Pranav Yajnik shows off his stoneflies while standing on the bank of a very swollen Huron River. (credit: Max Bromley)

150 volunteers spread thoughout the Huron River watershed in search of stoneflies.

This past weekend, HRWC volunteers braved the high water from unseasonable snowmelt and rain in order to monitor the populations of the aquatic winter stonefly.

Stoneflies are only found in streams and rivers that are free from pollution, so HRWC tracks these critters to understand how our streams are changing over time.

The data is now in and available here.  There are a few interesting stories that can be told from this year’s results.

1.  This program is held in January because two stonefly families crawl out of rivers and streams and become terrestrial adults by late winter and early spring, and at that point they would be difficult to find. However, this year our team at Mill Creek: Shield Road found a large number of stoneflies that had already emerged and were warming themselves in the sun.  This is a very early emergence and is connected to the warm temperatures that we are experiencing this winter.

2.  Congratulations to the Wood’s Creek Friends!  This is the first year (after sampling for 4 years) that a stonefly was found at the Renton Road site.

3. Mann Creek (east of Brighton) continues to be the best creek in the watershed for stoneflies.  This is now the sixth year in a row where volunteers have found four stonefly families.  In way of comparison, most of our healthy creeks only have one or two stonefly families.

Some of our friends from Alpha Phi Omega!

4.  The team that went to Pettibone Creek at Livingston Road thought that they had struck out, but upon examining their sample closely we realized that they had found a Nemourid broadback- also known as a little brown stonefly to the anglers out there.  This is the first Stonefly Search in which a team found a stonefly at this site.  While not rare statewide, Nemourid broadbacks are rare for the Huron River Watershed.  During the Winter Stonefly Search, they are only found at one other site that we monitor.  Both Pettibone Creek and this other site (Narrow Gauge Creek) have very high amounts of groundwater inputs. It is unclear if that is a spurious correlation or a legitimate reason for why the insect is found at these locations.

5.  Monitoring results on the main branch of Davis Creek have indicated that the insect populations in this creek are declining.  We are not finding the diversity or abundance of stoneflies that were found 10 years ago at both Pontiac Trail and Doane Road. The fall and spring monitoring of the full insect community also show a similar pattern. The results seem quite clear:  the water quality of Davis Creek is declining slowly but consistently.  HRWC is planning on exploring Davis Creek more this coming summer.  If interested in joining a team to walk portions of Davis Creek, please contact Paul Steen (psteen@hrwc.org).

To all our volunteers: Thank you again!  You made this valuable event possible.

Hats of all colors participated! (credit: John Lloyd)

There are a couple of opportunities for lakeshore residents this spring to learn about innovative practices to protect their shorelines now and in a changing future climate. One is a local workshop in Oakland County and the other is a statewide conference.

The local workshop on natural shorelines, Creation, Restoration, and Management of Natural Shoreline Landscapes on Michigan Inland Lakes is being held on Saturday, March 17, 2012, 9 am- 12:30 pm, at the Independence Oaks County Park, Wint Nature Center in Clarkston. See the workshop flyer for more information and to register by the March 9 deadline.

For those interested in more detailed technical information and broad-ranging discussion on a number of shoreline-related topics, the 2nd Annual “Shoreline and Shallows” Conference may be for you. The conference will be held in Lansing on Wednesday, March 7. Visit the Michigan Natural Shoreline Partnership’s website for more information on the conference. Register by March 1.

A tributary to Arms Creek flows through the Munson property in Webster Township

In partnership with HRWC, Legacy Land Conservancy has arranged for permanent protection of woodlands and wetlands on two properties that will help preserve the quality of two creeks; Arms Creek in Webster Township and Horseshoe Creek in Northfield Township.

HRWC’s Bioreserve field assessments on these properties helped Legacy identify the properties as ecologically  important as well as provided data they needed  to complete the preservation documentation.

The preservation of the Webster Township property in the Arms Creek watershed helps ensure the quality and quantity of water resources for the Ann Arbor area. In fact, Arms Creek is one of the healthiest creeks in the Huron River Watershed and is a designated Scenic River.

The woodlands and wetlands on this parcel house an unusually broad range of habitats and natural life for a property of its size. The 7.8 acres include wetlands, forb and grass communities, emergent marshes, and remnants of pre-settlement oak forests.

The 32-acre Northfield Township property is habitat for fish, wildlife and plants, including: Great Horned Owls, white-tailed deer, other common birds and mammals, and native flora such as mature oak, hickory, and pine trees and native grasses and forbs.

The property includes two headwater tributaries of  Horseshoe Creek and Horseshoe Lake.  Preservation of this property will allow these natural areas to perform important ecological services by holding rainwater, easing downstream seasonal flooding.

Want to help identify and assess natural areas to help protect more natural areas?  Volunteer for our Bioreserve Field Assessments this summer!

Bioreserve field assessment volunteer Toni Spears enjoys a sunny day exploring the Munson property.

Baseline Lake: at it's summer level!

Recently, I went to Washtenaw County Circuit Court about a lake level for Portage and Base (aka Baseline) Lakes in Washtenaw and Livingston County.  Under Michigan’s Lake Level Control Act, residents who live on the lake can petition a judge to set a legal lake level.  Yes, Legal!  The County Drain Commissioner (or now know as the Water Resources Commissioner) has to keep the lake at the court ordered level.  These lake levels are controlled by dams and their operators.

Most lakes that are formed by a dam for recreational purposes have a winter and summer level set by a judge.  Higher in the summer for docks and boat traffic and lower in the winter to protect docks and shorelines from ice and damage.

The Court case I attended was to establish a winter lake level for Portage and Base Lakes.   Standard practice was to lower the lake level in the winter, but there wasn’t a court set winter level.  The Livingston and Washtenaw County Water Resources Commissioners petitioned the court to set a winter level 15-18 inches below the summer level.  Some residents wanted the lake to be lowered 30 inches and the MDNR was opposed to a winter lake lowering.

In terms of this petition, HRWC understands the balance of interests in setting lakes levels—fisheries, homeowners, recreational enthusiasts, ecologists, and more.  We also know the impacts of changing lake levels on the Huron River and its lakes.  While a river and its watershed is a changing and dynamic system, there are boundaries to how far those variations should go.  Three feet is too much.  While scientists argue for no lowering of the lake level in winter, this is not publically acceptable at this time. Given past practices and expectations, a 15 inch winter draw down is the best strategy.

Why is three feet  too much?  Although drawdowns can produce relatively weed free conditions for short periods of time, over the long-term, frequent drawdowns may result in less diverse plants and native species and more monocultures or invasive nuisance species.  Drawdowns resulting in bare sediment favor those species that colonize the fastest.  Not surprisingly, these tend to be non-native nuisance species such as Eurasion watermilfoiil and Curlyleaf Pondweed.  Over time, the drawdown can promote the replacement of a diverse native plant assemblage by monocultures of invasive exotic species….nuisance species that then result in lakewide herbicide and pesticide applications.

I agree with the direction of the Michigan Department of Natural Resources to limit the range of seasonal lake level controls as we’ve seen the detrimental effects of dry spring rivers.   A gradual draw down and increase should be best practice for dam operators with the goal of minimizing extreme flows and providing a base flow.  In terms of future policy and changes to the lake level control act, we strongly support a better quantification of minimum river flows for aquatic habitat and fisheries.

Covering more than 170 environmental metrics, the report presents the university’s impact on the environment while highlighting examples of stewardship and sustainability efforts taking place throughout the Ann Arbor campus. Highlights from this year’s report include:

• The completion of the Campus Sustainability Integrated Assessment
• An announcement in September by President Mary Sue Coleman of five goals aimed to guide the university’s efforts at reducing environmental impact through the key themes of climate change, waste prevention, healthy environments, and community awareness.
• An 8 percent reduction in energy use and a corresponding utility cost savings of $3.8 million annually in 71 buildings.
• Waste reduction efforts resulting in a 3 percent drop in total waste production and a decrease in per-person trash levels of nearly 4 percent from fiscal year 2010.

Print versions of the report can be obtained by contacting Barbara Hagan.

Winter just can't get a foothold

Here we are in mid-January, and the ground has yet to freeze this winter and the snowfall measures a scant few inches. This week’s forecast continues the pattern of the past several weeks with a few days below freezing interspersed with 40+ degree F days. It seems the comments that I hear from others fall into either the “so pleased not to be shoveling” camp or the “yep, it’s climate change, alright” camp. In my house, these camps are represented along with the increasingly high-pitched “when can we go sledding?!” kids camp.

Is the weather thus far this winter related to changing climate trends? Difficult to say since the difference between weather and climate is a measure of time. Weather is what conditions of the atmosphere are over a short period of time, and climate is how the atmosphere “behaves” over relatively long periods of time. We’re not the only ones wondering. Our friends at River Network also blogged recently about the weather weirdness with an eye on the western states.

For some perspective, we have the benefit of working with the Great Lakes Integrated Sciences and Assessments (GLISA) Center, the NOAA-funded collaboration between the University of Michigan and Michigan State University. At the December kickoff of HRWC’s year-long project to assess climate adaptation needs for key sectors in the watershed, I invited Dr. Jeff Andresen, state climatologist and GLISA faculty, to share his insights on climate trends in Michigan.

While I suggest you spend some time on the GLISA website for the context and explanation of the data, here’s a summary of Jeff’s main points (emphases mine):

• Overall, mean average temperatures in Michigan rose approximately 1.0ºF during the past century. Warming of about 2.0ºF has occurred between 1980 and the present, much of it concentrated during the winter season and at night
• Milder winter temperatures have led to less ice cover on the Great Lakes and the seasonal spring warm-up is occurring earlier than in the past
• Annual precipitation rates increased from the 1930s through the 1990s but have leveled off recently
• Most recent Global Circulation Model simulations of the Great Lakes region suggest a warmer and wetter climate in the distant future, with much of the additional precipitation coming during the cold season months
• Projections of future climate change in Michigan suggest a mix of beneficial and adverse impacts
• A changing climate leads to many potential challenges for dependent human and natural systems, especially with respect to climate variability

In the coming months, we will engage our partners in watershed communities involved in infrastructure, in-stream flows, and natural resources decisions to discuss what type of climate resources they need most to incorporate climate adaptation into decision making.

Volunteers and Staff Searching for Stoneflies

Winter Stonefly Search is Saturday, January 28, 2012. You’re invited to come on your own or bring a small team of friends and family for a unique wintertime activity in/on the Huron River.

As part of a long-term river study, each January, HRWC looks for “winter stoneflies,” which grow, feed, and find their mates in the coldest months when most fish are too sluggish to eat them. Stoneflies are very sensitive to changes in water quality and habitat. Like canaries in a coal mine, they tell researchers a lot about the health of the river.

Trained volunteer collectors take each team to two of HRWC’s 70 designated study sites throughout the Huron River system, where the group helps search through stones, leaves, and sediment taken from river bottoms. All equipment is provided. Participants are encouraged to dress for the weather. Volunteers meet in Ann Arbor and car pool to their assigned sites.

Participants must register to be assigned to a team. Children are welcome to attend but must bring their own adult.

DATE: Saturday, January 28, 2012

WHERE: Meet in Ann Arbor. Then car pool to two streams in Livingston, Oakland, Wayne and/or Washtenaw Counties.

WHEN: Two starting times: January 28, 2012 at 10:30AM or NOON. Takes 4 – 5 hours (2-3 hours outdoors).

DEADLINE: Registration closes on January 20, 2012.

TO REGISTER:

First time volunteers, please fill out both forms:

http://www.hrwc.org/volunteer/registration-for-first-time-volunteers

http://www.hrwc.org/volunteer/stonefly/stonefly-survey-registration/.

Returning volunteers, please fill out the registration form only:

http://www.hrwc.org/volunteer/stonefly/stonefly-survey-registration/.

MORE INFO: Please email Jason at jfrenzel@hrwc.org, or check out this article: http://www.annarbor.com/lifestyles/hrwcs-annual-winter-stonefly-search-a-chance-for-anglers-others-to-learn-about-stoneflies-and-stream/

Who will protect this? Photo Credit: T. Nelson

We can start at the top with the federal government and look to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). True, they are responsible for implementing the Clean Water Act and a number of other water resource protection laws, but they really pass most of the responsibility down to the states. So, is the Michigan DEQ responsible? To some extent, yes. They report to EPA (and all of us) on the state of our waters, but they base that on limited data that they collect once every five years. And when it comes to acting on that data, the DEQ has a limited response unless there is a toxic contamination issue. They generally look to local agencies and organizations to develop plans and implement projects to address broader impairments like excessive nutrients, bacterial contamination, erratic flows, erosion, or aquatic wildlife and habitat degradation. They are leaving those problems to all of us to figure out at the local level.

The bottom line is there is no water czar to manage our water resources. No single organization is responsible. If we are to restore the Huron River to what we want it to be, we have to work together. That’s what we try to do here at the Watershed Council — work with you and your local government and business representatives to plan and execute programs that identify problems and promote collaborative solutions to improve the river and its watershed a little bit at a time.

We can’t do it alone, though. There’s a lot to do as you can see from the variety of projects we’re involved in. As you think about what you accomplished in 2011 and what you want to do with 2012, consider working with us to continue to improve the Huron River and watershed. If you don’t, who will?

New efficiency standards for light bulbs were supposed to start phasing in January 2012, BUT on Friday, December 16, a Federal omnibus bill was passed that prohibits the Department of Energy from spending any money to enforce the efficiency standards (read more HERE).

Signed into law by President Bush as a part of the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007, the standards require about 25 percent greater efficiency (that is, less energy use) for newly manufactured household light bulbs that have traditionally used between 40 and 100 watts of electricity.

According to the National Resource Defense Council, when fully implemented, the lighting efficiency standards were predicted to save the average American household $85 each year, more than $12.5 billion nationally each year, and eliminate the need for more than 30 new large power plants.

When you choose CFLs for your home, look for those that have earned the ENERGY STAR label. These products meet strict energy efficiency guidelines set by the US Environmental Protection Agency. ENERGY STAR lighting products deliver exceptional features, while using less energy.

An ENERGY STAR labeled CFL:

• Saves money about $6 a year in electricity costs and can save more than $40 over its lifetime
• Meets strict performance requirements that are tested and certified by a third party
• Uses about 75% less energy than a traditional incandescent bulb and lasts at least 6 times longer
• Produces about 75% less heat, so it’s safer to operate and can cut energy costs associated with home cooling
• Learn more about the difference of ENERGY STAR qualified light bulbs

But what about the mercury contained in a household CFL? First, it is a very small amount — 4 milligrams as compared to 500 milligrams in an older thermometer. Second, the energy savings from using CFLs means that overall, less mercury is released into the environment through the burning of fossil fuels like coal. See Popular Mechanics, Compact Fluorescent Bulbs and Mercury: Reality Check for how much mercury power plants emit to light a CFL.

For you smart phone users, check out a new app called “Light Bulb Finder,” winner of EPA’s recent “Apps for the Environment” contest. This app is a step by step tool to finding the right CFL replacement bulb for every incandescent in your home. Takes the guesswork out so you spend less time contemplating in the store.

Another good source, DTE Energy’s instant rebate program for ENERGY STAR CFLs. Get $1.50 off the purchase price instantly of a qualified CFL at participating retailers.

There are plenty of recommendations for cleaning up and disposing of broken CFLs as well as for recycling those that no longer work. Even though the mercury content is small, taking precautions will minimize exposure.

Saving energy helps you save money on utility bills and protect the environment by reducing greenhouse gas emissions in the fight against climate change. Let’s not wait for our lawmakers to see the light. As consumers, we can embrace the new efficiency standards ourselves and take this opportunity to do something good for the planet.

Sources: Environmental Protection Agency, ENERGY STAR, Natural Resource Defense Council, Compact Fluorescent Lights: The Mercury Matter

This was my view of the river this morning. I feel fortunate to have a beautiful view of the Huron every day from my office window. As HRWC staff members meet deadlines to write grant proposals or crunch monitoring results, all we need do is look up from our computer screens and gaze out to be reminded of why we work as hard as we do.  The Huron river is a source of of solace for those who seek it’s beauty and wonder, simply for what it is. I am inspired to ask you in this season of giving to consider making a year end gift to HRWC. Only through your support can we remain the  local environmental leader you depend on for river protection in our watershed.  Donate Now