Chapter 2 - Designated Uses, Desired Uses, Pollutants - Their Sources and Causes

 

 

2.1        Designated Uses in the State of Michigan

 

The primary criteria for water quality, according to Michigan’s Department of Environmental Quality, is whether the waterbody meets certain designated uses. The Water Resources Commission Act (P.A. 451 of 1994, Part 31, Chapter 1) requires all waters of the State of Michigan to be of the quality to meet eight designated uses (2000). 

 

Table 2.1.1.      Designated Uses for Surface Waters in the State of Michigan

 

 

2.2        Desired Uses

 

Along with designated uses, desired uses were identified in the watershed.  Desired uses constitute how the community might want the watershed to look like, the character of the watershed, etc.  The desired uses of the watershed center around the community’s desire to promote the natural features and aesthetic qualities of the area. (CFED).  Meetings with civic groups, the steering committee, and one-on-one discussions with business owners and landowners determined that the following themes consistently pervaded through the different suggestions:

 

Preserve the nature-based aesthetic character of the Les Cheneaux Islands Area, which sustains the environmental and socio-economic livelihood of the community.

 

The community’s livelihood and economy historically depended upon nature based tourism, specifically, fishing. With the decline in that fishery, the community sought alternative sources for sustainability and answers to the fishery problem. Consequently, the community is committed to restoring the fishery and preserving that heritage through the preservation of natural resources attract visitors and sustain full time and seasonal residents.

 

Protect threatened and endangered species habitats in the watershed.

 

The Les Cheneaux watershed supports a myriad of unique flora and fauna species and their habitats. Maintain and enhance that exclusive distinction.

 

Provide opportunities for public enjoyment of aquatic resources including fishing, hunting, bird watching, swimming, boating, hiking, camping, kayaking/canoeing.

 

Sustainability of the Les Cheneaux Community depends upon tourist and resident enjoyment of natural resource recreation. Maintain and enhance available opportunities.

 

2.3        Watershed Concerns

 

The Les Cheneaux Project is a direct result of community concerns over water quality. Throughout this project’s planning phase, the Les Cheneaux Watershed Project Manager presented the watershed project to several civic organizations, business owners, landowners, and local, state, and federal agency personnel to solicit community involvement and to confirm the community’s watershed concerns. The local and regional agencies were also contacted to request existing documentation of watershed pollution. In January 2003 an initial public meeting was held to invite individual landowners into the fray to express their concerns and provide direction for the project through participation with a steering committee. The group prioritized these concerns and determined the corresponding water quality impacts. 

 

Table 2.3.1.      Watershed Concerns/Impaired and Threatened Designated Uses

Watershed Concerns	Threatened Designated Uses
Bacteria contaminated aquifers	Public water supply (private wells)
Elevated bacteria levels	Public water supply (well & surface water intakes)
Poor Fishing	Warm/cold water fishery, Other indigenous aquatic wildlife
Algal blooms	Navigation, coldwater fishery, other indigenous aquatic wildlife, partial and total body contact
Invasive Species	Navigation, coldwater fishery, other indigenous aquatic life and wildlife
Loss/Degradation of Habitat	Cool water fishery, other indigenous aquatic habitat

 

2.4        Threats to Designated Uses (Pollutants, Sources, and Causes)

 

The steering committee has determined through the field inventories and consultation with members from the local, state, and federal agency personnel, historical documents, and personal accounts that the Les Cheneaux Islands Watershed enjoys excellent surface water quality and currently meets all of the eight designated uses for water in the state. Unfortunately, a variety of human perturbations, landscape limitations, and lack of effective land use planning are threatening aquatic resources.  Inventory work identified threatened designated uses including partial and total body contact recreation, warm/cold water[2] fishery and other indigenous aquatic life, navigation, and public water supply[3]. 

 

Table 2.4.1.      Condition of Designate Uses

Designate Use	Condition of Designated Use
Public water supply at the point of intake	Threatened
Navigation	Threatened (Cedarville Bay)
Warm/cold water fishery	Threatened
Other indigenous aquatic life and wildlife	Threatened
Partial body contact recreation	Threatened
Total body contact recreation (May 1 / Oct 31)	Threatened

Public Water Supply At Point Of Intake

 

The majority of Les Cheneaux residents have individual, private wells from which they obtain their domestic water supply.  A few shoreline owners still obtain water through surface intakes from Lake Huron (EUP ISD 2004).  That supply has been impacted by bacterial contamination (LMAS 2004). 

 

Karst topography dominates the geological character of the watershed.  This permits surface water, which at times carries coliform bacteria from animal wastes, insects, etc., to filter through shallow soils with little to no residence time in the soils.  The water enters the cracked limestone crevices and recharges the aquifers from which many residents still draw water from shallow wells for home use.  Several sink holes and underground streams promote rapid groundwater movement.

 

Failing drain fields, characteristic of older developments, contribute to spreading contamination. In fact, the Mackinac County Health Department has issued a moratorium on well drilling into shallow aquifers due to the historical high occurrence of contaminated well water.  The MCHD has experienced relatively high incidences of OSS repairs and upgrades in comparison to new installations (Davis). 

 

Since surface waters interact with groundwater so readily in the watershed due to karst topography, there is considerable potential for water supply contamination from other pollutants carried by stormwater. These include nutrients (phosphates and nitrates), heavy metals, and petroleum products. Sources of these pollutants include salts from roads and parking lots, nutrients from failing septic systems, heavy metals and hydrocarbons from urban areas and fueling areas (LMAS Environmental Health)

 

Additional inputs of fecal bacteria threatening come from local fauna such as resident waterfowl populations.  The coastal marsh areas shared by the community and wildlife serve as preferred habitat for the birds.  Lack of comparable habitat and landowner artificial feeding activity, sustain populations which facilitates the potential for bacterial contamination, especially when waters warm with summer.

 

Navigation

 

Navigation threats are limited to Cedarville Bay, the center of recreational activity in the watershed. There exists a public boat launch, numerous private docks, and Cedarville Marine, a sales and service private marina with several dock slips.  Aquatic plant growth and algal blooms as well as thick sediments have caused problems for boaters navigating the confines of the bay.  The municipal wastewater discharge has contributed tons of phosphorus to the bay, generating aquatic plant and algae growth.

 

Upstream, failing road/stream crossings are contributing sediments to Pearson Creek.  The increased flows of spring runoff are eventually depositing those sediments in the bay. 

 

Low Great Lakes water levels are the main culprit but as development, recreational, and commercial use of the bay increase, care will have to be afforded not to destroy the water quality and present wildlife habitat remaining.

 

Warm/Coldwater Fishery and Other Indigenous Aquatic Wildlife

 

The Les Cheneaux watershed supports both fish species characteristic of warm and coldwater fisheries. The area once boasted a high quality perch fishery, until the mid 1980’s when MDNR creel surveys plummeted (MDNR). Several theories exist for the decline, from increased Cormorant population to commercial fishing pressure.  What remains clear is that quality nesting and nursery habitats for both Perch and their forage base will be critical in any restoration of perch populations (Fielder 2004). Development near coastal marshes, which serve as nesting and nursery habitats threatens perch population recovery as well as other indigenous wildlife. Regulations are in place to minimize impacts, but evidence suggests that non-compliance is occurring.

 

Whitefish, Lake Herring, and Lake Trout are all historically important commercial and sport fish species in the Les Cheneaux Area. According to Chippewa/Ottawa (Tribes) Resource Authority’s Environmental Coordinator, the Les Cheneaux Islands Area contains quality nesting habitat for all the species. The consistent cobble lake bottoms and shoals are critical nesting sights worthy of protection. That protection will be key to improving current fragile populations. Lakeshore development and the accompanying activity threaten these habitats (CORA 2002).

 

Toxins such as gas and oil threaten aquatic wildlife and body contact recreation.  The Les Cheneaux area is a recreational boater’s heaven, with many scenic areas to travel and sheltered waters. Gas and oil sheens are common near docking areas. Motors leak gases out of gas lines, topping off gas tanks spill fuels, and inefficient motors waste fuel out of exhausts. These toxins can accumulate in the narrow, shallow bays where fish spawn and feed.

 

Still another threat is invasive species. MDNR has confirmed through creel surveys that Round Gobies are turning up in Hessel Bay.  This non-native intruder competes with other fish for food and preys on some indigenous eggs.  Concern is also apparent over the impact of zebra mussels, which are prevalent throughout the Les Cheneaux Islands, and dynamic populations of Alewives.

 

Discussions with local fishermen indicate that several creeks in the watershed have supported good Brook Trout populations in the past.  Beavertail, Prentiss, McKay, Pearson, and Mackinac Creeks have been proven as supporting a natural reproducing Brook Trout fishery, and providing spawning habitat for both Rainbow Trout and Chinook salmon.  Habitats in several of these creeks are threatened by stream bank erosion caused by rising water levels during spring runoff and significant rain events.  Small culverts inhibit natural flows and increase upstream depths which promote erosion of the streambank.  Photographs confirm that embankments then erode, degrading creek habitat.  Perched culverts and constricted flow both inhibit fish migration throughout the entire length of the creek.  Further assessment comparing aquatic life upstream and downstream of failing crossing is needed, but the obvious effects of sedimentation are evident. 

 

Coastal marshes serve as nursery habitat for several fish species and habitat for macro-invertebrates (Webb 2003).  Research conducted by University of Michigan has suggested that several areas throughout the islands have been impacted by habitat fragmentation due to local development activity, including shoreline development and dredging.  Forage fish as well as game fish use shallow marsh areas as nurseries during their early development.  Fragmentation of these areas contributes to a necessary change in fishery behavior attributed to higher predation pressure and lack of protection from high wave action.  Clearing of shoreline vegetation eliminates natural woody debris from littoral zones, decreasing spawning cover and macro-invertebrate habitat.  Macro-invertebrate surveys will continue to monitor diversity in developed and undeveloped areas.

 

Partial Body Contact Recreation

 

Under most conditions, the opportunity for enjoying partial body contact recreation in the watershed exists, but in certain sheltered bays and channels within the Les Cheneaux Islands, activity is threatened due to undesirable algal blooms. Suspected causes are excessive nutrients entering the water from both point and non-point sources. Reports of coliform levels approaching, and in some cases, exceeding state thresholds of water quality are also deterring recreational enjoyment of area waters (LMAS, Wicks 2001).

 

Sources of this pollution depend on areas of occurrence. Failing septic systems are potential sources throughout the Islands due to the prevalence of older lakefront cottages with original, non-compliant (LMAS Environmental Health Codes) onsite septic systems (OSS), and the poor filtering soils and fractured bedrock on which they are built (LMAS, MGSP, Contractors).

 

Compounding this problem, the Clark Township wastewater discharge into Lake Huron occurs at the geographic center of the watershed. The township discharges approximately 50 million gallons of secondary treated wastewater per year into Pearson Creek at its crossing on Blindline Road, and the water ends up in Cedarville Bay in northern Lake Huron, at the heart of the Les Cheneaux Watershed project area, and in a highly used recreation area. Fortunately, the MDEQ permitted discharge regularly complies with public health thresholds for water quality, but past and present discharges have left tons of

phosphates in the sediments of Cedarville Bay (Grant/LCIA 2003).  Phosphates clinging to sediments settle to the bottom of Cedarville Bay as particulate phosphorus, and when resuspended by wind and boat traffic, that phosphorus becomes available to plants again (LCIA 2003).  This phenomenon may be contributing to algae growth as well as other plants, including the exotics found in Cedarville Bay, Eurasian milfoil and Curly-leafed pondweed (MDEQ 2003).

 

Additional pollutants threatening recreational opportunities include toxins such as oils and gases as well as salts from winter road applications. Two recreational centers, Cedarville and Hessel Bays both support marinas that provide fuel service to recreational boaters and both areas have public launches, which create concentrated boat traffic in a relatively small area. Fuel sheens near boats were evidence of these toxins entering our waters. During significant traffic periods, the potential for these types of pollutants increases.

 

Total Body Contact Recreation Between May 1 and October 31

 

Threats to total body contact recreation are consistent with partial body contact recreation. LMAS Environmental Health, EUP ISD, and local contractors have reported conditions favorable for untreated wastewater pollution throughout the islands. Since swimming recreation is popular throughout the warmer and more congested summer months when coliforms proliferate, there exists a real threat to full body contact recreation. Municipal wastewater discharge, gas and oil contamination from boat motors, and aquatic plant growth have all but discouraged body contact in Cedarville Bay, one of the most critical recreational and environmental areas of the watershed.

 

2.5        Watershed Goals

 

Watershed goals outlined here are based on protecting designated uses of water and facilitating the desired uses of the watershed. These goals are broad but focus on eliminating water pollutants. These goals are the result of monthly steering committee meetings where community representatives suggested the direction of the watershed project. Later chapters will follow up these goals with objectives and tasks to help realize them.

 

Table 2.5.1       Watershed Goals         

Threatened Uses	Goal
Public water supply	Protect individual on site water well surface water intake drinking water quality by eliminating pollution inputs into watershed aquifers and surface waters.
Partial body contact recreation	Restore/protect water quality to sustain partial body contact recreational use by decreasing pollutant loading to surface waters.
Total body contact recreation	Restore/protect water quality to sustain total body contact recreational use by decreasing pollutant loading to surface waters.
Warm/Coldwater (cool water fishery) and other indigenous life/wildlife	Protect the integrity of aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems within the watershed.
	Establish, promote, and execute land and water management practices that conserve and protect the natural resources of the watershed.
Navigation	Restore/protect navigation opportunities by decreasing sediment and nutrient loading to navigable surface waters.
Desired Uses	Goal
Aquatic Recreation	Provide appropriate opportunities for public enjoyment of aquatic/terrestrial resources including but not limited to walking trails, scenic overlooks, boat launches, and public access areas.
	Establish and promote education/information programs that promote stewardship and low impact recreational enjoyment of aquatic and terrestrial resources.
Natural Aesthetic Character	Preserve the unique nature-based aesthetic character of the Les Cheneaux Islands Area by promoting and executing shoreline and riparian conservation easements, land acquisitions, and deed restrictions.
Threatened and Endangered Species Habitat	Identify and protect critical habitat for threatened and endangered species through stewardship information and education and through promoting and executing threatened and endangered species habitat through conservation easements, land acquisitions, and deed restrictions.
All Designated and Desired Uses	Establish education and information programs that promote the conservation, education, protection, restoration, and sustainability of aquatic resources within the Les Cheneaux Watershed.