Portage Lake Watershed Forever Plan

1. Portage Lake Watershed Forever Plan Joint Executive Committee and Technical Advisor Meeting August 2, 2007

2. Agenda • Welcome and introductions • Portage Lake Watershed Forever endowment fund update • Progress report • Recommended strategy for Phase II • Next meeting date • Adjourn

3. Progress Report Overview • Summary of public engagement • Phase I report transitioning into watershed plan • Plan updates and other follow-up • Summary of meeting with MDEQ

4. Public Engagement Update • Focus Groups • Seasonal resident meeting—June 28 • Final summary of 8 focus groups and community forum on website • Nearly 150 people participated in total, representing diverse interests • Informed household survey instrument and the watershed plan • Portage Point Summer Resort Corp. Annual Meeting

5. Public Engagement Update • Household Survey • Targeted year-round and seasonal residents • 228 completed, 28% of households in watershed • Collected information about: • How residents use surface water in the watershed • Water quality concerns • Goals for improvement/protection • Where residents get information

6. Household Survey • Activities: • Boating • Swimming • Fishing • Most rated overall water quality as excellent/ good and better than other lakes • Concerns: • Invasive, exotic species • Failing/poorly maintained septic systems • Lack of understanding about how actions impact water quality

7. Household Survey • Protection goals: • Lake Michigan sand dune and beach areas • Natural features that help maintain water quality (e.g., wetlands and buffer strips) • Protection actions: • Addressing unplugged and abandoned hydrocarbon and mineral wells • Getting more students involved • More effective planning for future growth by local leaders

8. Household Survey • Respondents get information from local newspaper (not local cable, radio, Internet, e-mail, or newsletters) • Most trustworthy information sources • Neighborhood/lake association • Manistee County Health Department • University Extension, professors, and scientists

9. Household Survey • Other tidbits • 38% of respondents live on Portage Lake/river/stream • 74% are full time residents, 26% are seasonal residents • 80% of respondents maintain a grass lawn • 93% have a washing machine • 45% have a garbage disposal • 72% have a dishwasher • 81% of respondents are served by a septic system: • 84% have had their system inspected and/or pumped out in the last five years • Nearly half (41%) of septic systems are less than 10 years old.

10. Watershed Plan Updates • Phase I report is transitioning into watershed plan • We are addressing questions and comments raised at last meeting and meeting with MDEQ • Updated draft plan posted on website by August 31, 2007

11. Updated Land Use Source: Center for Geographic Information, Michigan Department of Information Technology, 2001.

12. Land Use/Cover Projections SOURCE : The Computational Ecology and Visualization Lab/Michigan Statue University Land Policy Institute, 2007 Based on MDNR – Michigan Resource Information (MiRIS) data

13. Land Use/Cover Projection Summary

14. General Soils Map SOURCE: United States Department of Agriculture Natural Resource Conservation Service, Grayling Area Office, 2007.

15. Location of Oil and Gas Wells SOURCE: Center for Geographic Information, Michigan Department of Information Technology, 2007.

16. Underground Storage Tank Sites SOURCE: Michigan Department of Environmental Quality, 2007.

17. Threatened, Endangered and Species of Concern SOURCE: Michigan Natural Features Inventory - MSU Extension, Watershed Element Data.

18. Additional Updates • Additional characterization of water quality data for tributaries • Hydrology and precipitation data • Additional information on invasive species • Connection to Great Lakes • Plant, animals, diseases • MDNR fish stocking data since 2000 • Little River Band of Ottawa Indians Walleye Recruitment Assessment data

19. Additional Updates • Information about water well nitrate levels and uncapped wells • Air quality information (Tribe not currently monitoring toxics or nutrients) • Additional data from Onekama Schools water quality monitoring (pre-2004 and 2007 data) • Onekama Township 2006 water quality monitoring data (will not be included in plan)

20. Additional Follow Up • Beach monitoring during times of heavy use—assisting Onekama Township with a 2007 interim monitoring strategy • Additional dissolved oxygen profiles during summer stratification—MDNR completed July 16 • Information on how to identify Eurasian water milfoil (posted on website)

21. Eurasian Water Milfoil SOURCE: Wisconsin DNR, 2004.

22. Meeting with MDEQ • Purpose: Discuss approval requirements • Participants: PSC, PLWF, MDEQ • Summary • Agreed on components and general outline • Not anticipated that additional data collection will be required • Recommend consideration of inventory work by committees, if there is a need and can be led by volunteers • Additional needs for monitoring/inventorying can be identified as action items in plan

23. Meeting with MDEQ • Additional information needed • More detailed description/info on tributaries • Hydrology and precipitation • Chart of designated and desired uses, sources, and causes • Estimates of known or suspected pollutant loadings • List and map critical areas for designated and desired uses, organized by threat or opportunity • Analysis of how/if local programs, projects, and plans could further watershed plan goals and objectives

24. Meeting with MDEQ • Additional information needed • Development of long-term goals, measurable short-term outcomes, and tasks—including time frame and cost estimate for each task

25. Meeting with MDEQ • General comment: The primary purpose of the plan is to help the community identify what should be done next—and why—to protect the Portage Lake Watershed • MDEQ review could take 45–60 days per draft, including Lansing review • This meeting provided foundation for finalizing Phase II strategy

26. Phase II Strategy • Identify and prioritize potential threats, pollutants, sources, and causes for designated and desired uses • Establish long-term goals for protecting designated and desired uses • List and map critical area for meeting goals for designated and desired uses • Establish measurable objectives and identify management measures and other actions to help achieve goals

27. Phase II Strategy • Inform, educate, and engage the public • Analyze how/if local programs, projects, and plans could further plan goals and objectives • Develop an evaluation process to track plan progress • Assemble the Portage Lake Watershed Forever Plan and submit to MDEQ Total cost = $50, 015

28. Additional Recommendations Although not requirements of approvable watershed plans, the following are viewed as priority needs: • Portage Lake Watershed Forever website ($5,800) • Comprehensive water quality monitoring strategy ($3,000)

29. Phase II Time Line • Elements of Phase II are already under way • Draft plan submitted to Executive Committee and Technical Advisors by September 30 • Draft plan submitted to MDEQ by October 31 (after review by EC, TA, PLWF Committee)

30. Request for Committee Assistance • Goals: • Community engagement • Leveraging local talent/building capacity • Cost efficiency • Priority inventory needs • Website • Analysis of local programs, projects, plans • Fund raising for near-term needs • Additional ideas?

31. Discussion and Request for Approval

32. Next Meeting Date Goal–Setting Session Joint Executive Committee and Technical Advisor Meeting September 4, 2007 4:00–6:00 PM Manistee County Road Commission Community Meeting Room

33. Thank You!Your time and input are critical to making the Portage Lake Watershed Forever Plan and its implementation a success.