Lake
Improvement Boards
Under the Natural Resources
and Environmental Protection Act (Public Act 451 of 1994, Part
309, Inland Lake Improvements), lake board membership includes
representatives from the following entities: Bloomfield
Township, two designees; Oakland County Board of
Commissioners; Oakland County Drain Commissioner’s Office; and
a riparian land owner, appointed by the lake board, who owns
land abutting the lake. Lake improvement boards have been
established to address relevant lake improvement issues,
including the oversight of aquatic weed control programs,
nuisance control, water quality improvements and other
educational activities.
Bloomfield Township has seven established
lake improvement boards. For detailed maps of each lake board
area, please select the lake from the list below. Clicking on
the link will open a PDF document.
As of March 1, 2005, Michigan legislative amendments have
made new changes to the administration structure of lake
improvement boards. For more information, please see our
informational flyer.
For a complete copy of the Natural Resources and
Environmental Protection Act - Public Act 451 of 1994, Part
309
please click here.
For more
information, please visit the
Oakland County website for access to the Lake Improvement
Board manual.
Water Quality Information
Lakes are commonly classified as oligotrophic, mesotrophic,
or eutrophic.
 Oligotrophic
lakes are generally deep and clear. They have little aquatic
plant growth and have high levels of dissolved oxygen in the
bottom waters of the lake even during late summer. These lakes
can support cold water fish species such as trout or
steelhead.
Mesotrophic lakes are characterized by intermediate aquatic
plant growth. This causes some organic sediment to fall to the
bottom of the lake. Thus, dissolved oxygen levels are
typically lower near the bottom of this type of lake. The
water is clear and can support moderately heavy fishing
pressure. Depending on the depth of the lake it may support
warm or cold water fish species.
Eutrophic lakes are usually shallow and turbid and support
abundant plant growth. In most eutrophic lakes the bottom
waters are cool and contain little or no dissolved oxygen.
These lakes support only warm water fish species including
bass and pike.
Under natural conditions, most lakes will evolve into
eutrophic lakes. They gradually fill in with sediment and
organic matter carried into the lake from its surrounding
watershed (area of land drained by a river or lake system). As
the lake becomes shallower the process of lake aging or
eutrophication will accelerate. Over time, the lake will age
into a marsh or swamp.
The
eutrophication process can be further enhanced by the addition
of unnatural amounts of sediment and nutrients. This unnatural
addition is usually the result of human activities within the
watershed and is called cultural eutrophication. This issue
can be addressed by the identification and elimination of
sources of nutrient and sediment loading.
Water Quality Parameters
Typical water quality monitoring includes the assessment of
the physical, biological, and chemical characteristics of the
water body.
A physical lake survey can include temperature and pH
monitoring. These factors can limit the amount and species of
the fish population. In addition, a generalization of
surrounding land uses can help to identify sediment and
nutrient sources.
Biological lake assessment can tell us a great deal about
the quality of water in a lake or river. Typically, benthic
macroinvertebrate (bottom dwelling large invertebrates)
populations are great indicators for water quality. The number
and type of organism found in a water body is directly related
to the quality of that lakes water. A comprehensive chemical
assessment is important when considering the overall quality
of an aquatic environment. Typically, turbidity, nitrate, and
dissolved oxygen levels have the greatest impact on water
quality.
Turbidity is a measure of the amount of particulate matter
that is suspended in water. Water that has high turbidity
appears cloudy or opaque. High turbidity can cause increased
water temperatures because suspended particles absorb more
heat and can also reduce the amount of light penetrating the
water.
Nitrate is a major ingredient of fertilizer and is
necessary for crop production. When it rains, varying nitrate
amounts wash from farmland into nearby waterways. Nitrates
also get into waterways from lawn fertilizer run-off, leaking
septic tanks and cesspools, manure from farm livestock, animal
wastes (including fish and birds), and discharges from car
exhausts. Nitrates stimulate the growth of plankton and
aquatic weeds can be beneficial in the lake. However, if algae
grow too wildly, oxygen levels will be reduced and fish will
die.
Dissolved oxygen (DO) levels can have wide-ranging effects
on the health of a water body. DO is a very important
indicator of a water body's ability to support aquatic life.
Fish "breathe" by absorbing dissolved oxygen through their
gills. Oxygen enters the water by absorption directly from the
atmosphere or by aquatic plant and algae photosynthesis.
Oxygen is removed from the water by respiration and
decomposition of organic matter. The amount of DO in water
depends on several factors, including temperature (the colder
the water, the more oxygen can be dissolved); the volume and
velocity of water flowing in the water body; and the amount of
organisms using oxygen for respiration. The amount of oxygen
dissolved in water is expressed as a concentration, in
milligrams per liter (mg/l) of water. Human activities that
affect DO levels include the removal of riparian vegetation,
runoff from roads, and sewage discharge.
For information about how you can become a better steward
for the environment, please visit our
riparian information webpage.
Archives
The Engineering and Assessment Studies for the Upper Long
Lake Shores Canal Dredging Study and Upper Long Lake Estates &
Mallard Court Canals Dredging Study is still available for
review. Please click the links below to download a copy
of the HRC report. Appendices information can be made
available by calling 248.594.2800.
Upper Long Lake Shores Canal Dredging Study Report
Upper Long
Lake Estates & Mallard Court Canals Dredging Study
Additional Information
For more information on how you can protect our lakes
within Bloomfield Township, please visit the following links
below:
General Riparian Information
Bloomfield Township Watersheds
Fertilizer Use
Soil Erosion and Sedimentation Control
Michigan Department of Environmental Quality
Michigan
Department of Natural Resources
Window to My Environment:
Learn about environmental conditions and features in an area
of your choice
Surf Your
Watershed: A geographical look at your watershed
2006 - 2011 Goose Round Up Resolution
Updated February 2008
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Charter Township of Bloomfield
4200 Telegraph Road
P.O. Box 489
Bloomfield Hills, MI 48303-0489
248.433.7700
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