The Herring Lakes Watershed Management Plan was initially completed in July 2004, and some minor revisions were added in December 2005. This plan, funded by MDEQ’s Nonpoint Source Program, aims to define water quality problems and threats within the watershed so that sensible and timely actions could be implemented to restore and protect water resources.
In March 2006, an ad hoc steering committee made up of local citizen, government and environmental agency representatives, as well as other stakeholders began meeting to discuss the environmental quality concerns in the Herring Lakes Watershed and what might be done about them. The group has adopted the following mission, objectives and goals:
Mission Statement
The Herring Lakes Watershed Steering Committee to the Benzie Conservation District acts to unite all stakeholders in achieving and maintaining the highest quality of the environment within the Herring Lakes Watershed including water, air, forest, and agricultural resources, in order to acquire long lasting harmony with all recreational and commercial users.
Long Term Objectives
Assist the Benzie Conservation District’s Herring Lakes Watershed Project to develop, fund and implement programs to accomplish the following:
- Develop and maintain an up-to-date watershed management plan
- Perform consistent, reliable water quality testing of surface and ground waters
- Promote, educate and inform the public of watershed issues and solutions
- Monitor, control and/or eradicate invasive species
- Restore streams, lakes and wetlands by reducing soil erosion and sedimentation, planting native species and maintaining water quality and quantity
- Enhance native fish and animal survival and production
- Provide a framework and opportunity to resolve conflicts among stakeholders
Immediate Goals
- Begin fundraising efforts to help facilitate the implementation of long term objectives and immediate goals
- Implement a thorough, watershed-wide water quality monitoring program including:
- Hydrolab data (simple water chemistry)
- Total Phosphorus
- Nitrates
- Chlorophyll a
- E. coli
- Complete an assessment of sediment input to the watershed via streambank, lakeshore and road-stream crossing inventories
- Educate and inform both residential and agricultural stakeholders of best management practices to limit nonpoint source pollution in the watershed
Herring Lakes Watershed Steering Committee Meetings
The Benzie Conservation District holds monthly meetings to discuss the management of the Herring Lakes Watershed. The meetings are held at 9:00 a.m. on the Third Wednesday of each month at the Blaine Township Hall, a.k.a. “The White Owl”. All interested residents are encouraged to attend. Please call 882-4391 for more information.
Actual meeting dates for 2008:
| January 23 (4th Wed.) | July 16 |
| February 20 | August 20 |
| March 19 | September 17 |
| April 16 (CANCELLED) | October 15 |
| May 21 | November 19 |
| June 18 | December 17 |
To review notes from previous steering committee meetings, send an email or call.