Residents on shores of Belleville, Ford lakes meet to discuss lake care

A roomful of lakeshore residents, who live along Belleville and Ford lakes on the Huron River, met with the Huron River Watershed Council on April 3 at the Belleville Area District Library to consider how to improve the health of their lakes.
Kate Laramie, the council’s watershed ecologist, gave an initial presentation at this Shoreline Stewardship Workshop, then answered questions about the Huron River and the 300 lakes in its watershed.
She said the council’s mission is “Protecting and restoring the Huron River System – so all in our connected communities can enjoy and benefit from this essential natural resource for generations to come.”
She told them about rain gardens, rain barrels, planting native plants along the shoreline and farther up from the water, modification of seawalls, natural erosion control methods, and other projects.
Because Belleville Lake and Ford Lake are dammed lakes, they have different rules with EGLE (Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy), which controls the lakes, she said. She was referring to her comments on how woody debris is critical for fish habitat and when a tree falls in the lake it might be a good idea to leave it there. But, with a dammed lake, you might have to remove it.
She said that EGLE no longer is as supportive of seawalls as it once was and it’s a lot harder to get a permit now.
When she asked how many people in the room have lived on the lake for 20 years or more, the majority of those present raised their hands. They had lots of concerns about their lake.
Laramie asked them what they liked about living next to the lake, and they replied the sunsets, wildlife, geese, swans, herons, birds, U of M rowing team, fishing, boating, and national air show, even when a plane falls in the lake.
She asked them what changes they had observed on their lakes and they replied that you used to be able to eat the fish, the algae comes sooner in the summer now and is thicker, there are more weeds, and there is radioactive waste. But there are more frogs and turtles now and it’s safer now because of the marine patrol. There also is more lake access now and a bridge is being rebuilt.
When she asked what things would help to keep the lake healthy, they replied keeping the trash out, more seawalls, no fertilizer on the lake side of their property and to donate to the Huron River Watershed Council.
Laramie said the loss of natural “shorelands” is the biggest danger to the lakes. She said turtles and duckings need connection between the land and water, which is offered by native vegetation on the shorelines.
She said residents can prevent stormwater runoff from impervious areas into the lake by planting native plants, which have very deep roots, reducing or eliminating the use of fertilizer, using rainbarrels and rain gardens, and picking up animal waste. She said a lot of lakeside lots are still on septic systems.
Laramie said along the water is where erosion takes place. Erosion is encouraged by mowing to the water’s edge and removing aquatic plants.
A resident said on Ford Lake the golf course is mowing its lawn right to the water and several trees have been removed over the past two years. Laramie said that is not against the law, but education and pressure would help there.
Laramie said seawalls are barriers for wildlife, increase nearshore erosion, and increases erosion on neighboring properties, called “wave flanking.”
She said seawalls are also very expensive. She said putting the right size riprap at the base of the seawall absorbs wave energy. Anything in the water requires an EGLE permit, she reminded them.
She said they should avoid dumping sand for a beach, which eventually washes out into the lake. This is putting sand in your lake and increasing turbidity, she said. It also reduces the spawning area for fish.
Laramie said to watch for invasive species, but to identify the plants first before getting rid of them. They shouldn’t be pulled out because the stems break up and propagate more plants.
She said not to use plant killers, but do spot treatment, if necessary. Never apply that when it’s going to rain, which would wash it into the lake.
She said Belleville Lake has been registered in a Cooperative Lakes Monitoring Program run by EGLE and others, including the Huron River Watershed Council. It tracks the changes in lake health through volunteers, she said. A man in the audience said he didn’t think the lake was still in the program and she said she would check. Those in the audience showed interest in getting back on the program if membership has been discontinued.
When she was asked what was the source of contamination of Belleville Lake so fish couldn’t be eaten, she said PFAs (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) mainly, along with PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls) and mercury from older contamination.
Doug Peters asked if Belleville Lake had a lake association and was told it didn’t. He asked if it would benefit the situation and was told it might.
Laramie said a lake association can have a lot of power and can set up goals. A community group is more able to make positive change, she said.
Laramie said a good place to start would be the Michigan Lakes and Streams Association which has lawyers on staff.
A resident along Ford Lake said boaters are causing erosion by driving their boats too close to the shoreline and not following no-wake practices. He said more information needs to be put out on that.
Laramie said that can do a lot of damage to lakes.
Another resident said many areas around Belleville Lake are wooded and asked if trees help filter out contaminants. She said they do and they stabilize the shore.
A woman asked about pipes going into the lake. One was directed onto her property and she said she asked the city about it and the city guy said you can do that. Laramie said education needs to happen in the municipal sessions they have.
A man asked if someone from the Huron River Watershed Council would come out and look at lakeshores and give residents suggestions on what to try. Laramie said the council works on grants and contractors could come out, but you have to pay them. There is personal help in the rain garden program, she said.
Janine Houle said she is in the Garden Club which works on the city’s new pocket park on North Liberty Street. She said she is concerned about the erosion being caused from a pipe going into the lake there at the steep embankment. She said the city is looking at a solution and is considering a seawall, but she doesn’t think that’s the way to go.
The city would need EGLE permits, Laramie said, and EGLE is stingy about permitting seawalls now and they won’t give one to the city for that.
Chris Donley asked about CLMP (Cooperative Lakes Monitoring Program) and looking at Belleville Lake online.
Peters asked if there are pollution sources on Belleville Lake that aren’t from upstream and Laramie said some of the Belleville Lake sources are very old.
It was noted a lake up north conducts a program for trash pickup from its lake, but there is nothing like that on the Huron River. She said the watershed council does give grants of from $500 to $1,000 to support river cleanups.
The Belleville Lake Yacht Club’s lakeshore cleanup was noted.
A woman asked if it was safe to swim in Belleville Lake and Laramie said e coli is the main problem with swimming and the e coli now is low enough that the lake is considered safe for swimming. But, she said, don’t drink the water while swimming because of the PFAs, and avoid the algae. She said the dangerous algae is bright green, smells odd and looks like paint because of its sheen.
“Not everyone can do everything, but everyone can do something,” she quoted from the Michigan Natural Shoreland Partnership, which has a lot of information online.