Widespread flooding in northern Michigan has eroded shorelines in the Cheboygan River Watershed that may lead to long-term ecological problems.
John Gannon, vice president of the Mullett Lake Area Preservation Society, a nonprofit working to protect the lakes, told WCMU rising water levels have deposited soil into the lake and its many tributaries.
Nutrients from the soil can rapidly increase the growth of algae and weed, which could stifle the growth of plants. That, in turn can lead to oxygen depletion, which could kill fish and other aquatic animals.
“If we're going to have these kinds of disruptions more frequently, I think it's adversely affect the kind of ecosystem that we see today," Gannon said.
Those concerns were echoed by Lauren Dey, the associate director of the Tip of the Mitt Watershed Council. She said that it's too early to determine the extent of the ecological impact, but they will be monitoring the watershed.
“Through our long-term monitoring programs, we may be able to detect changes related to these impacts in the future, though it will likely take time before trends become clear,” Dey said in a statement to WCMU.
Businesses that rely on the watershed are also being impacted by shoreline erosion and many remain closed at the start of the boating season.
"None of the dock and hoist installers can install anything because in many cases, a shoreline is eroded where they normally would attach the dock to,” said Bob Murdock, co-owner of Howe Marine, a marina on Indian River. “The waters are still too high to install anything. And if they get a good storm, it'll wipe out all the docks due to the waves," he added.
Murdock expects to open later this season, but between repairs and lost revenue, he'll likely be in the red this year.
“We have a lot of our customers have called said, don't even bother to put the boats in the water because we're not going to go boating this year,” Murdock said.
While the level of Mullet Lake is declining, public data shows the lake's surface is still 1.36 feet above its level from this time last year.
On Friday, the Cheboygan County Sheriff's office reopened waterways in the county to boat traffic. They’ve told boaters to remain alert, reduce speed and watch for debris. They're also asking residents and boaters to “avoid creating excessive wakes,” to limit shoreline erosion.
State and federal officials are currently surveying damage across the northern lower region to assess the need for a federal aid application.
