Betsie River Watershed Restoration Committee Date: Tuesday, April 25, 2017 from 1pm to 3pm at the Weldon Township Hall in Thompsonville Facilitator: Kimberly Balke Notes taken by: Kimberly Balke Committee Members Present: Kimberly Balke, Conservation Resource Alliance (CRA) Katie Grzesiak, Northern Michigan Invasive Species Network Mark Tonello, MDNR Fisheries Division Casey Ressl, Conservation Resource Alliance (CRA) John Ransom, Benzie Conservation District (BCD) Max Bromley, Springdale Township & Betsie River Landowner Matt Skeels, Benzie County Road Commission Chris Sullivan, Grand Traverse Regional Land Conservancy Ed Hoogterp, Betsie Crystal Lake Watershed Management Plan Charles Mayer, Citizen & Betsie Landowner Mike Parshall, Betsie Landowner Bob Hahn, US Bridge Ron Hitesman, Weldon Township & Betsie River Landowner Ron Evitts, Colfax Township Craig Meredith, Betsie River Sportsman’s Club Ed Kowalski, Joyfield Township resident Agenda: Introductions were made, meeting notes from September 2016 were approved, and the meeting proceeded as follows: River Care Financial Report The 1st quarter River Care financial report 2017 is attached. There was a $100 contribution from Suzanne Wilson (a thank you letter was sent) and no expenditures in the Betsie River Care fund this quarter leaving a $2,731.39 balance. There is $3,735.45 in the Betsie endowment. Crystal Lake/Betsie River Watershed Plan Update With the plan now approved by MDEQ to meet EPA standards, next steps will be explored by Ed Hoogterp and Scott Gest this summer. One consideration is streamlining/funding the monitoring system for the watershed between Networks Northwest, Benzie Conservation District and others to include flow, chemistry, aquatic insects on a regular basis. Invasive Plant Species Work Katie Grzesiak provided the following information (also see attached annual report): • ISN survey crew is funded into 2017 to treat Betsie Lake and the lower Betsie River for aquatic invasive plant species. • New grant applications submitted for 2018 work are pending. • New Zealand mud snail measures only 1/8” and has been confirmed in Boardman, Pere Marquette and AuSable Rivers. Benzie Conservation District is exploring options for wader wash stations. See attached wader wash protocol put together by CRA staff. Some graduate students are looking at fish consumption of the NZ mud snail. • Survey crew found the first confirmed location of black jet bead shrub in Benzie County. • On May 13 at Boardman Nature Center, MISIN hosted a trade up opportunity for Japanese Barberry where residents get a $5 coupon towards a new native shrub from a participating nursery for bringing in their Japanese Barberry. • Katie noted a study that found J. Barberry harbors ticks. The study found 10 ticks/acre where there were no J. Barberry, 40 ticks/acre where land was mitigated from having J. Barberry, and 120 ticks/acre with Lyme disease on land with J. Barberry. • Woolly Adelgid harms hemlock trees and has been found in a couple counties south of Benzie. • Feel free to contact Katie with any locations, finds or questions at [email protected] or 231-941-0960 x29. Sustain Our Great Lakes Kim B. closed out the SOGL grant for $335,000 and an additional $480,000 in match for a completion of 8 project sites including road crossing replacements, crossing (road/RR) removals, streambank stabilization and instream habitat work; a photo report and updated Benzie Watersheds accomplishments map was passed around. Follow up planting work at the high river bank on the VanNoord, Mathes, Greenough site will happen this spring. A new SOGL application was submitted by CRA and includes sites in the Platte & Betsie watersheds (Mason Creek road crossing near Duck Lake); photos of the proposed sites were passed around. CRA should hear late summer if this grant is awarded. Recreation Networks Northwest (NN) continues to work as a subcontractor to MDNR, with partners on the “Betsie River Access Inventory and Improvement Assessment.” A public input survey regarding Betsie recreational use was distributed via email by partners and was due April 28. It was noted that Kurick Road is the upstream limit for guide fishing for steelhead and salmon on the river. Land Protection Chris S. reported that the Railroad Point grant is now closed out. The final FEMA payment for the property at the Crystal Lake outlet is pending. The Trapp Farm preserve now has open trails at the northeast end of the property on Aldridge Road. GTRLC is considering having a pilot program of having goats eat invasive plant species there. Aquatic Insect Monitoring John R. reported that Benzie Conservation District and volunteers will collect on the Betsie and Platte Rivers, and Herring Lakes on Saturday, May 13 and check Benzie Conservation District website for details. Betsie River Clean-up Is scheduled for Saturday, June 10 with Platte on June 1; check Benzie Conservation District website for details. Bridges Benzie County Road Commission submitted applications for Reynolds, Nostwick and Haze Road Bridges (BCRC priority is Reynolds first, Nostwick second and Haze third). Matt S. noted that due to low traffic volumes at all these sites and the competitive nature of the Local Bridge Program the chances are slim to get the funding. BCRC did repair Nostwick (originally built in 1900) with road millage funds and the weight restriction is up to 19 tons. The loaded snow plow weight is 30 tons and it will still be difficult to maintain this road in the winter. Matt S. was going to look at the sites with Bob Hahn of US Bridge to see if there are other options with his company as they build steel bridges with different deck material options. Fisheries Mark T. reported that the Betsie is still being stocked with steelhead and brown trout. Mark T. will be inheriting the Muskegon, White and Pentwater Rivers temporarily due to an MDNR Fisheries biologist retirement in the Muskegon office and so Heather Hettinger will be stepping in on the Betsie until a replacement is hired. Other • Benzie Conservation District hosts the Benzie Watershed Coalition meetings in the spring and fall; contact them if you would like to be on the email list for notices and meeting notes. Next meeting is May 25. • Benzie Conservation District is going to have a crew of two people parked at Benzie County boat wash stations this summer to do outreach. • A public hearing is coming up on Green/Duck Lake dam regarding reaffirming the water levels for summer. Some residents want to drop the level 6-8” in the winter. GT County Drain Commissioner controls the water levels. Lake levels are managed through the judicial system. • Kim B. will explore addressing erosion issues in the former Thompsonville impoundment this summer. Next Meeting Tentatively planned for Tuesday, June 27, 2017 at 1pm at the Weldon Township Hall; meeting agendas will be mailed in advance. If anyone has any questions or comments please contact Kim B. at [email protected] or 231-946-6817. River Care Working Funds Available: - at the start of the Quarter $ 369,376.61 $ 2,631.39 $ 2,357.05 $ 3,977.59 $ 1,221.24 $ 2,044.84 $ 10.18 $ 192.17 $ 381,811.07 Regional Betsie Big Sable COL Pere Marquette Big Manistee Pine Little Manistee Quarterly Activity Report: (River Care) (River Care) (River Care) (River Care) (River Care) (River Care) (River Care) (River Care) Total River Care River Care Working Funds Quarter 1 2017 Jan - March Plus Contributions Rec'd For Quarter $ 30,000.00 $ 100.00 $ 75.00 $ - $ - $ - $ - $ - $ 30,175.00 Expense Fruitbelt Operating Transfer to projects 1,971.33 1,971.33 Wage & Fringe 6,291.05 6,291.05 Indirect Costs 1,714.31 1,714.31 Sub Contract 0.00 Staff Travel 229.01 98.44 41.20 368.65 Printing & Postage & Photos 32.40 32.40 Permit Fees 0.00 Meeting Expense 0.00 Newsletter & Impact Report 673.21 673.21 Office Supplies 0.00 Field Supplies, Equipment Repair 279.97 279.97 River Care Kids 0.00 Reference Materials/Maps 30.00 30.00 Training & Education 0.00 Dues 90.00 90.00 0.00 Less Total Expenses $ 11,311.28 $ - $ 98.44 $ 41.20 $ - $ - $ - $ - $ 11,450.92 Cumulative Summary: Equals River Care Working Funds Available $ 388,065.33 $ 2,731.39 $ 2,333.61 $ 3,936.39 $ 1,221.24 $ 2,044.84 $ 10.18 $ 192.17 $ 400,535.15 River Care Permanent Funds Balance of Permanent Funds $1,076,163.74 $3,735.45 $1,310.72 $0.00 $0.00 $7,106.97 $0.00 $7,106.97 $1,095,423.85 Total River Care Funds Raised to Date** $2,918,583.93 $27,368.00 $103,717.35 $20,000.00 $194,234.89 $26,571.00 $135,350.30 $48,857.00 $3,474,682.47 Reviewed By: ___________________________ Leelanau County Lake Michigan Benzie County Grand Traverse County 1 2 Otter Creek A 3 Otter Creek D Platte River 10 Long Lake Watershed C Watershed Lake Ann B 22 9 Platte Lake 4 8 11 5 7 Crystal Lake Platte River Honor 12 31 6 E 13 F 115 Frankfort Duck Lake Betsie Lake Betsie River Watershed Green Lake 15 31 14 22 16 19 115 Betsie River28 17 Dair Creek 25 18 27 Benzie County 24 Michigan Benzie County 23 26 Little Betsie River Manistee County 20 21 22 Wexford County Benzie County River CareTM Completed Projects 1. Otter Creek Timber Bridge 19. Dair Creek & Weldon Rd Culvert Replacement 2. Otter Creek Grand Traverse Band Brook Trout Study 20. Misty Acres Dam Removal, Road Crossing Removal, 3. North Branch Platte River Culvert Removals (2) Instream Habitat & Streambank Stabilization 4. North Branch Platte River & Gudemoos Rd Culvert 21. Betsie Rive & Psutka Rd Improvements Replacement & Stabilization 22 Betsie River Instream Habitat & Stabilization (2) 5.