typically, lake -2914. trout prefer shallow rocky bars to drop their eggs that hatch in four to five months and require oxy- Great Lakes fisheries managers believe there gen rich water. The Elk Lake fish laden with eggs, used to be six to nine different strains of lake however, are in 100 feet or more of water along trout in Lake Michigan that disappeared in the the western side in the lake’s central basin, leading 1950’s. The strains that have been planted since to speculation that they may be related to one of have struggled to reestablish themselves due to the deepwater forms that used to exist in Lake reproductive issues such as poor egg hatching Michigan. It’s believed that their Lake Michigan and poor survival of fry. "A lot of fingers get counterparts succumbed to over fishing and the pointed at alewives, round gobies and rusty cray- sea lamprey and became extinct in the 1950’s. fish eating lake trout fry”, Jonas said. "Bottom “Any lake trout that you catch in Lake Michigan line is, we don't know why they are having these today, with the rare exception, is from a hatchery,” issues." Fisheries managers had been traveling said Jonas. Since Elk Lake was dammed off from to other States where historic Lake Michigan the Grand Traverse Bay starting as early as the strains were exported in the past to look for re- 1860’s, and fish passage was all but eliminated by productively successful populations and now the turn of the century, these trout may have re- they may have found one in their own back yard. mained genetically isolated for over 100 years. Jonas recently submitted 50 additional samples from Elk Lake to a geneticist to be compared to With help from Laura Mathews, a Central Michi- scale samples from Lake Michigan genotypes. If gan University biology student working on a Mas- sufficient similarities exist it may lead to an at- ters degree, Jonas embarked on an extensive study tempt to create a hatchery brood stock. “If that is of the lake trout in Elk Lake this fall. “How do successful, it would reintroduce genetic diversity eggs survive in up to 180 feet of water on a clay that we can't find anymore," said Jonas. bottom, where does the oxygen come from?” ques- tioned Jonas. However, studying fish in very deep Submitted by Fred Sittle water is a difficult task. Current DNR long-term ESLA J AN. 2012 N EWSLETTER P AGE 6

SUMMER 2011 LAKE MONITORING

This past summer, ESLA maintained a program Algal (Brown Crud) Sampling of water quality monitoring geared to our particu- Sampling was conducted his summer at near shore lar lakes and their water chemistry. In addition to waters on both east and west sides of Elk Lake for the many hours devoted to the study of the Rapid types of algae that are present. The samples are River, we carried out three programs that have sent to a consultant for examination and identifica- been in place for varying numbers of years. tion by genera of algae. This year we had approxi- mately similar results to last year, both in percent- Each summer for twenty years now, ESLA vol- ages of types and quantities of algae. Fortunately, unteers monitor our lakes for surface water tem- blue-green algae, which are usually the most nox- perature, Secchi disk depths and chlorophyll-a ious genera, did not increase in type or percentage measures. The surface water temperature gives us of the sample. In fact, one genera Jaaginema, actu- an indication of how warmer water might be af- ally decreased. While the algal deposits in late fecting algal growth. Warmer temps are a distinct summer didn’t decrease, at least there were no nox- aid to faster, more abundant algal growth. Secchi ious varieties showing up in our sampling. We will disk depths indicate how quickly light is filtered continue this monitoring for at least one more year. out of the water. This filtering can be due to more It should also be noted that many other northern algae, but in our lakes it is also increased each Michigan inland lakes, similar chemically to ours, summer by calcium carbonate precipitation in have shown similar algal deposits the last few warmer waters. Thus, warm waters give us two years. I know of no studies that have done similar factors to separate. Unfortunately, the chlorophyll sampling to ours for comparison. -a results are typically not returned to us until later in January. E. coli Testing The third monitoring that occurred this past sum- So, what do we know at present? The surface mer was for the presence of E. coli in near shore waters of both lakes were very close to last year’s waters. This bacteria is an indication of fecal con- record temps. reached 25 C for tamination. Our samples are sent to the same lab four consecutive weeks in July and August. It that tests area public swimming beaches once per was at 25+C for five weeks last year, with a rec- week. This year, as last year, identified no public ord high of 26 C for one week. Elk Lake reached health concerns. The results of any initially 25+ C for four weeks this year, with a high of 27 ‘suspicious’ areas always re-tested in within safe, C for one week in July. The 27 C is a new record expected parameters. Four ‘suspicious’ areas were for Elk Lake. Last year saw six consecutive examined, all on the west shore. This is probably weeks of 25+ C, with a high of 26 C for two due to generally decreased wave/wind action on weeks. Certainly, this year we saw prime condi- that side of the lake. This type of monitoring will tions for increased algal growth. continue in 2012, although the exact format has not Comparing Secchi disk readings is interesting. been determined. Both lakes are quite similar here as well. It All in all, the lake monitoring from summer 2011 should be pointed out that the sites for readings in indicated a continuation of sound, healthy lakes! each lake remain the same from year to year. Lake Skegemog had Secchi depths reach a low of Submitted by Thom Yocum and Dale Claudepierre 8.5 ft. by August 22. Elk Lake reached its low of 14.5 ft. for two weeks in July, the increased slightly to 16 ft. three weeks, only to decrease to Reminder—Sign up for electronic delivery of 14.5 ft. by Aug. 25. Both lakes were fairly typical the ESLA Newsletter at http://www.elk- in Secchi readings. Late August always has the skegemog.org. This will save ESLA considerable ‘cloudiest’ water due to both algal growth and printing/mailing costs, reduce paper use, and in- greatest calcium carbonate precipitation during sure more rapid delivery to you. the warmest water periods. ESLA J AN. 2012 N EWSLETTER P AGE 7 ELK-SKEGEMOG LAKES ASSOCIATION Sept 1, 2010 — August 31, 2012

OFFICERS Address Phone Email

Bob Kingon Pres 10202 East Elk Lake Dr. Rapid City 322-6055 [email protected] Vacant Vice Pres. Kathy DiMercurio Rec. Sec. 535 Sixth St. Traverse City 49684 946-1687 [email protected] Lou Ann McKimmy Corr.Sec 8824 Penahguhme Rapid City 264-5653 [email protected] Robert Stibbs Treasurer 10561 S. Elk Lake Rd. Williamsburg 231-218-5391 [email protected]

ZONE DIRECTORS

ZONE A Ron Gurdak Captain 8969 Cairn Hwy, Elk Rapids 264-6581 [email protected] Jim Sak 11329 Hanel Rd, Williamsburg 264-6069 [email protected] Brian Taylor 10407 E. Elk Lake Rd. Williamsburg 264-5344 [email protected]

ZONE B Kent Reynolds Captain 8534 Ridge Rd Rapid City 264-8360 [email protected] Dean Ginther 11228 Shippey Ln, Rapid City 322-6286 [email protected] Ruth Bay 11393 Center Rd. Traverse City 49686 947-1619 [email protected] Dale Claudepierre 13952 Fairmont Dr. Rapid City 49676 322-2892 [email protected]

ZONE C Pete DiMercurio Captain 535 Sixth St. Traverse City 49684 946-1687 [email protected] Jim Curnow 10183 Miami Beach, Williamsburg 267-5613 [email protected] Joan Richardson 9350 Larsen Rd Williamsburg 267-5458 [email protected]

Zone D Tom Klingler 7772 Hoiles Dr. Williamsburg 267-9352 [email protected] Dave Hauser 9240 Skegemog Pt. Rd., Williamsburg 267-5624 [email protected]

Zone E Gina Dewildt Captain 14199 Torch River Rd. Rapid City 322-2739 ginadewildt@hotmail,com Melissa Culver 9601 Shellway Dr. NW Rapid City 322-4909 [email protected] Dave Lawicki 6954 Aarwood Rd. Rapid City 944-3051 [email protected]

AT LARGE APPOINTED DIRECTORS

Thom Yocum Water Quality 8447 N. Bayshore Dr Elk Rapids 264-6387 [email protected] Dean Ginther Editor 11228 Shippey Ln, Rapid City 322-6286 [email protected] Steve Flechter - Foundation 10426 E. Elk lake Dr. Rapid City 322-6015 [email protected]

ESLA WEB SITE: WWW.ELK-SKEGEMOG.ORG

ESLA 2012 Dues Envelope P.O. Box 8 Enclosed—ESLA Elk Rapids, MI 49629 depends totally on membership dues to continue the many projects and activates described in this newsletter. Please provide your generous support. Want to get more involved? ESLA needs volunteers— Contact Bob Kingon ([email protected])

ELK-SKEGEMOG LAKES ASSOCIATION Our first annual ESLA Photo Contest was a great success. Please check out the ESLA website, www.elk- OFFICERS skegemog.org (News and Events, Photo Contest), to view 2011 photo entries as well as the prize winners. Bob Kingon President 231-322-6055 [email protected] Vacant (needed) Vice Pres Kathy DiMercurio Rec. Sec. 231-946-1687 [email protected] In addition, all entries were considered for our first ESLA Lou Ann McKimmy Corr.Sec 231-264-5653 [email protected] calendar that went on sale for $10.00 Robert Stibbs Treas. 231-218-5391 [email protected] in late November. Our website home page lists the Elk Rapids businesses that carry the calendars. PAST PRESIDENTS

Peter DiMercuio 2008-2010 231-946-1687 [email protected] Our thanks go to Dana Vannoy, Dean Ginther 2006-2008 322-6286 [email protected] professional photographer, for helping judge this year’s entries. Mary Anne Rivers 2004-2006 267-5058 [email protected] We plan to build on this success and Al Wagner 2001-2004 322-4109 [email protected] make this an annual event. Keep your cameras at the ready and look for Bob Bremer 1995-1997 322-6120 [email protected] more details on our second annual Ed Krigbaum 1992-1995 267-5164 [email protected] Photo Contest in the spring Lou Wood 1989-1991 264-5648 newsletter. Stan Holzhauer 1984-1987 322-2594 [email protected]