Green Weeds, Brown Green Weeds, Brown WaterWaterNutrient Loading into Nutrient Loading into

Michigan’s Inland Lakes and Michigan’s Inland Lakes and StreamsStreams

Melanie StoughtonWater Quality TechnicianSt. Joseph Conservation District

•More than 11,000 lakes and ponds• 3,288 miles of Great Lakes Coastline •36,000 miles of rivers

and streams•12,000 miles of cold- water trout streams

Inland lakes and streams are the first indicators of water quality problems in a watershed

Michigan has…..

Green Weeds

Brown Water

Lake ZonesLake Zones

PROFUNDAL ZONE

Lake Trophic StatusLake Trophic Status

Water Quality Changes in Lakes

Nutrient Concentration (Phosphorus ug/l)

Wat

er Q

ualit

yPo

orH

igh Oligotrophic - High Quality

Mesotrophic - Medium Quality

Eutrophic - Poor Quality

10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80

What Causes Nutrient What Causes Nutrient Overload?Overload?

What Does This Do To What Does This Do To Our Lakes and Streams?Our Lakes and Streams?

Invasive SpeciesInvasive Species

Purple Loosestrife

Eurasian Watermilfoil Frogbit

Hydrilla

How Can Nutrients Be How Can Nutrients Be Reduced?Reduced?

BuffeBuffer r

ZoneZoness NO fertilizer, NO fertilizer,

pesticides or pesticides or compost pilescompost piles

Prevent runoff Prevent runoff and erosion and erosion along streams, along streams, lakes and lakes and storm drainsstorm drains

Native plants Native plants anchor soilanchor soil

10 foot buffer strip if little or no slope

20 feet for Medium Slope

30 feet for steep banks

Best Management Best Management PracticesPractices

Lawn Mowing Lawn Mowing TipsTips Taller is better Taller is better

(3”)(3”) MulchMulch

Lawn IrrigationLawn Irrigation Light and oftenLight and often No Runoff!No Runoff!

Best Management Best Management PracticesPractices

Lawn Fertilizer Lawn Fertilizer TipsTips 5-10 foot buffer 5-10 foot buffer

strip with no strip with no fertilizer and fertilizer and extra high cutextra high cut

No phosphorus No phosphorus fertilizerfertilizer

Appropriate Appropriate NitrogenNitrogen

Roots are Roots are Stronger than Stronger than

Stone, andStone, andStone is Stone is StrongerStronger

than Steelthan Steel

Buffer Zone

Image courtesy of MN Dept. of Ag.

Remember, when you're fertilizing the lawn, you MAY NOT just be fertilizing the lawn!

Questions?