Learn

Knowledge is power when it comes to protecting our fresh water resources. To preserve our waters for generations to come we need to fully understand the significant impacts we have on them, regardless of how small they may seem.

Our Freshwater Center, both in downtown Petoskey and on Crooked Lake on Graham Road in Conway, offer a hands-on approach to learning. The downtown Freshwater Center includes a water resource librabry, educational stormwater runoff treatment systems, and educational displays. The Graham Road Freshwater Center located on Crooked Lake serves to educate the public about lake-friendly landscaping, native plants, and watershed management.

Aquatic Invasive Species

Aquatic invasive species have come to the forefront of issues impacting our lakes, streams, and wetlands and are increasingly the focus of Watershed Council monitoring and management programs. Knowing how to identify aquatic invasive species, how they got here, and what you can do to help prevent them from spreading, are important factors. Our Water Protection Team is currently monitoring the following species:

• Purple Loosestrife
• Eurasian Watermilfoil (EWM)
• Phragmites
• Rusty Crawfish
• Bloody Red Shrimp
• Zebra Mussels
• Quagga Mussels
• Eurasian Ruffe
• Round Gobies
• Viral Hemorrhagic Septicemia (VHS))
• Sea Lamprey

What is a Wetland?

Wetlands are complex ecosystems that provide many ecological functions that are valued by society. In Michigan, these functions become increasingly significant as we continue to lose wetlands. The valuable ecological functions of wetlands and the aesthetically pleasing open space they provide help to enhance the quality of life for Michigan residents and visitors. Click the link above to learn more about wetlands, their importance, functions and values.

What is Stormwater and why is it important?

Where does rain or water from snow go? Lawns and gardens absorb some of it, but water can't soak into driveways, sidewalks, rooftops, and other hard surfaces (also called impervious surfaces).

When stormwater runoff flows over roads, sidewalks, lawns, and gardens, it picks up substances like dirt, fertilizers, oil, salt, and bacteria. Additional pollution comes from nutrients used in fertilizers applied to lawns and gardens, as well as pet waste, and sediments from soil particles that are washed away from bare spots in lawns and gardens, roadways, and other areas of exposed soils. Stormwater can also contain other pollutants such as toxins and heavy metals. Most stormwater runoff washes into nearby water bodies carrying these pollutants from the places where we live and work into lakes and streams.

To learn more about stormwater and what you can do to prevent it, click here to download a copy of our brochure, Clean Water is Everyone's Business. (Please note that the file size of this brochure is 3MB. If you have a dial-up connection it may take several minutes to download.)