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Emily Baker, Molly Walton, Elizabeth Hill, Jim Laarman, Ron Renner, Stacy L. Daniels Crystal Lake & Watershed Association

4th Annual MiCorps Conference Ralph A. MacMullen Conference Center Higgins Lake, MI October 2008 Crystal Lake Watershed Cooperative Lakes Monitoring Program (CLMP) • Partnership between Michigan Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) and Michigan Lake and Stream Associations (ML&SA) as reported by Michigan Clean Water Corps (MiCorps) volunteer surface water monitoring network. • Created to help local volunteers monitor indicator parameters of water quality and document changes in lake quality over time. • Parameters: Secchi Disk Transparency, Total Phosphorus, Chlorophyll a, Dissolved Oxygen, and Aquatic . Aquatic Macrophytes • Emergent plants: rooted to bottom with stems or leaves that rise well above the water surface. • Floating-leafed plants: roots on the bottom and leaves that rest on, or slightly above, the surface. • Submergent plants: all or most leaves and stems below water; rooted to the bottom or free-floating. • Free-floating plants: found on the lake surface, with root systems not connected to the bottom. • Natural and essential parts of a lake. • Hold sediments, reduce erosion, stabilize bottom. • Provide habitat for fish and forage for waterfowl. • Plants increase as nutrients increase. • Rarely a problem in oligotrophic lakes. Aquatic Mapping

• Need to know – what plant species are present. – relative abundance and location. • A plant map aids management projects. • Participants trained by MLSA to monitor exotic and native plants with professional oversight. • Aquatic plants in Crystal Lake: – Early botanical surveys (late 1800’s). – Fish surveys (1940+). – Water quality surveys (1969+). – Plant surveys: 1978, 1988, 1996, 2002, 2008. Key: 08/01/08 Water Quality 08/14/08 Practice Sampling 08/18/08 Official Sampling

Aquatic Macrophytes 2008 Materials & Methods Sample collection and mapping were compromised by lake size: - littoral zone perimeter 20.838 miles - depth of most weed beds > 20 feet - frequent high winds (“white caps”) Additional considerations: - Secchi disk transparency 25 feet - Total phosphorus 5-6 ug/L - Historic drawdown of lake level - Limited public access points Specimen preparation and identification protocols were standard (*). Equipment included: collection trays, magnifying lenses, “weed rake” (right).

(*) Wandell, H., and Wolfson, L., A Citizen’s Guide for the Identification, Mapping, and Management of the Common Rooted Aquatic Plants of Michigan Lakes, MSU Extension Water Quality Series WQ-55, 2000. Interns in Action

Emily Baker

Molly Walton Aquatic Macrophytes (1996)

A 1dp,10b; B 1b,3b,5b; C 1d,3d,6b,5b; D 1dp,3d,6b,5b; E 1b,3c,7f; F 1d,7dp; G 4a; H 1dp,3b,4dp,6dp,7dp; I 3b,4dp,6dp,7dp; J 1b,4c,5b; K 1d,7dp, 10b; L 1dp 1 Eurasian watermilfoil; 2 Curly-leaf Pondweed; 3 Chara; 4 Whitestem Pondweed, 5 Thin-leaf Pondweed; 6 Wild Celery; 7 Floating-leaf Pondweed; 8 Naiad; 9 Elodea; 10 Variable Pondweed a present; b sparse; c common; d dense; p patchy. Common Name Scientific Name 1892 1940 1970 1978 1988 1996 2002 2008

Bladderwort Utricullaria sp X X Bladderwort Utricullaria vulgaris, and U. minor X Bulrush, American Scirpus americanus X X X X Bulrush, hard-stem Scirpus acutus var. occidentalis X Bulrush, three-square Scirpus pungens Bushy Pondweed Naias flexilis X X X Calamus Acorus calamus Cattail, broadleaf Typha latifolia X Celery, Wild Vallisneria americana X X Club Moss Lycopodium (?) lucidulum Coontail Certophyllum demersum X Elodea (American) Elodea canadensis X X Horsetail Equisetum sp. X X X X Lily, Pond Nuphar variegata X Lily, White Water Nymphaea odorata X X Muskgrass (Stonewort) Chara frailis; Chara spp. X X X X X X Pondweed Potamogeton gramnifolius v. myriophyllus X Pondweed Potomogeton filiformis (marinus?) X X Pondweed Potamogeton sp. X X X Pondweed, curly-leafed Potamogeton crispus X X Pondweed, floating-leaf X X X Pondweed, Fries Potamogeton friesii X Pondweed, Illinois X Pondweed, large-leaf Potamogeton amplifolius X X Pondweed, sago Potomogeton pectinatus X X X X X Pondweed, thin leaved Potamogeton sp. X X Pondweed, variable-leaf (perfoliatus) X X Pondweed, white-stemmed X Reed, Common Phragmites australis X X Rock Sandwort Arenaria stricta X Rush Juncus sp. X X? Rush, Baltic Juncus balticus var. littoralis X X X Rush, spike Eleocharis compressa X Rush, twig Cladium mariscoides X Sedge Carex substricta X Sedge Carex spp. X X? Smith's Oat Avena Smithii Porter X Water Star Grass Heteranthera dubia Watermilfoil, Eurasian X? X X Watermilfoil, Northern Myriophyllum sibericum X? X X References (1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6) (7) (8) References

1. Beal, William James, 1833-1924, Michigan Flora, R. Smith & Co., Lansing, 1892, 180pp. 2. Brown, C.J.D., and Funk, John, Fisheries Survey of Crystal Lake, Benzie County, MDNR, IFR, Fisheries Research Report No. 629, IFR, Ann Arbor, MI, Nov. 7, 1940, 18pp. 3. Gannon, John J., et al., Final Report, Crystal Lake Water Quality Investigation, May 1, 1969 - February 28, 1970, The University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, March 1970, 239pp. 4. Tanis, Fred J., (Assisted by Walter F. Kramer and Stacy L. Daniels), Final Summary Report on Crystal Lake Water Quality Study, February 1978, 65pp. 5. Hazlett, Brian T., The Aquatic Vegetation and Flora of Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, Benzie and Leelanau Counties, MI, UMBS Tech. Rep. No. 15, Nov. 1988, 66 pp. (Round Lake) 6. Pullman, Doug (Aquest, Inc.), A Study of Aquatic Macrophytes in Crystal Lake, Benzie Co., MI, Crystal Lake Watershed Fund, Inc., 1996. 7. Whitman, Richard L., et al., Status and Trends of Selected Inland Lakes of the Great Lakes Cluster National Parks, Interagency Agreement #14431A603097017, 2002, 310 pp. (Round Lake) 8. This study, 2008. Conclusions

• Plants found in earlier surveys are present. • Local populations may have changed slightly. • Eurasian Watermilfoil (an invasive) is not widespread and limited to near the Cold Creek outflow. It is not an immediate threat. • A follow-up study is recommended, with more samplings, and more quantitative mapping. Acknowledgements The 2008 water quality monitoring program, including the sampling and mapping of aquatic macrophytes, was a cooperative effort by the following individuals:

• Emily Baker, Molly Walton, CLWA 2008 Summer Interns • Elizabeth Hill, Jim Laarman, Ron Renner, Stacy Daniels, CLWA Board members and volunteers. • Kyle Axtell, Benzie Conservation District • Jo Latimore, MSU Lake and Stream Outreach Specialist.

Crystal Lake & Watershed Association 231/882-4001 [email protected] www.CLWA.us P.O. Box 89 Beulah, MI 49617