Days River Watershed Management Plan September 2006 Delta Conservation District 2003 Minneapolis Ave Gladstone, MI 49837 906-428-4076 Days River Watershed Table of Contents Introduction..................................................................................................................................... 4 Background..................................................................................................................................... 5 Location .............................................................................................................................. 5 Precipitation Characteristics ............................................................................................... 7 Topography and Soils ......................................................................................................... 8 Hydrology ......................................................................................................................... 10 Land Use and Development Trends.................................................................................. 13 Water Quality Status..................................................................................................................... 15 Designated Uses................................................................................................................ 15 Desired Uses ..................................................................................................................... 17 Pollutants of Concern.................................................................................................................... 18 Sediments.......................................................................................................................... 18 Nutrients............................................................................................................................ 18 Coliform Bacteria.............................................................................................................. 19 Increased Temperature and Altered Hydrologic Flow...................................................... 19 Invasive Species................................................................................................................ 20 Road Salt........................................................................................................................... 21 Navigational Concerns.................................................................................................................. 21 Log Jams ........................................................................................................................... 21 Critical Areas ................................................................................................................................ 22 Descriptions of Critical Areas........................................................................................... 22 Watershed Inventory..................................................................................................................... 25 Public Participation........................................................................................................... 25 Prioritizing Areas of Concern ........................................................................................... 25 Road Stream Crossing Survey .......................................................................................... 27 Main River and Tributary Survey..................................................................................... 30 Watershed Goals and Objectives .................................................................................................. 37 Action Plan.................................................................................................................................... 43 Septic Systems .................................................................................................................. 43 Vegetated Buffers ............................................................................................................. 44 Invasive Species................................................................................................................ 44 Log Jams ........................................................................................................................... 45 Public Access Sites ........................................................................................................... 45 Information and Education ............................................................................................... 45 Wetland Protection............................................................................................................ 47 Stream Monitoring............................................................................................................ 47 Existing Projects and Efforts ........................................................................................................ 50 Streambank Restoration.................................................................................................... 50 Fish Planting ..................................................................................................................... 51 Road Stream Crossing....................................................................................................... 51 Evaluation Plan ............................................................................................................................. 51 Summary....................................................................................................................................... 51 Days River Watershed Management Plan pg. 1 Last Revised: September 2006 List of Figures, Tables, and Appendixes Figures Figure 1 Watershed Location Map........................................................................................ 5 Figure 2 Days River Watershed ............................................................................................ 6 Figure 3 Precipitation Map.................................................................................................... 7 Figure 5 Surface Geology...................................................................................................... 8 Figure 6 Alluvial Soils .......................................................................................................... 9 Figure 7 Spring snow melt at data point 1........................................................................... 11 Figure 8 Discharge Data Point ............................................................................................ 12 Figure 9 Wildlife and People using the river side by side................................................... 13 Figure 10 Watershed Land Use............................................................................................. 14 Figure 11 Source of algae, nutrients from suspected failing septic system .......................... 19 Figure 12 Incised Tributary Channel..................................................................................... 22 Figure 13 Wildlife depend on a health river system for survival.......................................... 22 Figure 14 Brook trout in algae choked stretch of river ......................................................... 23 Figure 15 Streambank erosion near road............................................................................... 23 Figure 16 Log debris create more than just habitat,.............................................................. 23 Figure 17 Streambank erosion and bedrock river bed........................................................... 23 Figure 18 Priority Area.......................................................................................................... 24 Figure 19 Kipling road bridge DR01 .................................................................................... 28 Figure 20 Trombly road culverts DR10 ................................................................................ 28 Figure 21 Road Stream Crossing Summary.......................................................................... 29 Figure 22 Stream inventory via canoe................................................................................... 30 Figure 23 Streambank erosion caused by wood debris and lack of vegetation B ER 17...... 32 Figure 24 Streambank site B ER 7 ........................................................................................ 34 Figure 25 New erosion since inventory across from B ER 7 ................................................ 34 Figure 26 Whole Stream Log Jam and Resulting Bank Erosion........................................... 34 Figure 27 Groundwater Spring Stream ................................................................................. 34 Figure 28 Areas of Concern, Streambank Erosion................................................................ 35 Figure 29 Areas of Concern, Failing Septic System ............................................................. 36 Figure 30 Students monitoring the streams macroinvertebrate communities ....................... 49 Figure 31 Gabions removed from bank for overflow channel .............................................. 50 Figure 32 Installation of rock rip rap along bank.................................................................. 50 Figure 33 ORV 1 Site Before...............................................................................................