In this Issue
Overview
Accomplishments
Challenges
Next Steps
Special Events
Watershed Map
Contacts....
What is the LaMP?
In the 1987 amendments to the Great
Lakes Water Quality Agreement
(GLWQA), the United States and
Canada agreed "to restore and
maintain the chemical, physical and
biological integrity of the Great Lakes
Basin Ecosystem." The Lakewide
Management Plan (LaMP) is an
adaptive management program
that integrates and targets actions
for contaminated Areas of Concern
(AOCs), watershed plans that address
land based activities contributing
to degraded water quality, and
strategies for habitat and biodiversity
protection.
The LaMP is a collaborative
effort among federal, state,
tribal governments, and a public
involvement partnership with the
Lake Michigan Forum, planning
commissions and local groups.
Overview
Lake Michigan is the second largest Great Lake by volume and the only one
,.1 located totally within the United States. Of the basin's 45,000 square miles, the
northern portion is colder, covered with second growth forest and less developed
..2 except for the Fox River Valley. 307 miles to the south, the more temperate
southern portion is very developed from Milwaukee through Chicago to
..2 Northwest Indiana. Lake Michigan discharges into Lake Huron through the straits
of Mackinac at a rate that allows for a complete change of water about every 100
..3 years.
..4 Lake Michigan contains the world's largest collection of fresh water sand dunes
along with many wetlands, prairies, and savannas all providing essential habitat
..4 to a great diversity of life. The aquatic food web supports fish for food, sport
and culture. The fertile southern soils are amenable to agriculture and the coast
..4 is home to 25 harbors and hundreds of marinas. Lake Michigan's coastlines also
serve as a key North American migratory bird flyway.
The Lake Michigan Lakewide Management Plan (LaMP) vision is of "a sustainable
Lake Michigan ecosystem that ensures environmental integrity and that supports
and is supported by economically viable, healthy human communities." The
primary goal "is to restore and protect the integrity of the Lake Michigan
ecosystem through collaborative, place-based partnerships." The LaMP focuses
its efforts through a collaborative effort in meeting the vision and goal through
monitoring the changing environmental conditions and adapting management
strategies by addressing the following:
1. Can we eat any fish? 2. Can we drink the water? 3. Swim in the water?
Credit: Provided by the West Michigan Tourist Association.
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4. Are habitats healthy, naturally diverse, and sufficient to
sustain viable biological communities?
5. Does the public have access to abundant open space,
shorelines, and natural areas, and does the public have
enhanced opportunities for interaction with the Lake
Michigan ecosystem?
6. Are land use, recreation, and economic activities sustainable
and supportive of a healthy ecosystem?
7. Are sediment, air, land, and water sources or pathways of
contamination that affect the integrity of the ecosystem?
8. Are aquatic and terrestrial nuisance species prevented and
controlled?
9. Are ecosystem stewardship activities common and
undertaken by public and private organizations in
communities around the basin?
10. Is collaborative ecosystem management the basis for
decision-making in the Lake Michigan basin?
11. Do we have enough information, data, understanding, and
indicators to inform the decision-making process?
12. What is the status of the 33 Lake Michigan sub-watersheds? *
Accomplishments
2070-7 7 Coordinated Field Year: Near and Offshore
In the fall of 2010 and spring of 2011 Lake Michigan
was sampled intensively in conjunction with the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency's (US EPA) 2010 National
Coastal Conditions Assessment and leveraged work funded by
the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI). This collaborative
effort was guided by the Lake Michigan Monitoring
Coordinating Council's Near Shore Plan. Three special GLRI
studies included sites along National Park boundaries,
embayments, and 30 sites for collection of commonly
consumed fish to be tested for Omega-3, Pharmaceuticals and
flame retardant chemicals.
States and the US EPA Great Lakes National Program Office's
Lake Guardian sampled the near shore. Findings will begin to
be reported in 2012.
GLRI Funds Lake and Area of Concern Work
Over $23 million was allocated for Lake Michigan basin and
AOC work, including over $3 million in direct capacity grants
to the four Lake Michigan states. The competitive grants were
provided to not only restore habitat but to also monitor and
assess progress in meeting restoration targets in order to delist
the Beneficial Use Impairments.
Fish Stories
The Menominee River Fish Passage Partnership was awarded
$3 million from GLRI to design and construct facilities to
pass migrating adults upstream and adults and juveniles
downstream around the lower two dams of five. When
completed and operational in 2014, an additional 21 miles of
river will again be available for sturgeon spawning.
Since 2005, five stream-side rearing facilities for the
rehabilitation and restoration of Lake Michigan sturgeon
populations have increase sturgeon numbers. A sixth location
is being added in spring 2011 on the Kalamazoo River in
Michigan through a GLRI-funded partnership.
"Extinct" Native Strain Found in Grand Traverse Bay
A lake herring population, thought to be extinct since the
1960s, has been identified and appears to be doing well. They
can be mistaken for a whitefish and have been seen for sale as
whitefish, but lake herring are more slender, with smaller fins.
Education, Outreach and Engagement
• The State of Lake Michigan and Great Lakes Beach
Association Conference has been held every two years
since 1999 at different locations around the basin and
provides in depth presentations as well as opportunities for
engagement. In September 2011, the conference will be in
Michigan City, Indiana.
• The Lake Michigan Forum stakeholders and the Watershed
Academy network of regional planning commissions
have launched a redo of their web site to provide
for more interactive and up to date information. At
www.lakemichigamforum.org you can follow work on
greening lake Michigan's ports and "growing" the basin's
amount of green infrastructure.
• Watershed maps and status details of the 33
major tributaries from the LaMP are now on line at
https://wiki.epa.gov/watershed/index.php/Main. This will
enable the addition of sub-watershed data. This is part of
EPA's Watershed Central effort to provide a site for sharing
tools and experiences plus new data.
• New groups have been established and are working with
the LaMP, including Milwaukee's Sweet Water Trust and
Green Bay's New Wilderness Alliance. The Lake Michigan
Water Trail Association has submitted an application to
the National Park Service for National Recreation Trail
designation fora portion of the Lake Michigan Water Trail
that includes sections in Illinois, all of Indiana and into
Michigan. New trails are announced the first Saturday in
June which is National Trails Day across the country. A
Challenges
Battling Invasives, Protecting Natives
The Lake Michigan ecosystem has been significantly degraded
in recent decades by the impacts of invasive species on both
the aquatic food web and terrestrial plant communities. The
National Park Service is planning to assess and develop an
Invasive Plant Management Plan for their parks including two
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Lake Michigan National Lakeshores, Sleeping Bear Dunes and
Indiana Dunes.
In 2009, the Chicago Area Waterway System attracted national
attention for invasive species concern when evidence of
Asian Carp environmental DMA was detected above the
electric barriers near entry points to Lake Michigan. The
multi-agency Asian Carp Control Strategy Framework captures
an increasing body of knowledge, on-going research and
monitoring data and the ability to collaboratively discuss and
plan management options and keep the public informed. In
March 2011, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service began the regulatory
process to implement the Asian Carp Prevention and Control
Act signed by President Obama in 2010 which will makes it
illegal to import or transport live bighead carp across state
lines. Recent test results show no evidence of Asian carp in
Wisconsin waters. For updates: www.asiancarp.org.
Climate Conditions: Dunes
The world's largest collection of freshwater sand dunes is in
the news. The Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore has been
identified as one of the endangered national parks due to
possible impacts of changing climate conditions. The diverse
dune ecosystem is at "the ecological crossroads of America".
Recent research indicates the Mount Baldy dune is moving
south more than 3 yards per year. Research continues to better
understand the forces impacting the dune ecosystem and
needed actions. The Saugatuck, Michigan dune area has 2,500
acres of woods, wetlands, and habitat for several endangered
species and is home to a large number of significant historic
and archeological sites. The area was listed as endangered by
the National Trust for Historic Preservation in May 2010 due to
development pressure.
Climate Conditions: Lake Levels
While lake levels vary by year, the last decade has seen the
speed of change increase. As lake levels drop and storms
intensify, new shoreline may be exposed, eroded and rapidly
colonized by the invasive reed Phragmites.
Climate Conditions: Forest Habitat
Forests are home to 80% of terrestrial biodiversity. Since the
mid 1970s, forest losses in the midwestern United States have
increased significantly. Although multiple factors impact
forest loss, there is growing evidence that changing patterns
of precipitation, air quality factors, and the outbreak of exotic
pest species keyed to temperature have played a significant
role in stress on the forest ecosystem. The response by the
USDA Forest Service and state agencies has included a large
and increasing commitment to forest health monitoring, and
research into better techniques of management for changing
climate conditions. The United Nations has declared 2010-2020
The Decade of Biodiversity and 2011 as the International Year
of Forests. For more information: www.celebrateforests.com. A
Next Steps
GLRI Funds Next Steps Projects
In 2010, President BarackObama's $475 million GLRI provided
capacity grants to federal, state and tribal agencies for
restoration and maintenance of the Great Lakes ecosystem.
Approximately half of the funding was awarded in 270
competitive grants. These high-priority projects awarded to
state, tribal, and local government; academic institutions, and
nongovernmental organizations will accomplish the following
for Lake Michigan:
• Collaboratively develop a Biodiversity
Conservation Strategy for the entire basin that
identifies key habitats and protection needs
and prioritizes projects. For more information:
www.conserveonline.org/workspace/michiganblueprint
• Facilitate turning the 2010 Field Year assessments into
recommendations for adaptive management actions of the
Cooperative Science and Monitoring Initiative;
• Facilitate the update and/or development of Watershed
Action Plans based on GLRI 2010 field assessments work
with emphasis on nutrient sources and loads and possible
green infrastructure;
• Continue the Sustainable Harbors and Marina program
development with outreach and education that leads to
"Clean and Green" site certifications;
• Continue to develop and share lake and watershed tools
and local information on climate change; and
• Investigate the possible impacts of resource extraction
activities on groundwater in the basin. A
INTERNATIONAL YEAR
OF FORESTS 1O11
Credit: United Nations, adapted by the U.S. Forest Service.
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Special Events
State of Lake Michigan and
Great Lakes Beach Association
Conference
September, 27-28, 2011
Michigan City, Indiana
Contact: dbamett@idem.in.gov
Making Lake Michigan Great
On Board Education Boat Tour
Milwaukee, Muskegon, Chicago,
Traverse Bay
For dates and more ports
Contact: vailj@gvsu.edu or
isae@schoolship.org
Invasives Month in the Lake
Michigan Basin
May and June, 2011
State by state events
International Beach Clean Up
Day
September 17, 2011
Contact: Alliance for the Great Lakes
www.greatlakes.org
Areas of Concern Annual
Meeting
October, 2011 Detroit, Ml
Contact: mdoss@glc.org
Making Progress in Areas of Concern
In 2010, GLRI grants to states and local groups added to the Great Lakes Legacy
Act sediment clean up funds at work in the AOC harbors along the shores of Lake
Michigan. The following AOCs have been able to take advantage of the 2010
funds to remove PCBs and other contaminants from the lake:
• Grand Calumet River, Indiana - 77,000 cubic yards removed;
• Milwaukee, Wisconsin - economic revitalization is following the Kinnickinnic
River project and a signed Lincoln Park agreement for remediation of 100,00
cubic yards of sediment;
• Sheboygan, Wisconsin - a signed agreement for work in lower river and inner
harbor to begin in 2011;
• Muskegon Lake, Michigan - the Division Street Outfall will be the scene of
work in the summer of 2011.
Over $23 million has been allocated for GLRI grant work to restore beneficial uses
related to unique habitats in the basin, including seven projects in White Lake,
Michigan, and endangered dune restoration in both Waukegan, Illinois and Grand
Calumet, Indiana.
Watershed Map
Find detailed watershed maps and information for the 33 major Lake Michigan
tributaries at: https://wiki.epa.gov/watershed/index.php/Main.
Legend
• Cities/Towns
/\/ State Derate
Areas of Concern
Q Manistique Ri^er
O Menominee River
Q Milwaukee Estuary
Q Wauksgan Harbor
O Gratid Calumet Rivei
^ Kalamazoo Klver
Q Muskegon Lake
O White Lake
Contact Information:
Judy Beck
Lake Michigan Manager
USEPAGLNPO
beck.judy@epa.gov
phone: (312) 353 3849
LaMP is at http://www.epa.gov/glnpo/michigan.html
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