Lake Huron Initiative - Department of Environmental Quality

Prepared by:Michigan Office of the Great Lakes

Front cover photo: Beach along Lake Huron near Port Austin, MichiganPhotograph courtesy of the Michigan Travel Bureau

This information is presented for purposesof identifying future actions necessary torestore and protect the Lake Huron ecosystem.Suggested revisions or additions are welcomeand should be sent to:Jim BredinMichigan Office of the Great LakesDepartment of Environmental QualityConstitution HallP.O. Box 30473Lansing, Michigan 48909-7973Phone: 517-335-4232Fax: 517-335-4053E-mail: bredinj@michigan.govThe 2002 Lake Huron Initiative Action Plan can be viewed atwww.michigan.gov/deq/1,607,7-135-3313_3677---,00.htmlPartial funding for this report was provided by theU.S. Environmental Protection AgencyGreat Lakes National Program OfficeLake Huron Initiative Action Plan Update April 2002

Lake HuronInitiativeAction PlanUpdate - 2002SummarySignificant progress has been made towardsthe restoration and protection ofLake Huron and the Lake Huronwatershed. Many on-going actionspollutioncontrol, habitat protectionand restoration and agencycoordination, are providing the basisof a bi-national effort to protect andrestore Lake Huron. Efforts overthe last two years to further defi neproblem areas, identify neededactions, undertake actions andidentify methods to track cooperativeefforts through the use of indicatorshave provided a sound foundationfor future efforts. Details regardingthese issues and more are providedin this Lake Huron Initiative ActionPlan Update - 2002.BackgroundIn March 2000 the Michigan Offi ceof the Great Lakes released theLake Huron Initiative Action Plan2000. The Action Plan identifi edexisting concerns regarding LakeHuron and actions necessary forthe restoration and protection ofthe lake and its watershed. Now,the Michigan Office of the GreatLakes, with the U.S. EnvironmentalProtection Agency, has undertakenthis effort to update the Lake HuronInitiative Action Plan 2000. LakeHuron Initiative Action Plan UpdateSpecial ArticlesThis Lake Huron Initiative Action Plan Updateincludes guest articles by people working onprojects or programs designed to restore and protectthe Lake Huron basin. These articles are highlightedthroughout the Update. We hope they will be ofinterest and informative.expands upon the information in the originalAction Plan and provides additional informationthat was not available earlier. The LakeHuron Initiative Action Plan is still intendedto be a dynamic document that will changeas environmental/natural resource issues areaddressed. As such, this document, revising theAction Plan released in March 2000, will still beSpanish Harbour Area of ConcernThe Spanish Harbour Area of Concern covers 53 kilometres ofthe Spanish River from Espanola to the Whales Back Channel,located on the north shore of the North Channel. SpanishHarbour was originally designated as an AOC in 1985 based ontainting of fi sh, impaired bottom-dwelling (benthos) communitiesand nutrient enrichment. The Spanish Harbour RAP has beena partnership between federal and provincial governments andthe Spanish Harbour Public Advisory Committee. By 1997, mostof the impairments had been completely restored and one waspartially restored. The remaining two impairments relate tofi sh consumption restrictions and elevated metals in sediment.In June 1999, the AOC was recognized as being an Area inRecovery. All the recommended actions have been completed,ecosystem impairments still exist, however, natural processes havethe capacity to complete the restoration. The recognition ofSpanish Harbour as an Area in Recovery still requires agency andcommunity partners to be vigilant. There is a commitment to ensurethat progress made to date is maintained and the move towardssuccessful restoration and ultimate delisting of Spanish Harbourcontinues.One of the impairments identified was the loss of muskellungefrom the fi sh community. Through a partnership fostered by theFriends of the Spanish River, the Ministry of Natural Resources,Environment Canada’s Great Lakes Sustainability Fund and 10other partners teamed together to re-establish a self-sustainingpopulation through the release of hatchery reared fi sh. Local schoolchildren participated in an “Adopt a Musky” contest which providededucational opportunities. The Friends of the Spanish River,are continuing their activities to further the RAP goals, includingvarious educational initiatives on water quality issues (see theirwebsite www.etown.net/spanishriver/), and through activities whichencourage others to join in the restoration and celebration of theSpanish River.Christine SelingerJanette AndersonOntario Ministry of Natural Resources Environment CanadaLake Huron Initiative Action Plan Update April 20021

called the Lake Huron Initiative Action Plan. TheLake Huron Initiative Action Plan 2002 and otherLake Huron related information can be found atthe Lake Huron web suite at www.michigan.gov.The Lake Huron InitiativeLake Huron, unlike the other Great Lakes,does not have a lakewide management planningprocess to drive future efforts. As a result,the Michigan Office of the Great Lakes, withthe U.S. Environmental Protection Agency asa partner, has undertaken this effort, the LakeHuron Initiative, to assist with planning activitieson Lake Huron.With the Michigan Offi ce of the Great Lakestaking the lead, state, federal and local agenciesand interest groups have combined efforts andare now actively involved in the Lake HuronInitiative. In a short period of time, theLake Huron Initiative has produced significantachievement and initiation of numerous effortstowards protecting and restoring Lake Huron.The Lake Huron Initiative has begun discussionof:! issues of importance to Lake Huron,! actions that need to be taken to protect andrestore the Lake Huron ecosystem, and! development of partnerships to beginundertaking efforts that can not beaccomplished by individual agencies alone.About the Action PlanOne of the purposes of the Lake Huron Initiativeis to develop an action-oriented process foraddressing Lake Huron issues, for prioritizingthose issues and for enabling future efforts toensure a sustainable Lake Huron watershed.Also, one of the key intentions of the LakeHuron Initiative Action Plan is to identify specificactions that could be undertaken to achievefuture protection and restoration of the LakeHuron Basin. Although agencies involved in theLake Huron Initiative Action Plan are generallysupportive of the goals identifi ed, the Lake HuronInitiative Action Plan is not intended to commitagencies to complete specifi c actions identified.The Action Plan is intended to identify neededactions and develop a sense of relative prioritySevern Sound Area of ConcernIt has taken more than ten years of hard work andcoordinated efforts of the governments of Canadaand Ontario, and local authorities to restore thehealth of the sound. While there will alwaysbe another environmental project to complete,another potential problem to monitor, Severn Soundis poised to be crossed off the list of GreatLakes Areas of Concern. In the last ten yearsthe Severn Sound Tributary Rehabilitation Programhelped landowners restore stream habitats byrestricting livestock access to streams and planningtrees to reduce erosion. Urban communitieshave also implemented a number of stormwatermanagement options. Also, through a partnershipbetween the town of Penetanguishene, the GreatLakes 2000 Cleanup Fund and the Severn SoundRemedial Action Plan, about 4,000 cubic metresof sludge and wood wastes were scraped off thebottom of the bay restoring some 4 hectares ofnearshore habitat.There will always be long term projects to sustainthe gains - reducing farm runoff, re-establishinghabitat, controlling urban stormwater - that willrequire the attention of local communities overthe years ahead. Local stakeholders have formeda partnership agreement and, with EnvironmentCanada, the Ontario Ministry of the Environmentand the Friends of the Wye Marsh, havepledged their continued support for the RemedialAction Plan implementation through the SevernSound Environmental Association. For moreinformation, see the Severn Sound Update athttp://www.ene.gov.on.ca/envision/coa/severn_en.pdf.Keith ShermanCoordinator Severn SoundEnvironmental Associationof such actions. In addition, agencies involvedin the Lake Huron Initiative will use this strategicplan to communicate goals, set priorities andpursue resources for future actions.As a result of a number of conferences andworkshops, the Lake Huron Initiative Action Planidentifies needed future efforts focusing on twokey issues: critical pollutants/use impairmentsand fish and wildlife habitat and biodiversity.Even though critical pollutants are a cause ofuse impairments (principally fish consumptionadvisories) and are of concern, the primary focusof the Initiative effort has been toward habitatrestoration and protection. The key to restoring2Lake Huron Initiative Action Plan Update April 2002

the lake is the protection of existing criticalhabitat and restoration of degraded habitat.Many critical habitat sites are still intact andare in need of protection. However, manyhistorical coastal wetlands, nearshore areas, andtributaries are in need of restoration. The focusfor the Lake Huron Initiative is to work with alllevels of government and private interests towardrestoration and continued protection of habitats.One of the purposes of the Lake Huron InitiativeAction Plan is to develop an action-orientedprocess for addressing Lake Huron and to helpidentify priority issues and future efforts neededto ensure a sustainable Lake Huron watershed.In defining a sustainable Lake Huron watershed,the Lake Huron Initiative identifi ed the goal of theInitiative effort to be:“to restore and maintain the chemical,physical, and biological integrity of thewaters, tributaries, and nearshoreterrestrial and aquatic ecosystems of LakeHuron.”political jurisdictions require coordination amongthose programs as well as special basinwide andlocal initiatives. While governmental agenciesare in a position to provide leadership, successwill depend on leveraging both governmentaland non-governmental organization involvementand resources. Success will also requireengaging local governments whose authorityand local decision-making collectively has asignificant impact on the natural resources andsustainability of communities throughout thebasin.Major Features of Lake HuronLake Huron is the third largest Great Lake byvolume (850 cubic miles/3,540 cubic kilometers)and the second largest by surface area (23,000square miles/59,000 square kilometers). At thenortheast end of Lake Huron the Straits ofMackinac connect to Lake Michigan forming acontiguous, two-lake system. Precipitation andBecause restoration and protection of LakeHuron ecosystem is a long-term process,development of the Lake Huron Initiative ActionPlan is intended to be an iterative processrequiring periodic refi nement building upon thelessons learned, successes, new information andpublic input. This process of iterative refi nementwill allow for identifi cation of information andresearch gaps and actions to close those gaps.Many of the issues identifi ed in the LakeHuron Initiative Action Plan can be accomplishedthrough focusing efforts of existing programs.However, the basin’s size and multiple bi-nationalLake Huron Initiative Action Plan Update April 20023

outflow from Lake Superior (via the St. MarysRiver) recharge the waters of Lakes Huron andMichigan. Water within the Lake Huron Basin isretained an average of 22 years before leavingthrough the St. Clair River.Lake Huron’s drainage area, which covers partsof Michigan and Ontario, is the largest ofthe Great Lakes (51,700 square miles/134,000square kilometers). It also has the largestlakeshore (extending 3,827 miles/6,157kilometers) when the 30,000-plus islands areincluded. The shoreline of Lake Huron ischaracterized by shallow, sandy beaches to thesouth; cobble beaches in the north; and rockyshores in the Georgian Bay area.Relative to the other Great Lakes, the LakeHuron Basin has a low degree ofindustrialization. However, the Saginaw Baywatershed is one of the most extensivelyfarmed and supports the Flint/Saginaw/Bay Citymetropolitan area. Also, Sarnia, Ontario isa site of major industrial activity. About 2.5million people live within the Lake Huron basin.Populations are expected to increase in thefuture with signifi cant movement toward thenearshore areas. Because of the lesser degreeof development in the basin, Lake Huronretains much of its historical fi sh and wildlifehabitat. Saginaw Bay still supports some ofthe most extensive coastal habitat in the GreatLakes, even though many areas of the coastalmarsh and open freshwater estuary have beeneliminated. High-quality lake trout habitat nearGeorgian Bay and Drummond Island are stillpresent. Saginaw Bay and the many islands ofLake Huron provide feeding and resting habitatfor many bird species that annually migratethrough the basin.Because of the basic features of Lake Huron,the open waters are susceptible to a variety ofenvironmental problems:! the large watershed can deliver nonpointpollutants to the open waters via tributaries.! the large surface area (and large watershed)can allow airborne pollutants to depositdirectly into the open waters.! the long retention time of the lake water canlead to accumulation of pollutants.! the anticipated population growth canthreaten the remaining high-quality habitatwithin the basin.Trends in Loadingsand SourcesContaminant concentrations in Lake Huron havebeen monitored because of human and wildlifehealth concerns. From the late 1970s tothe early 1990s, persistent, bioaccumulativesubstances (such as PCB, DDT, dieldrin anddioxins) significantly declined in the water columnand in fish and wildlife. However, whileconcentrations of contaminants have continuedto decline, concentrations of many contaminantshave not declined significantly since the mid-1980s. Historically, phosphorus has been asignificant problem in the Great Lakes, but thishas not been the case in Lake Huron, withthe exception of Saginaw Bay and the southernOntario shore.In comparison to the other Great Lakes,contaminant concentrations are relatively lowin Lake Huron. Nevertheless, public healthadvisories exist regarding the consumption offish from the open lake and all Areas of Concern(Saginaw River/Bay, St. Marys River, SpanishRiver, Severn Sound, and St. Clair River).Contaminants enter Lake Huron through avariety of pathways, including direct discharges,atmospheric deposition, contaminated sediment(historical) and tributary discharge. The largesurface area of Lake Huron, like the other GreatLakes, has made it particularly vulnerable toatmospheric deposition. While loadings to Lake4Lake Huron Initiative Action Plan Update April 2002

Bald Eagle RecoveryBald eagles are one of the top-level fi sh-eatingpredatory animals of Lake Huron. The use ofplasma collected from nestling bald eagles hasbeen used to monitor the progress in decliningconcentrations of organochlorine pesticides andPCBs. Eagles nesting along Lakes Michigan andHuron have exhibited a signifi cant decline in bothp,p’-DDE and PCBs from 1989-93 to 1999-2000.However, nestling eagles from these two lakes havethe greatest concentration of both compounds incomparison to all other subpopulations sampled.During the past decade, the numbers of nestingpairs, fl edged young, and overall reproductiveproductivity have increased along the shorelinesof Lake Huron. There are some noticeabledifferences, however, in the ability to successfullyreproduce. For 11 of the 41 breeding areasassociated with Lake Huron or the Saginaw River,reproduction is above the goal set for recovery.These are the 6 breeding areas of eagles that nestalong the St. Marys River and the 5 breeding areasof eagles nesting along the Saginaw River. For 30of the 41 breeding areas, however, productivity isstill below the goal set for recovery.The necessary actions that need to continueare the ongoing strategy in Michigan using baldeagles to monitor water quality under the CleanMichigan Initiative. Further enhancement of thiseffort through development of subtle indicators ofstress is being funded under the Michigan GreatLakes Protection Fund. A mirror project along theOntario side using both bald eagles and ospreywould be benefi cial, since there are great numbersof osprey nesting along both Georgian Bay and theSt. Marys River. Additional work on adult turnoverrates of nesting eagles is needed to understand theextent of the “sink-source” population that currentlyexists along Lake Huron.William W. Bowerman, Ph.D.Clemson UniversityHuron from water sources are the lowest of allGreat Lakes, air sources are the highest.Through the process of biomagnifi cation andbioaccumulation the impact of toxic chemicalshas been greatest on species at the top of thefood chain, such as predatory birds, fi sh, andmammals. In general, the effects of exposure tolow levels of contaminants are less clear for fishpopulations than for wildlife.In the early 1970s, fi sh-eating birds (eagles,gulls, terns, cormorants, herons, etc.) sufferedwidespread reproductive failure, decliningpopulation levels and eggs with thin shellsattributed to high concentrations of contaminantsin their diet. Contaminants in herring gull eggsand in adults have declined significantly between1974 and 1980-81. Since then, however, the rateof decrease has been slower, and increases inconcentrations were observed in some locations.Contaminants in herring gull eggs, and inadults, declined significantly between 1974 and1980-81. Since then, most have continued todecline at the same rate or even faster thanbefore; a few are declining more slowly thanbefore and a few have stablized. Also, mink andotter populations began to decline in the mid-1950s, but recently there has been a dramaticincrease in both the range inhabited andapparent population levels. With the reduction inloadings ofpersistent toxic contaminants most ofthe fish-eating bird populations have recoveredand reestablished themselves. However,problems such as birth defects or reproductivefailure have continued in a small percentageof thepopulations. Also, as identifi ed in theeagle population, productivity has varied amongbreeding areas with interior breeding areashaving signifi cantly greater productivity thanareas with access to Lake Huron fi sh.Beneficial UseImpairments/Critical PollutantsFor Lake Huron, the benefi cial uses identified asimpaired in the open waters and nearshore areasare:! Restrictions on fi sh or wildlife consumption,! Degradation of fish or wildlife populations,and! Loss of fish or wildlife habitat.Critical pollutants associated with the restrictionson fish and wildlife consumption are categorizedas Priority Pollutants and Pollutants of Concernwith each category requiring differentassessment and action. The categories arebased on the degree of association with useimpairments and spatial distribution or frequencyof occurrence.Lake Huron Initiative Action Plan Update April 20025

Successful Recovery of Lake WhitefishPopulationsLake whitefish (Coregonus clupeaformis)populations in Lake Huron staged an impressiverecovery during the 1990s. Commercial harvestsincreased annually from roughly 2.5 millionkilograms in 1990 to over 4.4 million kilograms in1998. These harvests of lake whitefi sh in the 1990swere greater than during any other time in the 20thcentury. The majority of the increase in commercialharvest took place in the Canadian waters of thesouthern basin from the Bruce Peninsula to the St.Clair River. The increase in commercial harvests oflake whitefi sh from Lake Huron were the direct resultof increased population abundance due to goodto excellent years for survival of young fi sh during1986-1991. Year class strength and subsequentabundance of lake whitefi sh also increased inGeorgian Bay during the 1990s, whereas previousto the 1990s lake whitefish populations hadremained depressed. The increases in reproductionand abundance of lake whitefi sh, and subsequentlycommercial yields, was due primarily to favorableenvironmental conditions for reproduction andsecondarily to control of exploitation and stocking ofPacifi c salmon and lake trout.Stocking of Pacifi c salmon and lake trout helpedreduce abundance of the non-indigenousplanktivores alewife and rainbow smelt, which inturn help increase survival of newly hatched lakewhitefi sh.Mark EbenerChippewa/Ottawa Resource AuthorityA successful effort to reduce the impact ofthese pollutants requires reviewing each pollutantto identify specifi c actions. These actionsneed to be taken on a lakewide and localizedbasis. Future efforts should support a sub-basinanalysis and management approach for LakeHuron (Georgian Bay, North Channel, SaginawBay and the Main Basin).Originally, there were six Great Lakes Areasof Concern on Lake Huron. One of these,Collingwood Harbour, Ontario, was the fi rstand remains the only Areas of Concernto be delisted. Two Canadian Areas ofConcern, Spanish River and Severn Sound,are responding well to remedial actions andshowing recovery. The only Area of Concernsolely in Michigan, Saginaw River/SaginawBay, is designated as an Area of Concernprimarily because of contaminated sedimentsand nonpoint pollution sources. Also, thereare two Binational Areas of Concern, the St.Marys River and the St. Clair River. TheSt. Marys River is designated as an Areaof Concern because of contaminants fromsediment, municipal discharges and nonpointsource pollution sources. Control of industrialpoint sources is progressing and pollution loadsare being reduced. The St. Clair River isdesignated as an Area of Concern because ofthe pollution problems on the eastern side of theriver.Lake Huron EcosystemThe Lake Huron ecosystem objectives focus onfish and wildlife populations and habitat, andbiodiversity within the watershed. These criticalissues are the starting points for identifyingecosystem objectives. Lake Huron fi sh andwildlife continue to be exposed to a multiplicityof physical, chemical, and biological stresses. Interms of importance, the major stresses on thesecommunities are:! degradation and loss of historical habitat inLake Huron tributaries;! non-native species, over-fishing, andreproduction failure resulting in imbalances inaquatic communities and loss of biodiversity;! degradation and loss of near shore habitatincluding coastal wetlands;! impact of persistent toxic contaminants; and! eutrophication in localized areas.Lake Huron’s aquatic community health andbiodiversity are relatively good. The existing fishcommunity is very different than the native fi shcommunity. While the fish community in LakeHuron is recovering, it remains unstable afterdecades of over-harvest and being subjected tothe effects of non-native species. Most of the6Lake Huron Initiative Action Plan Update April 2002

predatory fish and their associated communitiesare still dependent on stocking. Lake troutnatural reproduction is occurring; however, therate is not sufficient to have a signifi cant impacton lake trout abundance.Fish community objectives have been developedfor the protection and restoration of Lake Huron’sfish community. The objectives rest on a setof ecological principles (i.e. stability, balanceand sustainability) infl uenced by social values.They reflect the understanding that naturalsystems are dynamic and require adjustingmanagement approaches to different conditions.Fish community objectives relative to habitat andthe environment are:! protect and enhance fi sh habitat andrehabilitate degraded habitats,! achieve no net loss of the productive capacityof habitat,! restore damaged habitats, and! support the reduction or elimination ofcontaminants.A deterrent to achieving balanced fi shcommunities is inadequate habitat for all stagesof the life cycles. Historically, tributaries servedas spawning and nursery habitats for manyspecies. Fish were excluded from many ofthese areas in the 1800s, and water qualitydeteriorated steadily through the 1970s aspoint sources of domestic and industrial wasteproliferated. Even with improved water quality,dams now fragment many streams wherehistorical spawning occurred. Areas that oncesupported important fi sheries are now inundatedby dams and no longer accessible by GreatLakes fi sh.Also, Lake Huron has lost over 20 percentof its coastal wetlands (Michigan only). Theonce natural shorelines offered fish and wildlifesignificant habitat for all of their life stages. Dueto development in the coastal area, many areasnow have shoreline protection structures andin many cases, the narrow band of transitionalvegetation is gone.The Lake Huron ecosystem has beendramatically and forever changed by the invasionof nonnative aquatic nuisance species. Sincethe 1800s, at least 160 species have beenintroduced into the Great Lakes ecosystem, asSuccessful Lake Trout Rehabilitation inParry SoundWhen lake trout were extirpated from most of theGreat Lakes, populations only survived in LakeSuperior and two small areas of Lake Huron.With the exception of Lake Superior, success atrehabilitating lake trout in other areas of the GreatLakes has been very limited. Lake Huron currentlyhas six sites where natural reproduction of laketrout has been documented. Parry Sound (locatedin eastern Georgian Bay) is the site of one of thetwo remnant stocks. These fi sh seemed to havesurvived due to their relative isolation that limitedthe detrimental impacts of both sea lamprey andcommercial harvest. Through the 1980s and 1990s,a progression of increasingly restrictive anglingregulations were implemented to limit the harvest ofwild and stocked fi sh to buildup a sizable spawningstock. The most effective regulations to limit harvestincluded creating a refuge area; reducing harvestseasons and possession limits and imposing asize limit where only fi sh less than 24 inchestotal length could be harvested. By 1997, thespawning population was estimated at over 29,000and stocking was discontinued.The Parry Sound lake trout population hasdemonstrated that rehabilitation is possible if sealampreys are controlled, the appropriate lake troutstrain is stocked and exploitation is restricted. Thesuccessful reproduction of lake trout in other areasof Lake Huron suggests that similar successes arepossible and the Parry Sound experience providesan example of successful techniques for lake troutrehabilitation.David M. ReidOntario Ministry of Natural ResourcesLake Huron Initiative Action Plan Update April 20027

Aquatic Nuisance SpeciesInvasion of aquatic nuisance species (ANS) continuesto pose potentially serious ecological impacts tothe Lake Huron basin. Although the impact oflong established species such as sea lamprey hasbeen well documented, the ultimate impacts of newlyestablished species such as zebra mussel, spiny waterfl ea, ruffe, and round goby have yet to be determined.Zebra mussels have become established in mostof the Lake Huron basin and range expansionhas slowed. Researchers continue to examine theecological impacts this species is having on the foodweb and how those changes may impact the fi shcommunity. Ruffe were fi rst confi rmed in 1995 inThunder Bay and showed a slow but steady increase inabundance through 2000. No range expansion out ofThunder Bay has been documented and the populationcontinues to be dominated by young-of-the-year withlittle sign of signifi cant over-winter survival. Contrarily,round goby continue to expand their range within LakeHuron at an alarming rate. Where established theyare rapidly becoming a dominant species in the fi shcommunity, and in many locations such as ThunderBay and Tawas Bay became the most abundantspecies in as little as three years.It is critical that measures are taken to close thedoor on the introduction of new ANS species andcontrol strategies developed to minimize the impactsof established species. Surveillance and populationmonitoring are necessary to better understand rangeexpansion and interaction with native fi sh communities.Jerry R. McClainU.S. Fish & Wildlife Servicemany as 80 of these reside in Lake Huron. Theintroduction of these species into an establishedecosystem such as Lake Huron can and hasaltered the fish community and the ecologicalprocesses that support these communities.The ruffe (Gymnocephalus cernuus) is a smallperch-like European fi sh apparently introducedto the Great Lakes in the St. Louis River nearDuluth, Minnesota, in the early 1980s fromballast discharges. In Europe, the ruffe feedson whitefish eggs and competes with other moredesirable fish.They likely have a competitive advantage overnative fi sh for food and habitat because theyare frequent spawners, allowing them to becomeabundant quickly, and have aggressive natures.Ruffe were found in the Thunder Bay River mouthin Alpena, Michigan on northwestern Lake Huronin August 1995. This was the fi rst and only area,to date, where ruffe have been found outside ofLake Superior. The lack of range expansion outof Thunder Bay may be due to the low populationlevels found in the Thunder Bay River prior to1999, and/or the quick response of the shippingindustry to impose interim measures to preventthe transport of ruffe in ship ballast water out ofthe Alpena harbor.RuffeThe round goby (Neogobius melanostomus) is anabundant species in Lake Huron with origins inthe Black and Caspian Seas. Round gobies are asmall fish that feed chiefly on bivalves, amphipod,crustaceans, and small fish and fish eggs. Ithas a lateral line system, which enables themto feed in complete darkness. It is believed thatgobies were introduced into the Great Lakesfrom discharged ballast water. The round gobyhas been identified in numerous Lake Huronlocations since 1994 and the spread continues.In all areas where they have become establishedtheir abundance is increasing rapidly. Frombackground levels in 1997 and 1998, round gobyhave rapidly become the most abundant speciesin the trawl catch in Thunder Bay in 2000 whenthey accounted for 83% of the total catch. This8Lake Huron Initiative Action Plan Update April 2002

trend is not unique to the Thunder Bay region ofLake Huron.The sea lamprey (Petromyzon marinus) has beena serious problem in the Great Lakes for morethan 50 years. An adult lamprey can kill up to 40pounds of fi sh in just 12 to 20 months. A lampreyattaches itself to a fi sh by piercing its scales andskin. It then sucks out body fl uids, often resultingin death. Since about 1983, the St. Marys Riverhas become the most important spawning areafor lampreys in the Great Lakes. Rehabilitationof the Lake Huron lake trout fi sheries has notbeen as successful as in other areas of the GreatLakes principally because of the sea lampreyproduction from the St. Marys River. Costeffectivesea lamprey control on the St. Marysmay now be within reach.wetlands and have distinctive conditions forcoastal wetland restoration. Shoreline BIAsare broad areas of shoreline with clusters ofexceptional biodiversity values.It is important to note that the successfulprotection of BIAs is strongly dependent uponthere being local environmental infrastructurefor long-term planning and implementation ofprotection measures. There are five major areasin the Lake Huron Basin in need of specialattention. These are Misery Bay, Saginaw Bay,Mackinac-Manitoulin, eastern Georgian Bay andthe Bruce Peninsula.The loss of biological diversity due to extinctionand subsequent establishment of non-indigenouspopulations is an indication of degradation. Whilesome native fi sh species have recovered manypopulations are highly dependent on non-nativespecies (such as alewife and rainbow smelt) forforage. A number of historically important fi shspecies have become depleted or have beenextirpated (eliminated) from the lake. Amplifyingthis loss of species diversity is the loss of geneticdiversity of surviving species. Contributing tothis loss of diversity has been a succession ofinvasions and deliberate releases of non-nativeaquatic species.Some sections of Lake Huron have highecological values, which warrant exceptionalattention. Three types of Biodiversity InvestmentAreas (BIAs) are identifi ed. Aquatic ecosystemBIAs are areas that are especially productive,supports high biodiversity and contributes to theintegrity of the whole system. Coastal wetlandecosystem BIAs are stretches of shoreline thatsupport signifi cant concentrations of coastalLake Huron Initiative Action Plan Update April 20029

LAKE HURON INITIATIVE ACTIONPLAN SUMMARY TABLE10Lake Huron Initiative Action Plan Update April 2002

Lake Huron Initiative Action Plan Update April 200211

IndicatorsThe Lake Huron Initiative Action Plan Update 2002 identifies potential indicators for Lake Huron.There are presently a number of frameworks for developing indicators and reporting on the statusof the Great Lakes ecosystem. For Lake Huron, the State of the Lakes Ecosystem Conference(SOLEC) is recommended as the key venue for reporting on progress regarding the development animplementation of Lake Huron indicators. Many of the indicators proposed for use in Lake Huronalready have signifi cant data collection efforts underway. These indicators will be of specific us fordetermining long-term historical trends. The following tables identify the indicators being proposed.Also shown below are data from on-going monitoring programs.12Lake Huron Initiative Action Plan Update April 2002

Dredging of Contaminated Sediment in theSaginaw RiverThe U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the MichiganDepartment of Environmental Quality (MDEQ), theMichigan Attorney General and the Saginaw ChippewaTribe, in their roles as natural resource trustees,negotiated a 1998 settlement with parties responsible forPCB contamination in the Saginaw River and Bay. Thesettlement called for removal of contaminated sedimentand restoration of resources injured by the release ofPCBs into the environment. The dredging contractorused a specially designed, gasketted clamshell dredgebucket to remove sediment from the most contaminatedparts of the river. The contaminated sediment wastransported to a confi ned disposal facility and willbe capped with cleaner material from the Corps’maintenance dredging activities. The dredging from 5areas in the Saginaw River was fi nished in July 2001.The fi nal volume of contaminated sediments removedfrom the river was 342,433 cubic yards at a cost of $9.7million.The goal of this dredging project was to remove acontinuing source of contaminants to fi sh and wildlifein Saginaw River and Bay. Continued monitoring ofcontaminants in fi sh and wildlife and of reproductivesuccess of fi sh-eating birds will provide information onthe success of this project and the other PCB sourcereduction projects in the watershed. Sampling of ediblefillets of sport fi sh species will be necessary to determinewhen fi sh consumption advisories can be removed.Monitoring should also be used to look for presence andeffects of other contaminants, including those capable ofdisrupting endocrine function. For more information youcan go to http://midwest.fws.gov/nrda/saginaw/.Lisa L. Williams, Ph.D.U.S. Fish and Wildlife ServiceThe following factors are taken into considerationwhen the final indicators are chosen for Lake Huronthe:! is the indicator necessary?! is the indicator suffi cient?! is it feasible to collect data (monitor) forinterpretation of the indicator?! does the indicator provide a scientifi cally soundprotocol?Additional information regarding each indicator isprovided in the Lake Huron Initiative Action Plan2002.Lake Huron Initiative Action Plan Update April 200213

On-goingRestoration EffortsSignificant progress has been made over thelast few years towards implementation of therecommended action in the Lake Huron InitiativeAction Plan - 2000. Lake Huron Initiativepartners have led efforts throughout the basintowards actions that will restore and protect theLake Huron basin. These efforts include:PCB Sediment Remediation in the SaginawRiver - As a result of the Saginaw Bay NaturalResources Damage Assessment 342,433 cubicyards of contaminated sediments were removedfrom five areas in the lower Saginaw Riveras part of a $28.2 million natural resourcesdamages settlement with General Motors Corp.and the cities of Bay City and Saginaw. Thework is expected to signifi cantly reduce the levelof PCB contamination associated with the riverwater and sediments, as well as with aquaticand terrestrial organisms in and around the riverand Saginaw Bay. An environmental clamshellbucket was used to remove the contaminatedsediments for placement on barges. The SaginawBay Natural Resources Damage Assessmenthas also provided protection of almost 1,700acres of coastal wetland along Saginaw Bay andrestoration of over 200 acres.DDT/PBB Pine River Sediment Remediationincluding Post-evaluation - Approximately275,000 tons of stabilized sediments wereremoved from the St. Louis Impoundment. Thesesediments were removed from the Phase I areaconsisting of 18 acres within the St. LouisImpoundment and the “DDT hotspot” locatednear the former discharge location. Basedon previous analyses it is estimated thesesediments contained 430,000 pounds of DDT.It is estimated the project will be completedfollowing the 2004 construction season.Establishment of a Permanent PesticideClean Sweep Program in Northern Michigan- The Alpena area has received funding fromthe Michigan Department of EnvironmentalQuality under the Clean Michigan Program fordevelopment of a household hazardous wastecollection program.Clean Michigan Initiative HouseholdHazardous Waste Collection - ChippewaCounty was awarded $100,000 to establish apermanent collection facility in the city of SaultSte. Marie. The county will hold six collectionsPine River DredgingThe Velsicol Chemical Corporation Main Plant Site isa 52-acre parcel located in St. Louis, Michigan. From1936 until 1978, Velsicol produced various chemicalcompounds and products such as hexabromobenzene(HBB), DDT and PBB. The Site represents a threat topublic health, welfare, and the environment because ofwidespread contamination caused by direct dischargesto the Pine River. A no consumption advisory for allspecies of fi sh has been in effect since 1974.Phase I Remedial Activities began in Fall 2000.Since then, approximately 275,000 tons of stabilizedsediments have been disposed off-site. Confirmationsamples indicate that the average total DDTconcentration is below reportable limits, the Site’sclean-up level is 5 parts per million total DDT. Theeffl uent from the on-site water treatment plant (WTP)has been below the State’s discharge limits for TotalDDT, HHB, and PBB. During cleanup, monitoringis conducted to ensure protection of workers andthe community. Phase II activities are scheduled tobegin in April 2002. After completion of the dredgingproject sediment samples will be collected to ensurethe clean-up standard has been met. The Stateof Michigan will continue to monitor fi sh tissuelevels until the fi sh advisory can be removed. Formore information regarding this cleanup effort go to:www.epa.gov/region5superfund/npl/michigan/MID000722439.html.Stephanie BallU.S. Environmental Protection Agency Region 514Lake Huron Initiative Action Plan Update April 2002

a year. Also, Shiawassee County CommunityDevelopment was awarded $102,174 to establisha permanent collection facility in the city ofOwosso, serving county residents with at leasttwo major collections a year.Clean Michigan Initiative Local Water QualityMonitoring - Shiawassee County HealthDepartment was awarded $10,705 to collectwater samples from fi ve locations along theShiawassee River and analyze the samples forbacterial contamination. The data will be usedto locate potential contamination sources - suchas illicit connections, failing septic systems, andsewage overflow - and to notify the public of highriskareas. Also, Saginaw County Departmentof Public Health was awarded $44,775 to collectsamples from stations on the Bad, Cass, Flint,Saginaw, and Tittabawassee Rivers. Samples willbe analyzed for bacteria. The data will be usedto develop a seasonal database to identify andcontrol nonpoint sources of bacteria.Clean Michigan Initiative Beach Monitoring -St. Clair County Health Department was awarded$25,000 to develop a monitoring program forSanilac County. Twenty-six beaches will bemonitored once a week for over four months forE. coli. More frequent monitoring will be done if E.coli levels are above standards. St. Clair Countywill monitor three beaches on the St. ClairRiver and 12 beaches on Lake Huron, withbeing in state parks. Sanilac County will monitorseven beaches along the Lake Huron shoreline.Also, the District Health Department #4 (Alpena,Cheboygan, Montmorency and Presque Islecounties) was awarded $16,782 to develop amonitoring program. A total of 44 beaches willbe monitored once every other week over threemonths. Fifteen of the beaches are along theLake Huron shoreline, three of those beachesare in state parks on Lake Huron and theremaining 29 are on inland lakes.Controlling Dioxin Releases - The Stateof Michigan, with the assistance of theU.S. Environmental Protection Agency hasdeveloped information regarding the implicationsof incineration/low quality burning and backyardbarrel burning that may produce dioxins andundertake pollution prevention projects (medicalwaste incinerators, burn barrels). A brochureon the subject may be found athttp://www.deq.state.mi.us/documents/deq-aqd-bhw.pdf.St. Clair River Area of ConcernActivities in the St. Clair River Area of Concern have focused on several key areas years including maintainingincremental progress towards the achievement of habitat and nonpoint source goals, and characterizing andrecommending actions for managing contaminated sediments. This has required monitoring to assess improvementsin conditions as they relate to RAP implementation activities and delisting targets. This has permitted the RAP andBPAC (Binational Public Advisory Council) to establish that several delisting criteria have been met and determine gapsfor those that remain. In 1998 the RAP and BPAC reported that 2 of 9 Benefi cial Use Impairments have been restored.These include “Restrictions on drinking water consumption and Added cost to agriculture or industry”. This is animportant accomplishment refl ecting the signifi cant spill prevention efforts put forth by local industries in dramaticallydecreasing the size and frequency of spills.Another area where signifi cant commitments have been secured is in the area of municipal infrastructureimprovements. The City of Port Huron is engaged in a 15 year $180 Million (U.S.) sewer separation project. Bythe end of 2001 5 CSOs will have been eliminated, a reduction of 162 million gallons per year of CSO. Similarly,the City of Sarnia recently brought their newly upgraded sewage treatment plant online at a cost of $30 Million(Cdn.). In addition, Dow Chemical Canada Inc. recently committed to remediate contaminated sediments adjacent totheir St. Clair River manufacturing facility in Sarnia. This announcement came about as a result of proactive effortsby Dow to work with the Ontario Ministry of the Environment and Environment Canada and is a key milestone inachieving RAP goals.As the St. Clair River RAP moves towards delisting, efforts will continue to focus on implementation and activities thatwill move us towards our milestones. Much of the remaining work deals with addressing concerns from past practicessuch as remediation of historically contaminated sediments and loss of habitat. Through the efforts of the Friends ofthe St. Clair River (Ontario), and funding from the Ontario Ministry of the Environment, a newly upgraded web sitewww.friendsofstclair.ca came online which will serve as a helpful resource for information on the St. Clair River.Gary JohnsonOntario Ministry of the Environment, Sarnia District Offi ceLake Huron Initiative Action Plan Update April 200215

Saginaw Bay Coastal Wetland RestorationA coalition of conservation partners has come together to conserve natural areas in the Saginaw Bay watershed.Protection, restoration, and enhancement of wetlands and associated uplands have been the principal focus of thiscooperative effort. State, federal and local governments, tribal government, industry, foundations, private conservationorganizations, local residents and more have participated. On behalf of its partners, Ducks Unlimited has receivedover $1.7 million in two grants from the North American Wetlands Conservation Act, which has been matched withover $5 million from local sources. Over 4,000 acres of habitat have been conserved and an additional 3,800 acresare targeted for conservation. Activities include expansion of existing state and federal wildlife areas, protection andrestoration of coastal wetlands, and restoration of wetlands on both public and private lands.The Saginaw Bay Watershed Initiative Network completed a Wildlife Habitat Conservation Framework that establisheda set of priorities for habitat conservation in the Saginaw Bay watershed. Priorities include protection and restoration ofcoastal and riverine habitat, restoration of inland wetlands, continued planning and coordination, and public education.Key among these priorities is re-establishing the zone of transition where Great Lakes marshes, lake plain prairiesand other declining habitat types slowly shift inland and lakeward in response to the periodic high and low of waterlevels in Lake Huron.David BrakhageDucks Unlimited, Inc.Local Remediation Efforts in Saginaw BayRiver/Bay Areas of Concern - the Partnershipfor the Saginaw Bay Watershed completed aproject to establish the criteria necessary togauge the restoration of the Saginaw River/BayArea of Concern. Funded by the Saginaw BayWatershed Initiative Network (WIN) and the BayArea Community Foundation the Measures ofSuccess Program will establish measurable andachievable parameters through the efforts offi ve separate task forces. The report focuseson the following impairment areas: 1) bacterialcontamination (coliform, E. coli, etc.), 2) fi sheriesand fi sheries habitat, 3) wildlife and wildlifehabitat, 4) ecosystem degradation (includingdegraded benthos, phytoplankton andzooplankton and 5) contaminated sediments.Action Plan accepted as FunctionalEquivalent to a LaMP - The Lake HuronInitiative Action Plan has been approved as afunctional equivalent to a lakewide managementplan for the purposes of receiving Clean MichiganInitiative (CMI) funding as provided for in Section8808 of 1994 P.A. 451, as amended (WaterPollution Prevention and Monitoring). Thisapproval will allow applicants requesting CMIfunding to be awarded additional points forconsideration of funding. CMI programsinclude funds for bathing beach monitoring,brownfi eld redevelopment, failing on-site septicsystems, household hazardous waste collection,illicit storm water connections, nonpoint sourcecontrol, protecting high quality waters, remedialand lakewide management planning, pollutionprevention activities, and volunteer monitoring.Clean Michigan Initiative Nonpoint SourcePollution Control - CMI grants were awardedto local organizations to control nonpointsources of pollution. These projects includeroad stream crossing and streambankstabilization, agricultural best managementpractices, controlling livestock access, andother nonpoint source controls. Michigan hascommitted almost $2.5 million to nonpoint sourcecontrol programs in the Lake Huron watershedover the last two years.Michigan Nonpoint SourcePollution Control GrantsBig Sable River WatershedCedar RiverWixom Lake and Tittabawassee RiverRifl e RiverCass RiverPine River WatershedWhitney River RestorationMichigan/USDA Conservation ReserveEnhancement Program - U.S. Departmentof Agriculture and the State of Michiganare implementing a $177 million ConservationReserve Enhancement Program (CREP) toimprove the water quality of the Saginaw Bayand many of the streams and rivers. CREP isa federal-state conservation partnership program16Lake Huron Initiative Action Plan Update April 2002

that targets signifi cant environmental effectsrelated to agriculture. It is a voluntary programthat uses financial incentives to encouragefarmers to enroll in contracts of 10 to 15 yearsin duration to remove land from agriculturalproduction. The Michigan CREP has beendesigned to reduce the amount of sedimententering the Michigan River by over 784,000metric tons over the next 20 years. CREP will fundfilter strips and riparian buffers to be planted nextto streams, rivers, and drainage ditches to preventsediment and pollutants from entering the waterbodies. The federal and state shares are $142million and $35 million, respectively.Development of a Comprehensive GIS toQuantify and Map Lake and Tributary Habitats- In a unique bi-national data-sharing effort,funding has been provided under the GreatLakes Fish and Wildlife Restoration Act for thedevelopment of a “Lake Huron Aquatic HabitatGeographic Information System”. MichiganDepartment of Natural Resources and OntarioMinistry of Natural Resources are working todevelop this important new tool to facilitatebi-national holistic management of the lake. Theproject will compile existing digital base mapsand ecological classifi cations pertinent to LakeHuron aquatic habitat.Lake Huron Centre for Coastal Conservation- The Centre is involved, with its partners, inthe following efforts: 1) Saugeen Shores / PortElgin erosion control project - working with thelocal municipality to restore dunes on the publicbeach area of the shoreline. 2) Friends ofSauble Beach, preparing a beach managementplan including restoration of the dunes. 3) HuronKinloss Municipality - Watershed ImprovementNetwork; concern over water quality of thePine River Watershed (Ontario) has led to theformation of a “network” led by municipal staff,Coastal Centre, Saugeen Valley ConservationAuthority and local cottage associations. Watersampling and investigating non-point pollutionsources from neighboring agricultural landshave been completed. 4) Maitland WatershedPartnership - a multi year project to investigatethe environmental stresses impacting thewatershed. The focus has been on terrestrial,aquatic and agricultural issues. 5) Huron CountyHealthy Futures Program - a county led initiativeproviding grants to rural landowners for projectsthat will improve water quality. 6) Studyingthe impacts that Climate Change will have onphysical habitat of the coastal ecosystems.St. Marys River Sea Lamprey ControlProgram - After an extraordinary internationaleffort, the Great Lakes Fishery Commissionannounced that preliminary assessments showsignificant reductions in sea lamprey larvaepopulations in the St. Marys River. Thereductions are the result of Canadian andU.S. control efforts this past summer. Theannouncement came following reports fromFisheries and Oceans Canada, the U.S. Fish andWildlife Service, and the U.S. Geological Survey,Lake Huron Geographic Information SystemThe primary objective of the Lake Huron Geographic Information System (LHGIS) is to facilitate a holistic approachto managing the Lake Huron basin by integrating existing databases from federal, state, provincial, tribal and nongovernmentalorganizations. New data layers and tools are also being developed and incorporated into a singleGIS-based Decision Support System (DSS) for the basin. The system provides a means for synthesizing, inventorying,and assessing habitat (including tributaries, nearshore, offshore, and terrestrial systems) throughout the basin. Duringour fi rst year, we have integrated existing data from U.S. partner agencies into a common GIS platform. Some of theselayers are being developed internally by the LHGIS, however many are the result of collaborations with our partneragencies and organizations. An example is the development of an automated approach for delineating and classifyingLake Huron tributaries. Software for this effort is being developed by the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources.This fi rst attempt at a consistent, bi-national, Great-Lake wide, stream classifi cation system will enable basin-wideassessments of connectivity and other analyses of Lake Huron tributary habitat.In the coming year we will begin to integrate Canadian data, develop additional data layers (e.g. nearshore wetland,environmental layers) and develop querying and analytical tools. Once the preliminary GIS is ready, we will provideuser training. This entire decision support system, when completed, will provide a powerful tool for analysis ofwhole-system responses to management alternatives.Mark MacKayMichigan Department of Natural ResourcesLake Huron Initiative Action Plan Update April 200217

who assessed and carried out the St. MarysRiver sea lamprey control effort. Their dataindicate that the lampricide treatment eliminatednearly half of the sea lampreys in the St.Marys River. They also achieved a significantincrease in trapping and sterile-male-release.The integrated lampricide, trapping, and sterilemale-releaseputs the Commission on-track toeliminate 92% of the sea lampreys produced inthe river, thereby achieving the goal of reducingparasitic lampreys in Lake Huron and northernLake Michigan by 85% over the next 15 years.Saginaw Bay Coastal Wetland Restoration - In1998 and 2001, Ducks Unlimited received grantsof $774,750 and $1,000,000, respectively, fromthe North American Wetlands Conservation Acton behalf of its partners to conserve wetlandsand associated habitats in the Saginaw Bayarea. These funds are being used to protectand restore Great Lakes coastal marshes andtheir associated habitats along the Saginaw Bayshore, expansion of existing state and federalwildlife areas with the restoration of newlyacquired lands where possible, and restorationand enhancement of small wetlands andassociated uplands on private lands throughoutthe watershed. Additional programs having asignificant impact on wetland restoration includethe USDA Wetland Reserve program and theConservation Tillage for Waterfowl and WaterQuality, operating in the coastal areas ofSaginaw Bay.U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Great LakesCoastal Program - The U.S. Fish and WildlifeService initiated a Coastal Program in theGreat Lakes Region focusing on island habitatrestoration, monitoring, invasive species control,Northern Lake Huron Landscape ProjectThe unbroken forests, islands and shorelines ofnorthern Lake Huron support a diverse mixture ofnatural communities that are critical to the survivalof numerous plant and animal species and serve asan important stopover point for migrating neotropicalsongbirds. Many threatened and endangered speciesthrive within the Great Lakes marshes, alvargrasslands, cobble beaches and dune/swale systems;habitats that can be found nowhere else in the world.For generations, the residents of the Northern LakeHuron shoreline have drawn sustenance directly andindirectly from these rich lands and clear waters.The Nature Conservancy, recognizing the biologicalsignifi cance of this region, designated northern LakeHuron one of its Last Great Places. The Conservancyinitiated the Northern Lake Huron landscape projectand opened an offi ce in Cedarville in 1992, to beginworking with local residents and partners to protectrare shoreline habitats and native species while helpinglocal communities build economies and a vision forthe future that sustains their rural way of life. Thiscollaboration has resulted in a three-fold strategy toacquire the land that will preserve critical ecologicalsystems and features, protect unfragmented lands, anddevelop a community-based strategic plan that setsexplicit goals for compatible and sustainable economicand community development.The Northern Lake Huron landscape projectdemonstrates the success that can be achievedthrough placing staff on the ground in localcommunities to establish partnerships with localleaders, residents, and conservation organizations.More than 3,500 acres of significant habitats have beenprotected and local residents are actively involved inidentifying ways to build a sustainable local economywhile protecting the health of the natural environmenton which it depends. The success of the NorthernLake Huron landscape project has deepened theConservancy’s commitment to building conservationpartnerships through local landscape offi ces.Andrea KlineThe Nature Conservancy, Michigan Chaptererosion prevention, and education. Usinga non-regulatory partnership approach, theGreat Lakes Program played a key role intwo Lake Huron projects: 1) Lakeplain PrairieRestoration and Monitoring, Tuscola County,Michigan project assisted in the removal ofwoody vegetation from 200 acres of lakeplainprairie to benefi t Eastern prairie fringed orchid,a Federal threatened and State endangeredspecies. 2) Norwegian Creek at Hamilton RoadCulvert Replacement, Alpena, Michigan projectopened up fi sh passage to a mile of this creek, a18Lake Huron Initiative Action Plan Update April 2002

trout stream harboring steelhead, resident brooktrout, and northern pike.Identification of Dams - The MichiganDepartment of Natural Resources and theOntario Ministry of Natural Resources areworking together to identify dams and otherbarriers that are having major ecologicalimpact; pursue long-term remediation efforts;support development of upstream fi shways anddownstream passage facilities; and developlake-wide or shared policies on dams, damremovals, maintaining run-of-the-river fl ows anddam retirement funding approaches.Lake Huron InitiativeAction PlanThe Lake Huron Initiative Action Plan identifiesmany actions necessary for the restoration andprotection of Lake Huron. Within the ActionPlan, the key actions identifi ed focus on criticalpollutants and protection and restoration ofimportant habitats.Actions Needed to AddressCritical PollutantsCritical pollutants have been identifi ed forLake Huron. Future efforts to reduce/eliminatethe impact of these pollutants require actionon a lakewide and localized basis. Criticalpollutant reduction must address the impactsof historical discharges (e.g. contaminatedsediments) concurrently with present loadings(e.g. air deposition, nonpoint sources andpoint sources) and requires coordination andcollaboration within the basin and at the nationaland international scale.One area that has been and is still of concernis the Saginaw River watershed. Signifi canteffort has been undertaken within the basin tostudy and reduce the impact of critical pollutantsincluding:! Saginaw River PCB contaminated sedimentcleanup,! Pine River DDT/PBB contaminated sedimentcleanup,! Saginaw Bay Measures of Success Program,North ChannelThe North Channel Preservation Society (NCPS)was founded in 1984, as a response to a planto quarry the silica rich quartzite hills of thesouth shore (Casson Peak) of Baie Fine. Thecampaign was very broad in scope and involvedthe participation of many groups and interests. Itlasted some six years, resulting in the eventualvoluntary surrendering of the mining claims held bythe mining fi rm. As well as the aesthetic, cultural,and economic impacts on the local tourist economyfrom the proposed quarry, concerns were raisedabout the run-off of the fi ne silica dust into thesurrounding lake water, and the effect that theplume of suspended particles might have upondrinking supplies and the local aquatic habitat.Recently, the current Provincial Government hasextended the boundaries of the neighboringKillarney Provincial Park to include the areas of theprevious mining claims. However, as governmentsand priorities change, so too might the status ofthose lands. For this reason, the NCPS has, throughthe information from its members, maintained awatch on any potential developments in this regard.The NCPS has grown from a single-issueorganization, into a body that, through thecommunications with its supporters and othergroups via its web site, is able to provide inputinto selected matters that are of key importance topeople of the North Channel area. The NCPS andits supporters were very involved in challenging theCanadian Coast Guards plans to remove variousaids to navigation in the Great Lakes. At thesame time, the NCPS has been concerned aboutthe effects that several large-scale operations offl oating net cage fi sh farms (aquaculture) haveon the ecology of the surrounding waters in theNorth Channel. Supporters of the NCPS, andlocal cottage associations, have expressed theirconcerns over these operations to the variouslevels of Government, and continue to monitorthe situation. For more information please visitour website at: http://www.northchannelpreservationsociety.org/Stuart CorkNorth Channel Preservation Society! Significant monitoring activities currentlyunderway.Even with completion of these cleanup efforts,there are still serious concerns from othercontaminated sites within the watershed. Asa result, the Saginaw River watershed isconsidered an excellent site to initiate anLake Huron Initiative Action Plan Update April 200219

indicator monitoring program throughout thewatershed. With signifi cant effort alreadycompleted and future effort expected theSaginaw River watershed would be an excellentsite for a pilot indicator monitoring program.The following are key implementation actions toaddress critical pollutant issues throughout theLake Huron watershed:Short Term Actions (1 - 3 Years)! Provide follow-up activities regarding thecompleted contaminated sediment cleanups(PCBs) including post-evaluation in theSaginaw River by supporting the MichiganDepartment of Environmental Quality andthe U.S. Fish & Wildlife Serviceimplementation of the Natural ResourcesDamage Assessment settlement for SaginawRiver/Bay.! Complete the on-going DDT/PBB Pine Riversediment cleanup including post-evaluationby supporting the Michigan Departmentof Environmental Quality and the U.S.Environmental Protection Agency effortsfunded through the Clean Michigan Initiativeand Superfund, respectively.! Support the continued development andevaluation of the Saginaw River/BayMeasures of Success report.! Secure funding to undertake mercurypollution prevention projects (clean sweeps,mercury swaps, purchasing policy reviews,energy conservation).! Track effectiveness of new Clean Air Act“MACT” standards to reduce dioxins andmercury emissions by supporting the MichiganDepartment of Environmental Quality andthe U.S. Environmental Protection Agencycompliance and monitoring efforts.! Provide continued support for localremediation efforts in Areas of Concern(Saginaw River/Bay, Severn Sound, SpanishRiver, St. Marys River and St. Clair River).! Implement watershed and nearshore areamanagement plans to reduce nutrients andsediment in tributaries by supporting theMichigan Department of EnvironmentalLake Huron’s TributariesOf the 117 species of fi sh inhabiting Lake Huron,only three are not associated in some way with itstributaries. Many of these 100-plus fi shes occur only intributaries while others migrate as adults from the laketo tributaries for spawning. Still-other species like thewell-known yellow perch have both lake- and streamspawningpopulations. Without the habitats provided byLake Huron’s tributaries, the number and diversity offi shes inhabiting the basin would be greatly reduced.What shape, then, are Huron’s tributaries in? Herethe focus is on Huron’s main basin, the only basinin the lake shared by the U.S. and Canada, and,as it happens, the basin whose tributaries are mostproblematic for fi sh. Although Huron’s tributaries havebeen degraded in multiple ways by various land-usepractices, the damming of all of the largest main-basinrivers has essentially disconnected the main basin fromits tributaries.The environmental priority is first to consider fishpassage for the largest rivers, e.g., the ThunderBay, Au Sable, Saginaw, and Saugeen. The largerrivers, because of the size of their drainage basins,have the greatest potential for reestablishing biologicalconnections with the lake proper. Those dams havingthe greatest impact on fi sh movements need to beidentifi ed for remediation. Remediation may involveinstallation of upstream and downstream fi sh-passagestructures, elimination of barriers to feeder streams,and provision of run-of-river fl ows. This process ofidentifying those river sections likely to yield thegreatest benefi ts is now underway. Remediation willlikely continue for many years, as the list of doableprojects is anticipated to be long.Randy EshenroderGreat Lakes Fishery CommissionQuality and the U.S. Environmental ProtectionAgency efforts funded through the CleanMichigan Initiative and Section 319 ofthe Clean Water Act, respectively; prioritizetributaries, implement control and bestmanagement criteria for nutrient managementof intensive livestock facilities.! Facilitate cooperative, bi-national lakewidemonitoring.! Develop a suite of Indicators that will assist intracking long-term trends in critical pollutants.! Develop an Indicators pilot project forthe Saginaw Bay watershed, working withthe recommendations of the Saginaw BayMeasures of Success program.20Lake Huron Initiative Action Plan Update April 2002

Long-term Actions (Longer than 3Years)! Support state, provincial, national andinternational pollution prevention effortsincluding the United States/CanadaBinational Toxics Strategy and the GreenLights Program through technology transferand other educational efforts.! Review Lake Michigan Mass Balance toidentify similarities between Lake Michiganand Lake Huron loadings and sources.! Phase out PCBs in electrical equipment andundertake PCB Clean Sweep programs.! Support atmospheric monitoring andresearch to identify sources and trackreductions.! Support development of total mass daily loadassessments for Saginaw Bay.! Expand efforts to better understand theimpact of endocrine disruption on wildlife.! Develop source control/pollution preventionactivities for pathogens in Saginaw Bay andsoutheastern Lake Huron.! Continue tritium monitoring and researchregarding loadings and effects.! Support the eventual development of a LakeHuron lakewide management planning effort.Actions Needed to Protectand Restore ImportantHabitatsThe Lake Huron Initiative process has identifiedthe importance of restoring and protectingour coastal wetlands, watersheds, tributaries,natural corridors, and other important habitats.The Initiative recognizes the importance ofinventorying and assessing the basin’secosystems and taking action to protect andrestore these areas. The Lake Huron Initiativealso promotes partnerships to pursue activitiesthat will result in on-the-ground actions to protectGeorgian BayThe Georgian Bay Association (GBA) representing 23 local associations and 4,400 families has been providingstewardship for over 85 years to protect and sustain the fi nite resource of the unique ecosystems in GeorgianBay. The perception that the 30,000 islands and shores of Georgian Bay are pristine needs correction as ourwork indicates that there are many areas heavily impacted from a wide range of human activities. Almost adecade ago a few local associations began water quality assessment work and discovered there was reasonto be concerned. Gradually the work has grown to the point that it is now funded by the local municipalities -Township of Georgian Bay (District of Muskoka) and Township of The Archipelago.The assessment work is designed by scientists but is carried out by a network of trained volunteers. It nowincludes bacterial, nutrient, chemical, dissolved oxygen and benthic analysis. The reports are available on ourwebsite at www.georgianbay.ca. The results identify areas where there is high nutrient loading resulting in algaebooms, high bacteria counts low dissolved oxygen. At GBA’s request the local municipalities now have in placeseptic reinspection programs that focus on areas identifi ed by the testing. GBA will continue to work with local,provincial and federal government agencies and other stakeholders.Georgian Bay has been heavily impacted by the rapid decline in water levels in recent years. The relativelyshallow waters around the 30,000 granite islands have only a few scattered wetlands that in many cases havenow been dry for 4 years. The GBA Foundation is in the midst of a Wetlands Study using colour 1 metre satelliteimagery and it is clearly demonstrating the loss of habitat.At the request of GBA the Ontario Ministry of the Environment put a permanent smog season monitor at ParrySound and a mobile monitor on the shores of Georgian Bay last summer. The results confi rm our air qualityconcerns as there were seven days in May and June when the transboundary winds were from the southwest.Perry Sound ozone readings exceeded Toronto’s. The implications for this on deposition of contaminants in waterare as yet unknown. Another factor that needs research is whether the exposed granite islands and shorelineswith little vegetation heat up earlier in the day and hold the heat until late into the evening and that this in turnincreases the evaporation rate and accelerate water level decline.Mary MuterGeorgian Bay AssociationLake Huron Initiative Action Plan Update April 200221

Lake Huron DunesSand dunes are one of the fi ve major ecosystems found along the eastern shores of Lake Huron (the othersbeing coastal wetlands, bedrock shores, bluffs and alvars). The remarkable ecology of dunes, and theirimportance as habitat and as shore protection features, has not been well understood by the public. Dunes havenot only become threatened by development pressures along the lakeshore, but perhaps more importantly, byan uninformed public, unaware of the value and function of these special ecosystems. The Centre for CoastalConservation has been working with local municipalities, community groups and individuals to better understandthe role of dunes over the last few years to gain a better understanding and appreciation for the conservationof these special features. Our work has revolved around restoration, the re-introduction of threatened species,planning, the development of protocols for working in and around dunes, and on dune education. Part of oureducation efforts has included the development of education curriculum resources for elementary schools. Theaim is to expose students to dune ecosystems while they are still developing their behaviour and attitudes towardthe environment around them.These efforts are ongoing, and the challenge will be a general attitudinal shift by the public toward dunes. Wehave already seen remarkable progress as some municipalities, community groups and individuals have beguntaking leadership roles in dune conservation efforts along parts of the shoreline. The conservation of dunes, andtheir rich biodiversity, needs to become a lakewide initiative. The Coastal Centre has developed some successfulmodels, approaches and materials for use in the effort toward dune conservation. Where opportunities arise topromote dune conservation efforts, let’s take them. For more information on the Lake Huron Centre for CoastalConservation go to: http://lakehuron.on.ca/.Geoff PeachThe Lake Huron Centre for Coastal Conservationor restore ecologically signifi cant ecosystems.There are a number of important habitat issueswhich will direct future efforts and they are asfollows:! The ecological well being of the lake isdetermined to a great extent by the conditionof its tributary rivers,! Achievement of no net loss of productivecapacity of habitat,! Enhancement and rehabilitation of keyhabitat sites should be encouraged,! Support for reduction or elimination ofcontaminants is important,! Support sub-basin analysis and managementapproach for Lake Huron (Georgian Bay,North Channel, Saginaw Bay and the MainBasin) and! Partnerships, outreach and education,including strong participation from nongovernmentalorganizations and other publicgroups are essential.One area that has been and is still of concernis the Saginaw River watershed. Significant efforthas been undertaken within the basin to restoreand preserve habitat within the watershed:! Saginaw Bay wetland restoration effort,! Saginaw Bay Wetland restoration through theSaginaw Bay Natural Resources DamageAssessment,! Saginaw Bay Measures of Success Program,and! Significant monitoring activities currentlyunderway.22Lake Huron Initiative Action Plan Update April 2002

Even with completion of these protectionand restoration efforts, there are still seriousconcerns from development sources andhistorical contaminants within the watershed.As a result, the Saginaw River watershedis considered an excellent site to initiate anindicator monitoring program throughout thewatershed. With signifi cant effort alreadycompleted and future effort expected theSaginaw River watershed would be an excellentsite for a pilot indicator monitoring program.Short Term Actions (1 - 3 Years)! Continue develop of the Lake Hurongeographic information system (GIS)quantifying and mapping lake and tributaryhabitats by class and condition, developmeans of allowing for access of existinginformation and development of newinformation to identify remaining high-qualitynatural communities and important habitats.! Pursue long-term remediation effortsregarding barriers on Lake Huron tributaries;support development of upstream fi shwaysand downstream passage facilities; anddevelop lake-wide or shared policies ondams, dam removals, maintaining run-ofthe-riverflows and dam retirement fundingapproaches.! Identify locations with existing environmentalinfrastructure to support development of ademonstration Biodiversity Investment Areaplanning process as a model for locationsthroughout the basin, including developmentof bi-national goals and targets forsustainable habitat conditions.! Work with governmental and nongovernmentalinterests in the developmentand implement of a strategy to addressthe problem of ballast water introductions ofaquatic nuisance species into Lake Huronand undertake efforts to better understandand control the impact of nonindigenousnuisance species.! Secure funding for the Great Lakes FisheryCommission to maintain a full sea lampreycontrol program and to continue/expandcontrol efforts in the St. Marys River.! Develop a suite of Indicators that will assist intracking long-term trends in critical pollutants.! Develop an Indicators pilot project forthe Saginaw Bay watershed, working withthe recommendations of the Saginaw BayMeasures of Success program.! Support the continued development andevaluation of the Saginaw River/BayMeasures of Success report.Long-term Actions (Longer than 3Years)! Undertake research and long-termassessment on changes in lower trophiclevels and potential impacts.! Develop a simple understanding of coastalprocesses for local interests necessary tounderstand the impacts of local actions.Sea Lamprey Control in the St MarysRiverAssessment studies in 1992-1996, identifi ed theSt Marys River as having the largest uncontrolledpopulation of sea lampreys in the Great Lakesand producing more parasitic-phase sea lampreysthan any tributary in the Basin. In 1998, GreatLake Fishery Commission and its agents, the U.S.Fish & Wildlife Service and Department of Fisheriesand Oceans, Canada applied $3 million of fi nancialassistance from the state of Michigan to implementan integrated sea lamprey management program inthe St Marys River. The plan included enhancedtrapping of spawning-phase adults, enhancedrelease of sterilized male lampreys, and applicationof a bottom release formulation of lampricide tomore than 2000 acres of river.This integrated control program continues today.The effects of the control efforts conducted in thelatter 1990’s are now appear to be producing areduced lamprey wounding rate on fi sh in LakeHuron. Plans to further enhance the efforts includeincreased trapping of adults and increased releaseof sterilized male lampreys which will result ineven greater reductions in reproduction potential ofspawning adults. In the future additional areas ofthe St Marys River may require treatment with abottom release formulation of lampricide to maintainthe high level of control needed to protect fi shstocks in Lake Huron.Terry MorseU.S. Fish and Wildlife ServiceLake Huron Initiative Action Plan Update April 200223

Cage Aquaculture in Lake HuronCage aquaculture was established in Ontario waters in 1982 and over the last 19 years has expanded to10 facilities operating in Lake Huron. Cage culture is regulated by several provincial and federal governmentagencies. It contributes the bulk of aquaculture production in Ontario, producing about 3500 tonnes of fish. Therehas been no signifi cant increase in production over the last fi ve years, despite the fact that there is signifi cantuntapped market demand in Ontario and opportunities for export.Water quality data collected by industry and government at cage culture operations for more than 19 years, showthat at several sites, there is no detectable impact on the surrounding water quality. Some biodegradable, solidwaste does collect immediately beneath the cages at some sites, but initial studies at selected sites indicate thatwaste is rapidly dissipated making environmental changes sustainable. Locating farms in areas with good waterexchange and implementing best management practices are fundamental to avoiding problems.Cage farmers have been pro-active in developing practices and technology to reduce environmental effects.Currently, all the cage farmers use feeds with effi cient conversion and most participate in projects to developlower waste feeds, waste containment, water treatment, fallowing practices and monitoring protocols. Becauserainbow trout is the only species cultured, there are no risks of new species introductions or loss of native genepools. There is no evidence of disease transmission from farmed to wild fi sh and there is minimal use of netantifoulants and therapeutants. Therapeutant use is administered under veterinary prescription or BVD directionfor the treatment of disease only, and never for growth promotant or prophylactic purposes.Nardia AliEnvironment Canada! Set population objectives for fi sh-eating birdsto achieve desired diversity within the basin.! Provide resources to fund the Great LakesFishery Commission’s sea lamprey controlprogram to meet the goal of 75 percentpopulation reduction of sea lamprey and 90percent by 2010 in the St. Marys River.! Provide support for local restoration effortsin Areas of Concern (Saginaw River/Bay,Severn Sound, Spanish River, St. MarysRiver and St. Clair River).! Provide support for local restoration effortswhere modifi cation of the natural landscapehas significantly altered important habitats.! Provide resources to the Tobico Marsh areato restore the natural hydrology to themarsh and provide a natural channel for fi shspawning. This should include pre and postmonitoring of the marsh.! Provide resources to better understandthe habitat conditions of the shoals andthe nursery embayments of the FishingIslands. The western shoreline of the BrucePeninsula is one of the most productive lakewhitefish spawning shoals and associatedlarval nursery grounds in all of Lake Huron.The area is poorly understood, despite theincreasing risk from development.! Investigate steps required to establish selfreproducingpopulations at locations withhigh quality fish rearing habitat, includingidentification and analysis of methods toreduce exploitation of fisheries for recoveringpopulations.! Provide resources to better understandthe Bruce Peninsula historical lake troutspawning shoals. The western shore ofGeorgian Bay has been identified as oneof the most historically productive lake troutspawning shoals in Lake Huron.! Encourage development of public forums,training and educational material on theimportance of protecting and restoring criticalhabitat.! Support the eventual development of a LakeHuron lakewide management planning effort.Actions Needed to Developand Implement Indicators forLake HuronThere are presently a number of frameworksfor developing indicators and reporting onthe status of the Great Lakes ecosystem.Three major processes for Lake Huron are:24Lake Huron Initiative Action Plan Update April 2002

1) lakewide management planning efforts (LakeHuron Initiative Action Plan) 2) Great LakesFishery Commission - Lake Huron State of theLake Report and 3) the State of the LakesEcosystem Conference (SOLEC). The LakeHuron Initiative Action Plan and the Great LakesFishery Commission - Lake Huron State of theLake Report focus specifi cally on Lake Huron,and issues that are of concern within the basin.SOLEC addresses the entire Great Lakes Basin,and concentrates on issues that are commonto all the lakes. For Lake Huron, SOLEC,held every two years, will be the key venue forreporting on progress regarding the developmentan implementation of Lake Huron indicators.Responsibility for Lake Huron Lakes monitoringis divided among a vast number of agenciesthroughout the basin. While agency programsmeet their individual needs and mandate, thelack of consistency in protocols and methodologyseverely limits the usefulness of the resultantdata for sharing, comparing and possibleintegration with other agency data. Agenciesresponsible for monitoring may use differenttechniques, with the end result being that thestatus of the monitoring results cannot becompared between jurisdictions.One example of lake-scale cooperation effortis the Lake Michigan Monitoring CoordinationCouncil (LMMCC). The Lake Michigan LaMPformed the LMMCC to coordinate and promotecommon protocols and comparability inmonitoring. The Council’s goals includedeveloping collaborative monitoring strategies,facilitating shared data among agencies and thepublic, and identifying and promoting volunteermonitoring opportunities.The following actions are recommended toinstitutionalize a mechanism for deliveringcoordinated and efficient monitoring programsand timely reporting on environmental changeand progress as measured by indicators:! develop terms of reference for a Lake Huronmonitoring council.! develop a coordinated monitoring strategy tomeasure and report on indicators and identifymonitoring gaps.! promote adoption of indicators by appropriateagencies who agree to monitor and report.Impacts of Lower Lake LevelThe future water levels of Lake Huron are projected to decline due to the impacts of climate change. Futurewater levels are projected to be between 1 and 2 metres (3 to 6 feet) lower than present by the year 2050. Thesechanges are related to increased average temperatures and alterations to precipitation patterns that will increaseevaporation from the lake surface. Lower lake levels will impact both natural and man-made systems associatedwith the coastal areas of Lake Huron. These include urban communities that rely on recreation and tourism tomaintain their economies as well as agriculture that is the dominant land use inland. Signifi cant shoreline changewill generate questions regarding land ownership along the coast. Natural systems too will need to adapt to lowerlake levels. Such coastal systems as wetlands, sand dunes, bluff and ravine features will be impacted.Site specifi c research sponsored by the Lake Huron Centre for Coastal Conservation has provided insight intopotential impacts to the Port of Goderich. As a deep water commercial port, Goderich also hosts the world’slargest salt mine extracting salt from under the lake fl oor. Lower lake levels will impact:· use of the harbour for commercial and recreational boating,· the extent of shoreline exposed from lower water levels,· municipal infrastructure related to intake pipes for water supply,· the fi nancial viability of the port as a working harbour.Results from the Goderich study suggests dredging costs will be 1 - 3 million dollars to remove up to 139,000cubic metres of material. Navigational hazards will need to be cleared associated with the exposed lakebedwhich is projected to move the shoreline as much as 143 metres lakeward. The water supply intake locatedoffshore will need to be extended. These and other implications will need to be considered in future coastalmanagement decisions. . For more information on the Lake Huron Centre for Coastal Conservation go to:http://lakehuron.on.ca/.Pat DonnellyThe Lake Huron Centre for Coastal ConservationLake Huron Initiative Action Plan Update April 200225

! facilitate data access among participatingagencies and the public.! establish a rotational cycle of intensivemonitoring on Lake Huron, so that acomprehensive picture can be achieved forover time. Assist in the coordination andenhancement of the effi ciency of bi-national,basinwide monitoring programs (such as theopen lake water quality and fi sh contaminantsmonitoring programs).! explore options for developing an informationmanagement system that would integrateLake Huron data and allow for geospatialpresentation and analysis of environmentalchange and progress. Ensure compatibilitywith other existing/developing informationmanagement systems.! consider the Saginaw River watershed as apilot site to initiate an indicator monitoringprogram throughout the watershed.Lake Huron Initiative -Next StepsCreating and maintaining a collaborativebi-national Lake Huron ecosystem managementprocess is important to the long-termmanagement of the Lake Huron Basin. TheLake Huron Initiative is a process designed tofulfill the collaborative management needs for thebasin by providing a mechanism for increasedcommunication and cooperation. In addition,the Initiative will utilize linkages to othernatural resource management activities, suchas the development of Lake Huron fi shcommunity objectives by the Great Lakes FisheryCommission. Also, it is important that theInitiative support local initiatives to addresslocalized issues.Specific issues that should be addressed focusupon the continued collaborative bi-nationalecosystem management process.Steering Committee - The Lake Huron SteeringCommittee was fi rst convened to guide theoverall development and implementation ofthe Lake Huron Initiative process. TheSteering Committee should consist of bi-nationalrepresentatives capable of:! identifying and approving recommendationsfor short-term actions and long-termobjectives,! approving time frames for action, asappropriate,! providing necessary resources to implementactions identified,! assigning and issuing charges to technicalcommittees work groups,! overseeing conflict resolution, and! reviewing and approving completeddocuments.Technical Committees - The technicalcommittees are comprised of technicalrepresentatives from agencies supporting theLake Huron Initiative activities. Two committeeshave been established to review: 1) criticalpollutants and use impairments, 2) habitat andbiodiversity issues and 3) other issues identifiedby the Steering Committee. The Initiative hasand should continue to work in conjunctionwith the Great Lakes Fisheries CommissionLake Huron Technical Committee to identify andimplement necessary actions for fisheries issues.This type of relationship should be developedwith other existing interest groups to ensureno duplication of effort and to assure input forexperts in the field of concern. The Initiativecan play an important role in assisting the LakeHuron Technical Committee in the developmentof environmental objectives for Lake Huron.The Technical Committees should consist ofbi-national representatives capable of:! identifying recommendations for short-termactions and long-term objectives,! developing recommended time frames foractions, as appropriate,! developing completed documents, and! representing interest groups.Public Involvement and Education - To date,the public has had involvement in the Lake HuronInitiative through conferences and workshops.The Michigan Office of the Great Lake has heldconferences and workshops open to the public.Also, The Lake Huron Initiative worked with theGreat Lakes Fishery Commission Lake Huron26Lake Huron Initiative Action Plan Update April 2002

Technical Committee in developing and holding ajoint seminar on the State of Lake Huron in 2001.Future public involvement will depend on thecommitment of the state, provincial, federal andtribal agencies toward the Lake Huron Initiative.The basic public participation recommendationis the consideration of development of apublic participation strategy for Lake Huron,consistent with the level of future effortstoward development of a continuing planningand implementation process for Lake Huron.Potential future efforts may also include:! development of a Lake Huron Network, aless formal effort consisting of providinginformation on a regular basis, and! public meetings, including efforts to meetin many different areas of the Lake HuronBasin, and participation in the U.S./CanadaState of the Lake Ecosystem Conferences.Future efforts to provide increased publicinvolvement should be as follows:! build partnerships across various programsand efforts that are working to preserve andprotect Lake Huron.! provide opportunities for bi-nationaldiscussions between representatives frompartnerships and other stakeholders on keyissues or other major decisions.! include participation on the part of UnitedStates and Canadian interest groups.Lake Huron Initiative Action Plan Update April 200227

Photo Credits:Jim Bredin, Offi ce of the Great LakesMichigan Department of Natural ResourcesU.S. EPA - Great Lakes National Program Offi ceMichigan Travel BureauU.S. Army Corps of EngineersCarol Swinehart, Michigan State UniversityGreat Lakes Fishery CommissionLake Huron Centre for Coastal ConservationGeorgian Bay AssociationDave Kenyon, Michigan Department of Natural ResourcesPartial funding for this report was provided by theU.S. Environmental Protection AgencyGreat Lakes National Program Offi cePrepared by Office of the Great LakesMichigan Department of Environmental QualityJohn Engler, Governor; Russell J. Harding, Directorhttp://www.michigan.govApril 2002The Michigan Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ) will not discriminate against any individual or group on the basisof race, sex, religion, age, national origin, color, marital status, disability or political beliefs. Questions or concerns should bedirected to the MDEQ Offi ce of Personnel Services, P.O. Box 30473, Lansing, MI 48909. Phone: (800) 662-92781,000 2,225.55 2.225