Watershed Protection Publications
Watershed Protection Publications
Plant a Rain Garden - A How-To Guide for Homeowners
This 16-page, full color booklet is for homeowners who want step-by-step instructions on how to design and install a rain garden. With a little bit of planning, digging, planting, and care, you and your neighbors will soon be admiring your rain garden while it does its job of keeping harmful pollutants out of our lakes and streams.​

Download the pdf or stop in to pick up a copy of this publication at the Tip of the Mitt Watershed Council office. Printed copies are available while supply lasts. 
Lake Charlevoix Watershed Homeowner's Guide
Simple, practical, and water-friendly ways to protect the Lake Charlevoix Watershed
This 24-page booklet was developed to promote low impact development (LID) strategies for managing stormwater runoff to eliminate pollution entering our local waters. Whether to satisfy the prescriptive standards for a new build or remodel, as a voluntary retrofit for an existing stormwater system, or simply to beautify the landscape, readers can explore LID options, such as rain gardens, green roofs, permeable pavements, greenbelts, bioswales, native plants, and rain barrels.

Available as a downloadble pdf and in hardcopy at Tip of the Mitt Watershed Council.  This publication was made possible through a grant from the Charlevoix County Community Foundation. 
A Homeowner's Guide to Watershed Protections
Simple, practical, and water-friendly ways to protect Little Traverse Bay
This 20-page booklet was developed to promote low impact development (LID) strategies for managing stormwater runoff to eliminate pollution entering our local waters. Whether to satisfy the prescriptive standards for a new build or remodel, as a voluntary retrofit for an existing stormwater system, or simply to beautify the landscape, readers can explore LID options, such as rain gardens, green roofs, permeable pavements, greenbelts, bioswales, native plants, and rain barrels.
Sensible Shoreline Development
A Guide for Shoreline Homeowners
Whether you're building a new home or modifying your existing developed property, the information in this brochure will help you make environmentally sound decisions that can help preserve the character and quality of the land and water that surround you.

Brochure updated September 2018
For additional information, check out our "Protecting What You Love" video series.
Topics include:
- Natural Shorelines
- Greenbelts
- Native Plants
- Proper Lawn Care
- Stormwater Runoff
- Septic Systems
- and more!
Protecting Michigan's Inland Lakes: A Guide for Local Governments
This guidebook is designed to help local officials and concerned citizens understand the benefits of inland lakes to communities, the regulations that govern inland lakes, and the opportunities for protecting them at the local level. Protecting these important resources does not always require elaborate or expensive regulations. The following chapters will outline a variety of inland lake protection techniques, from the simple enforcement of existing statutes to comprehensive ordinances.

Produced by the VanBuren Conservation District, funded in part with an EPA Wetlands Program Development Grant.
Lake Charlevoix Watershed Property Owner's Permit Guide
At first glance, the process of obtaining a permit looks complicated and difficult to understand. This booklet was written to help you better understand which permits you may need when doing certain types of work. This booklet is meant to be a guide only. Always check with the appropriate agencies/offices before beginning any work.

The Permit Guide covers: wetlands, inland lakes and streams, Great Lakes and connecting waters, floodplains, shoreline management, natural rivers, sand dunes, aquatic nuisance species control, soil erosion and sediment control, and septic systems. 
Mullett Lake Greenbelt Workshop Course Packet
A shoreline greenbelt is a strip of diverse vegetation, either naturally growing or planted, along the shoreline of a lake or stream, usually consisting of a mixture of trees, shrubs, ground cover, and wildflowers. Shoreline greenbelts offer waterfront residents an attractive way to protect the water quality of their lakes and streams; and all the while maintaining lake access and use. 

Although this packet was specifically designed for Mullett Lake riparians, the packet contains information about the importance of greenbelts and how to establish and maintain a greenbelt. It also features greenbelt examples, site planning and design tips. 
After the Storm - A Citizen's Guide for Understanding Stormwater
Provides a broad overview of stormwater pollution, including runoff from residential and commercial properties, farms, construction sites, automotive facilities, forestry operations, and others. 
English - Read online
English - For printing
Spanish - For printing
This publication was produced by the Environmental Protection Agency.
Understanding, Living With, and Controlling Shoreline Erosion
A Guidebook for Shoreline Property Owners
This guidebook focuses on the erosion and sedimentation caused by the energy of streams and inland lakes acting on their shorelines. Utilizing the information contained in this guidebook and following an organized plan to assess problems and evaluate the pros and cons of potential solutions, the likelihood of choosing an appropriate and successful action will be improved.
Natural Shorelines for Inland Lakes
A Simple Solution for Lakefront Property Owners
By using a softshore approach to landscaping your waterfront property, you can help preserve the very things that likely attracted you to lakefront living in the first place – clean water, abundant wildlife, good fishing and access to recreation.
The Water's Edge
Helping fish and wildlife on your lakeshore property 
Shoreline habitat consists of many natural elements woven into the lake ecosystem to form a web of life. Native vegetation, bottom materials, and natural debris play essential roles in the life cycles of a lake's fish and wildlife. Nearshore alterations that damage or destroy these habitat components sever essential strands in the web. 

A healthy lake doesn't just happen. It comes about when shoreline property owners and others living in the watershed take steps to ensure the lake's ecological health. This brochure helps identify management practices that ensure a our Michigan shorelines stay healthy and abundant.
Native Plants
Northern Michigan's Native Plants
This brochure is a perfect companion for planning your landscape. View a full list of native trees, wildflowers, grasses, and shrubs. It also contains a list of non-native species that you need to avoid.

Produced by: Tip of the Mitt Watershed Council
Landscape Alternatives for Invasive Plants of the Midwest
This colorful brochure lists several alternatives for each of the invasive species listed in this brochure, both native species, both native species and non-native species that currently show no sign of becoming invasive. A great companion for your next visit to the nursery.

Produced by: Midwest Invasive Plant Network

Aquatic Invasive Species
STOP THE INVASION: Tips for Preventing the Spread of Aquatic Invasive Species
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The Threat is real. Prevention is Easy!
Boats, trailers, waders and other fishing and boating equipment can spread aquatic invasive species from waterbody to waterbody unless properly cleaned, drained and dried after use. Although some invasive species such as Eurasian Watermilfoil are visible to the human eye, many others are too small to be noticed. To help you avoid spreading invasive species we’ve put together this handy pocket card that fits easily in your wallet, purse, or glovebox. By following the tips outlined inside you can help protect our waters and enhance your boating experience for years to come. 
AQUATIC INVADERS
A field Guide for Lake and Stream Monitors
Thanks to a grant from The Joyce Foundation, Tip of the Mitt Watershed Council was able to prepare and print a series of aquatic invasive watch cards for their volunteer lake and stream monitors. The set includes detailed photos and information for identifying specific invaders. CLICK HERE to download the entire card packet or click on the individual invasive species below to download a single card. 
For more information or to purchase pre-printed card sets,
​please call 231-347-1181 or email info@watershedcouncil.org.
A Field Guide to Invasive Plants of Aquatic and Wetlands Habitats for Michigan 
This booklet was developed to help managers of wetlands and aquatic resources identify invasive plant species that may pose a threat to their management goals. Detecting these plants during the early phase of their invasion is essential to achieving cost effective removal or control. 

Produced by: Suzan Campbell, Phyllis Higman, Brad Slaughter and Ed Schools
MDNRE, Michigan University Extension, and Michigan Natural Features Inventory
Reproduction for commercial purposes is strictly prohibited.
A Landowner's Guide to Phragmites Control
Phragmites is becoming a widespread threat to wetlands across the Great Lakes basin. The perennial grass that can grow up to 15 feet tall creates dense stands that degrade wetlands and coastal areas by crowding out native plants and animals, blocking shoreline views, reducing access to water for swimming, hunting and fishing and creating fire hazards.

This booklet helps identify phragmites and outlines some of the common control methods homeowners and resource managers have access to. 

Download it here. For hard copies of the brochure contact the Office of the Great Lakes at 517-335-4056.
A Field Guide to Fish Invaders of the Great Lakes Region
This 20-page, waterproof, pocket-sized guide highlights harmful aquatic invasive fish found in the Great Lakes Region. Similar-looking native fish are included for comparison. The guide's purpose is to assist private and public fisheries personnel in identifying and reporting potentially invasive fish species. It is also designed to accompany Aquatic Invasive Species-Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (AIS-HACCP) training workshops and materials.

Click here to download a copy for free.  
For a hard copy of this publication, visit Minnesota Sea Grant.