YELLOW DOG WATERSHED MANAGEMENT PLAN 2018 MANAGING A DYNAMIC LANDSCAPE THROUGH PRESERVATION, PROTECTION, AND EDUCATION Provided by the Yellow Dog Watershed Preserve P.O. BOX 5, Big Bay, MI 49808 Yellow Dog Watershed Management(906) Plan 345 |0|-9223 www.yellowdogwatershed.org CONTENTS Chapter 1 ABOUT THE PROJECT ............................................................................................................................... 5 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ....................................................................................................................................... 5 PLAN DRVERS AND PURPOSE ............................................................................................................................. 6 YELLOW DOG WATERSHED MANAGEMENT TEAM ............................................................................................. 7 Chapter 2 THE NATURAL ENVIRONMENT ................................................................................................................ 8 LOCATION .......................................................................................................................................................... 8 WATERSHED HYDROLOGY ................................................................................................................................. 9 BOUNDARIES AND WATERWAYS................................................................................................................. 9 SURFACE WATER TEMPERATURE ................................................................................................................ 9 PEAK FLOW ............................................................................................................................................... 11 GROUNDWATER RECHARGE ..................................................................................................................... 12 BEDROCK GEOLOGY ......................................................................................................................................... 13 GLACIAL HISTORY ............................................................................................................................................ 14 CLIMATE / PRECIPITATION ............................................................................................................................... 16 CLIMATE CHANGE ..................................................................................................................................... 16 TOPOGRAPHY / ELEVATION ............................................................................................................................. 17 SOILS ............................................................................................................................................................... 19 HYDRIC SOILS ............................................................................................................................................ 21 EROSION POTENTIAL ................................................................................................................................ 22 VEGETATION .................................................................................................................................................... 23 NON-NATIVE INVASIVE SPECIES ....................................................................................................................... 24 PLANTS ..................................................................................................................................................... 24 AQUATIC NUISANCE SPECIES .................................................................................................................... 26 WILDLIFE ......................................................................................................................................................... 27 FISHERIES ........................................................................................................................................................ 27 YELLOW DOG RIVER .................................................................................................................................. 28 LAKE INDEPENDENCE ................................................................................................................................ 29 NATURAL FEATURES ........................................................................................................................................ 30 KIRTLAND’S WARBLER .............................................................................................................................. 31 Chapter 3 THE HUMAN ENVIRONMENT ................................................................................................................. 33 LAND USE ........................................................................................................................................................ 33 FUTURE LAND USE CONSIDERATIONS .............................................................................................................. 34 DEVELOPMENT ......................................................................................................................................... 34 FORESTRY ................................................................................................................................................. 34 Yellow Dog Watershed Management Plan |1| MINING .................................................................................................................................................... 35 TOURISM .................................................................................................................................................. 35 DAMS .............................................................................................................................................................. 36 COMMUNITY HISTORY ..................................................................................................................................... 37 POLITICAL BOUNDARIES .................................................................................................................................. 39 COMMERCIAL FOREST RESERVE................................................................................................................ 40 PRIVATE LANDS ........................................................................................................................................ 40 FEDERAL LANDS ........................................................................................................................................ 41 STATE LANDS ............................................................................................................................................ 42 TRIBAL LANDS ........................................................................................................................................... 43 TRANSPORTATION ........................................................................................................................................... 43 POPULATION DEMOGRAPHICS ........................................................................................................................ 44 Chapter 4 WATERSHED CONDITIONS ..................................................................................................................... 45 DESIGNATED USES AND POLLUTANTS OF CONCERN ........................................................................................ 45 DESIRED USES .................................................................................................................................................. 45 IMPAIRED AND THREATENED DESIGNATED USES............................................................................................. 48 AVAILABLE MONITORING / RESOURCE DATA ................................................................................................... 50 USGS GAUGE STATION .............................................................................................................................. 50 SURFACE WATER MONITORING ON THE YELLOW DOG PLAINS ................................................................. 52 U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY COOPERATIVE WATER AGREEMENT ................................................................ 54 GREAT LAKES INDIAN FISH AND WILDLIFE COMMISSION (GLIFWC) ........................................................... 54 EAGLE MINE MONITORING ON THE YELLOW DOG PLAINS ........................................................................ 54 YDWP STREAM MONITORING ................................................................................................................... 55 LAKE INDEPENDENCE WATER QUALITY AND CHARACTERISTICS ................................................................ 58 Chapter 5 POLLUTANTS, SOURCES, AND CAUSES .................................................................................................. 60 POLLUTANT SOURCE ASSESSMENT .................................................................................................................. 60 NONPOINT SOURCES ....................................................................................................................................... 62 STREAMBANK EROSION SITES ..................................................................................................................