Watershed Plan Update

We continue to make great progress with the watershed plan. We have 10 of the 15 GIS maps detailing various physical properties interacting with the watershed documented. There still remains much leg work to verify the maps and update them to the current state, since the keepers of the data in the GIS system do not do frequent updates. In addition to the maps we also will have a mathematical data base that can be updated annually, allowing us to keep our maps current. It has been decided we will steal shamelessly from the Little Manistee River Watershed team and use their format to craft our plan!!! The Manistee team has done a marvelous job and we are most grateful for their efforts and for sharing!! Some of our next steps are to: Engage the riparian owners in the Michigan Shoreland Steward’s Program. We have spoken of this site for about a year now and encourage all owners to visit the website and take the survey. The survey can be taken anonymously, or you can register as a Hamlin Lake Riparian owner. In the case of the later, the information goes into a Hamlin Lake data base and gives us a rich, data driven picture of our lake and how it is being managed, things we are doing right and opportunities for improvement. Mishorelandstewards.org Measure the topography and weed presence on the bottom of our lake. Much has changed since it was last done in the late 90’s and we are looking for an economical method of accomplishing the task / input from any experts out there will be most welcome just email peggyhaverberg@gmail.com Completion of the watershed plan also involves these critical steps: Measuring the amount of pollution coming into our lake from outside sources and generated within the lake, Identifying the sources contributing to these pollutants. Selecting Critical Areas based on amount and sources of pollutants. HOWEVER, it is critical, especially when reviewing the “Water Quality” report to recognize we have tools and an understanding of things we SHOULD be doing without additional data. The upper lake is definitely moving precariously close to a state of “Eutrophication” and reversing that state is a MASSIVE UNDERTAKING. Preventing it is much more doable, so please take the Shoreland Survey and follow their direction; follow the advice from the Hamlin Lake booklet; ask for or purchase “The Practical Guide to Lake Front Living”, a publication of the Michigan Lake & Stream Associations. BEGIN MAKING CHANGES NOW! We have also reviewed a fantastic “Community Survey” from the Portage Lake team. Once again, we will use their ideas and experience to put together a community survey for fall of 2018 in the hopes of starting 2019 running. Running in a direction supported by the COMMUNITY of those who love and use the lake and, more importantly, with the support and involvement of those of you who LOVE AND USE HAMLIN LAKE.