Effects of Residential Development on the Water Quality of Higgins Lake, Michigan 1995-99

U.S. Department of the Interior U.S. Geological Survey Effects of Residential Development on the Water Quality of Higgins Lake, Michigan 1995-99

Water-Resources Investigations Report 01-4055

In cooperation with Gerrish and Lyon Townships, Roscommon County, Michigan, Higgins Lake Property Association and Higgins Lake Foundation Effects of Residential Development on the Water Quality of Higgins Lake, Michigan 1995-99

By Russel J. Minnerick

U.S. Geological Survey Water-Resources Investigations Report 01-4055

Lansing, Michigan 2001 U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR GALE A. NORTON, Secretary

U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY Charles G. Groat, Director

For additional information write: Copies of this report can purchased from:

District Chief U.S.Geological Survey U.S. Geological Survey Branch of Information Services 6520 Mercantile Way, Ste. 5 Box 25286 Lansing, MI 48911-5991 Denver, CO 80225-0286 CONTENTS ��

Abstract ...... 1 Introduction ...... 1 Purpose and scope ...... 1 Description of the study area ...... 3 Study design ...... 3 Acknowledgments ...... 4 Study Methods...... 5 Water-quality sites ...... 6 Water elevations ...... 9 Residential density ...... 9 Water-quality characteristics ...... 10 Shallow ground water...... 10 Near-shore lake water...... 12 Inlets ...... 12 Deep basins...... 15 Effects of residential development on water quality ...... 19 Summary and conclusions ...... 26 References cited...... 27

FIGURES 1. Map showing study area and location of data collection sites at and near Higgins Lake, Roscommon, Michigan ...... 2

FIGURES 2-9 Graphs showing: 2. Relation between total phosphorus and E. Coli in ground water at sampling site 33, Higgins Lake ...... 12 3. Temperature and oxygen profiles for Higgins Lake, June 1996 to September 1996 ...... 16 4. Specific conductance, dissolved oxygen, pH, and water temperature, during maximum stratification in late summer, North and South basins in Higgins Lake...... 17 5. Tropic-State Indices for Higgins Lake ...... 22 6. Relation between buildings per acre and (A) median dissolved chloride in near-shore Lake water, (B) turbidity in near-shore lake water, and (C) linear feet of roads per acre of study plots, Higgins Lake...... 23 7. Relation between building density and selected nutrients in lake water and ground water at near-shore sampling sites around Higgins Lake...... 24 8. Relation between buildings per acre and E. Coli bacteria in ground water at near-shore sampling sites around Higgins Lake...... 25 9. Monthly maximum and minimum stages for Higgins Lake...... 26

iii CONTENTS--Continued �� TABLES 1. Site number and identifier, location, and type of data-collection sites, Higgins Lake...... 7 2. Building density and lineal feet of road per acre, Higgins Lake ...... 10 3. Summary of selected water quality constituents in ground water below lake bottom in Higgins Lake ...... 11 4. Summary of nutrients in the near shore lake water in Higgins Lake ...... 13 5. Median values of selected constituents collected from upstream and downstream sites on Big Creek, Higgins Lake ...... 14 6. Instaneous phosphorus loading to Higgins Lake computed at sampling sites on Big Creek ...... 15 7. Summary of water quality in the North Basin, Higgins Lake ...... 18 8. Summary of water quality in the South Basin, Higgins Lake ...... 19 9. Selected chemical characteristics of water in lakes in Grand Traverse County...... 20 10. Summary of secchi and chlorophyll a depth observations collected from the photic zone in the North Basin, Higgins Lake ...... 21 11. Summary of secchi and chlorophyll a depth observations from the photic zone in the South Basin, Higgins Lake ...... 21

iv CONVERSION FACTORS, VERTICAL DATUM, AND ABBREVATIONS For use of readers who prefer the International System of Units (SI), the conversion factors for terms used in this report are listed below.

Multiply By To obtain

Length inch (in) 2.54 centimeter foot (ft) 0.3048 meter

Area acre 4.047 square hectometer mile (mi) 1.609 kilometer square mile (m2) 2.59 square kilometer

Vo lu m e cubic foot (ft3) 0.02832 cubic meter acre foot 1,233.5 cubic meter

Flow cubic foot per second (ft3/sec) 2.832 liter per second

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ABBREVIATIONS (in addition to those above) MRL, minimum reporting level LT-MDL, long term method detection level TSI, trophic-state index col/100 ml, colonies per 100 milliliters (of sample water) �S/cm, microSiemens per centimeter at 25 degrees Celsius �� g, microgram mg, milligram L, liter <, less than

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1 Little Creek 24 29 North Basin 23 25 04120478 04120481 27 Shallow Water HIGGINS LAKE Zone Big Creek Treasure Island

22 Flag Point 4 33 30 3 10 Point Detroit 32

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South Basin 12 “”The Cut

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Higgins Lake

North

Base from U.S. Geological Survey National Aerial Photography Program,1993 and 1994. 0 2,000 4,000 6,000 8,000 FEET 0 1,000 2,000 METERS

MICHIGAN

EXPLANATION 23 Lake-water-quality measurement site number and identifier Ground-water-quality measurement site number and identifier Inlet-water-quality measurement site number and identifier Lake gage

Figure 1. Study area and location of data-collection sites at and near Higgins Lake, Roscommon County, Michigan.

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TOTAL PHOSPHORUS, 0.05 IN MILLIGRAMS PER LITER PER MILLIGRAMS IN

0.00 0.1 1 10 100 1,000

E. COLI , COLONIES PER 100 MILLILITERS

Figure 2. Relation between total phosphorus and E. Coli in ground water at sampling site 33, Higgins Lake, Roscommon County, Michigan.

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WATER TEMPERATURE, IN DEGREES CELSIUS 0 4 8 12 16 20 24 28 0 EXPLANATION

DISSOLVED OXYGEN 20 June

July 40 August

60 September

80 WATER TEMPERATURE June 100 July

August

DEPTH, IN FEET, BELOW LAKE SURFACE BELOW LAKE SURFACE DEPTH, IN FEET, 120 September 140 0 2 4 6 81012 14 DISSOLVED OXYGEN CONCENTRATION, IN MILLIGRAMS PER LITER Higgins Lake North Basin

WATER TEMPERATURE, IN DEGREES CELSIUS 0 4 8 12 16 20 24 28 0 EXPLANATION

DISSOLVED OXYGEN 20 June

July 40 August

60 September

WATER TEMPERATURE 80 June

July 100 August

120 September DEPTH, IN FEET, BELOW LAKE SURFACE BELOW LAKE SURFACE DEPTH, IN FEET,

140 0 24 6 81012 14 DISSOLVED OXYGEN CONCENTRATION, IN MILLIGRAMS PER LITER

Higgins Lake South Basin

Figure 3. Temperature and oxygen profiles for Higgins Lake, June 1996 to September 1996, Roscommon County, Michigan, June-September 1996.

16 1 1

10 South Basin 10 South Basin North Basin 20 20 North Basin

30 30

40 40

50 50

60 60 70 70 80 80 90 DEPTH BELOW LAKE SURFACE, IN FEET LAKE SURFACE, DEPTH BELOW 90 DEPTH BELOW LAKE SURFACE, IN FEET LAKE SURFACE, DEPTH BELOW 97 97 105 105 115 115

205 225 245 265 0 5 10 15

SPECIFIC CONDUCTANCE, IN MICROGRAMS DISSOLVED OXYGEN, IN MILLIGRAMS PER LITER PER CENTIMETER AT 25 DEGREES CELSIUS

1 1 South Basin 10 10 North Basin 20 20

30 30

40 40

50 50

60 60

70 70

80 80 DEPTH BELOW LAKE SURFACE, IN FEET LAKE SURFACE, DEPTH BELOW 90 IN FEET LAKE SURFACE, DEPTH BELOW 90 South Basin 97 97 North Basin 105 105

115 115

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pH, IN STANDARD UNITS WATER TEMPERATURE, IN DEGREES CELSIUS

Figure 4. Specific conductance, dissolved oxygen, pH, and water temperature during maximum stratification in late summer, North and South basins in Higgins Lake, Roscommon County, Michigan, September 4, 1996.

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21 TROPHIC-STATE INDEX 101000 101000 1010 2020 3030 4040 5050 6060 7070 8080 9090 1010 2020 3030 4040 5050 6060 7070 8080 9090 DEC 94 00 00 Figure 5. JUNE 95 Trophic-State IndicesforHigginsLake,RoscommonCounty, Michigan. DEC 95 Eutrophic Eutrophic JUNE 96 DEC 96 Mesotrophic Mesotrophic JUNE 97 22 DEC 97 Oligotrophic Oligotrophic JUNE 98 DEC 98 Secchi-disc depth Chlorophyll a Total phosphorus JUNE 99 DEC 99 of in Figure LI NEAR FEET OF ROADS PER near-shore roads DISSOLVED CHLORIDE IN ACRE TURBIDITY AS NTU MILLIGRAMS PER LITER 100 150 200 250 0.0 0.0 0.5 1.0 1.5 2.0 2.5 50 10 12 14 6 0 0 2 4 6 8 per . 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 Relation acre C A B l ake of water between study , 0.5 0.5 0.5 0.5 0.5 ( plot B ) buildings t urbidity s, BUILDINGS PER ACRE PER BUILDINGS BUILDINGS PER ACRE PER BUILDINGS BUILDINGS PER ACRE PER BUILDINGS Higgins in per 23 near-shore Lake, 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 acre Roscommon and l ( ake A ) median water 1.5 1.5 1.5 1.5 1.5 County , and dissolved , ( Michigan. C ) linear 2.0 2.0 2.0 2.0 2.0 chloride feet TOTAL NITROGEN AS NITRIT NITRITE Plus NITRATE, IN MILLIGRAM MILLIGRAMS TOTAL PHOSPHORUS INI MILLIGRAMS PER LITER Roscommon County and groundwateratnear-shoresamplingsitesaround HigginsLake, Figure 7. PER LITER 0.000. 1001 0.000. 1001 0.00. 101 0.00. 101 0.10.1 1010 0.10.1 1010 11 11 .001 0.25 0.25 0.12 0.12 0.00 0. 0.12 0.2 0.31 0.31 0.2 0.12 0. 0.0000 Relationbetweenbuildingdensityandselectednutrients inlakewater Ground water Ground water Surface water Surface Surface water Surface .2 .5 0.31 0.25 0.12 , Michigan. ULIG E ACRE PER BUILDINGSPER ACRE ULIG E ACRE PER ACRE PER BUILDINGS .103 .405 .109 .015 1.69 1.56 1.50 0.93 0.81 1.69 1.56 0.50 1.50 0.93 0.44 0.81 0.50 0.44 0.38 0.38 0.31 .804 .008 .311.50 1. 1.56 0.93 0.81 0.50 0.93 0.81 0.44 0.50 0.44 0.38 24 .50 1.56.50 1. 69 69 ��

�� E. COLI �� IN COLONIES PER � � � � �� at near-shor F 10 � � � � �� i � �� 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 � �� gur � � �� 0 � ��

� 100 MILLILITERS � �� . � �� 0 � �� e �� 8. � � � � �� Relationbetw � � � � � � �� e samplingsit � �� 0 � � �� . � �� 5 � �� een buildingsperacr � � � �� es ar � � � �� BUILDINGS PERACRE � � �� ound HigginsLak � � � � �� 25 1 �� . � �� 0 �� e � � � � � �� and � �� e �� , � � � Rosc � � � �� E. �� C � � �� oli � � �� ommon C �� bac � �� 1 � � � �� . � � � � � �� 5 � �� t �� e � �� ria ingr �� o � � � � �� unt �� y � � � � � � � �� , � �� ound wat � � � M �� ichigan. �� 2 �� . �� 0 �� e �� r � ��

� �� 6 �� 8 � � �� 00$5 � � � � �� STAGE , IN FEET ABOVE AN ARBITRARY DATUM �� 4.5 4.7 4.9 5.1 5.3 5.5 5.7 5.9 6.1 �� Dec-94 June-95 Dec-95 June-96 Dec-96 June-97 Dec-97 June-98 Dec-98 June-99 Dec-99 Dec-99 June-99 Dec-98 June-98 Dec-97 June-97 Dec-96 June-96 Dec-95 June-95 Dec-94 � � � � � � �� Figure � � � �� < �� $1 � �� 9. �� ' � �� MonthlymaximumandminimumstagesforHigginsLake,RoscommonCounty � � � � � � � � � � �� &21&/86 �� Missing record �� ,216 � �� 26 �� Maximum elevation Minimum elevation �� , Michigan. � � � � � �� g/L)�� 5()(5(1&(6�&,7(' ��

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