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Kawkawlin River Watershed Summit
- 1. A project supported by a grant from the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative and partners of the Kawkawlin River Watershed
- 3. Kawkawlin River Watershed A part of the Saginaw Bay Watershed The Kawkawlin drains over 144,000 acres and covers portions of four counties: Bay, Saginaw, Gladwin, and Midland The river is formed by two tributaries: the North Branch that drains a heavily forested area in Gladwin and Midland Counties, and the South Branch that drains rural and suburban areas of Bay and Saginaw Counties. The two tributaries come together near the Village of Kawkawlin to form the Main Branch Kawkawlin River.
- 4. Points of Pride • Natural features and habitat • Volunteer events and activities Image Source: Google Maps Image Source: The Bay City Times Image Source: MyBayCity
- 5. Issues of Concern • Phosphorous • E. coli • Pesticides
- 6. Phosphorous 4th highest level compared to other streams entering the Saginaw Bay (out of nine total) Confluence of South Branch with the Kawkawlin – continual algal bloom Phosphorus reduction goal of 50,684 pounds per year for three years Note the difference in water clarity and in-stream vegetation between the stream on the left (South Branch) and the stream on the right (North Branch)
- 7. E. coli Escheria coli Beach closings / public health advisories
- 8. Pesticide Management Pesticides: chemicals that are used to control or kill pests detected in Kawkawlin River during screening study completed in 1992 Atrazine, cyanazine, EPTC, metolachlor, alachlor, carbofuran, clomazone and diazinon Water contamination a result of inadequate storage and distribution Outreach on proper storage and management techniques Image source: www.usgs.org
- 9. Restoration Goals • GLRI Funding $990,000 (10/2012-9/2015)* • The Kawkawlin River is clean and safe for use by all residents for boating, fishing, and swimming. – Phosphorus reduction targets via installation of Best Management Practices – Land protection targets via conservation easements – E. Coli reduction targets via septic system maintenance ‘check-ups’ and livestock exclusion
- 10. Nutrient Management 5,997.2 ac. of cover crops 2,085.6 ac. no-till planting
- 11. Nutrient Management 8,207.5 ac. of residue management 17,745’ of conservation buffers 71.4 acres of temporary wind barriers
- 12. 1841’ of exclusion fencing $1841 to producer Nutrient Management
- 14. Bay Conservation District Achievements (Summer 2015) • 5,997 Acres of Cover crops • 2,085 Acres of No-till • 8,207 Acres of Residue Management • 17,745 Feet of Buffer Strips • 71 Acres of Wind Barriers • 1,841 Feet of Livestock exclusion fencing
- 15. Bay County Health Department Type Number Total Septic systems entered into Database 15,736 Scanned Septic records 7,709 Septic to be scanned 8,027 Well Scanned 2,148 Well Estimated Total 4,000 Well To Scanned (estimated) 1,852 Well and Septic Scanned 9,857 Well and Septic Total to be scanned (estimated) 19,736 Activities to Date
- 16. Natural Features Protection Prime areas include the Kawkawlin Creek and the North Branch of the Kawkawlin River Primary protection tool is conservation easements Little Forks Conservancy leads the land protection efforts in the Kawkawlin River Watershed
- 17. Results-to-Date • 13,708.61 tons of sediment reduced • 14,795.09 lbs. of Phosphorous reduced • 103,071.61 lbs. of Nitrogen reduced • Educational display and brochures for landowners • Watershed Tour and landowner workshops Bay County Drain Office Bay County Conservation District Bay County Health Department Little Forks Conservancy UM-Flint
Editor's Notes
- Paddlers ready for the start of the river poker paddle. (MyBayCity Photo by John Keuvelaar) The Bay City Times
- Phosphorous and E. Coli Pollution Reduction The Kawkawlin River has seen problems from Escherichia coli (E. coli bacteria) contamination, excessive nutrients, and other water quality problems. Some primary causes of water quality problems are failing on-site sewage treatment systems, agricultural runoff, and loss of wetlands. Since the Kawkawlin River discharges directly into the Saginaw Bay, it has substantial impacts on the near shore area of the inner Saginaw Bay. The Kawkawlin River discharges about a mile from the Bay City State Recreation Area beach. This beach has been documented with continual algae (muck) problems since the 1950’s. Technical and financial assistance may be available to producers and growers in the Kawkawlin River Watershed who wish to implement practices on their farm operation that reduce pollution. These practices include: cover crops, conservation tillage, and conservation buffers. http://www.deq.state.or.us/wq/nonpoint/images/NPSNOAA.jpg
- http://www.fao.org/docrep/w2598e/w2598e07.htm The term "pesticide" is a composite term that includes all chemicals that are used to kill or control pests. In agriculture, this includes herbicides (weeds), insecticides (insects), fungicides (fungi), nematocides (nematodes), and rodenticides (vertebrate poisons). For example, Appelgren (FAO, 1994b) reports for Lithuania that while pesticide pollution has diminished due to economic factors, water pollution by pesticides is often caused by inadequate storage and distribution of agrochemicals. In the United States, the US-EPA's National Pesticide Survey found the 10.4% of community wells and 4.2% of rural wells contained detectible levels of one or more pesticides (US-EPA, 1992). In a study of groundwater wells in agricultural southwestern Ontario (Canada), 35% of the wells tested positive for pesticides on at least one occasion (Lampman, 1995). http://ga.water.usgs.gov/edu/pesticidesgw.html EPA - pesticides in groundwater http://water.usgs.gov/nawqa/pnsp/ pesticide national synthesis project
- The following restoration efforts will help achieve the phosphorus reduction goal for the Kawkawlin River of 50,684 pounds per year, with a project goal of 30% of the load reduction achieved in 3 years. Establish at least 6 miles of conservation buffers on Kawkawlin River tributaries to reduce pathogen, sediment, and nutrient loadings. Implement 6,000 acres of cover crops, 100 acres of no-till planting, 6,000 acres of residue management, 200 acres of herbaceous wind barriers (permanent 5 yrs.), and 1,500 acres of herbaceous wind barriers (annual). Implement erosion control structures on high priority rill and gully erosion sites and tile outlet repairs Install 3 small above ground manure storage structures on hobby farms and 1,000 feet of livestock exclusion fencing. Protect 100 acres utilizing conservation easements. Develop a septic system maintenance outreach program with help from the Bay County Health Department and assist in septic system maintenance “check-ups”.
- Natural Features Protection Wetlands are essential to the watershed as they function to absorb runoff containing sediment and nutrients. According to a 2005 Michigan Department of Environmental Quality study, the Kawkawlin River has lost 68% of the original wetlands due to development. Restoration of wetlands, where feasible, will boost the restoration and protection of water quality. The North Branch of the Kawkawlin River contains wetlands that provide important fish spawning habitat but these wetlands are threatened by sedimentation. Protection of natural features in the North Branch must occur to maintain the health of the fish populations in the watershed. Technical and financial assistance may be available to landowners in the Kawkawlin River Watershed who wish to protect the natural heritage and environment of their community.