WATERSHED

It has long been recognized that logs, sticks, and other woody structure in rivers provide habitat for a variety of aquatic insects. These insects are the foundation of the food chain and are essential to sustaining a healthy fishery. Recent research indicates that the same holds true for lakes. Several recent studies have examined the impact of shoreline development on lakes. The conclusion of these studies is that excessive development of shorelines and loss of shoreline vegetation are adversely impacting the quality of our lakes. For a lake property owner, these are extremely important findings and underscore the need to properly manage lakefront property on Lake Oakland.

10 Ways to Protect Lake Oakland

Don’t use lawn fertilizer that contains phosphorus—it's the law!
Use the minimum amount of fertilizer recommended on the label — more is not necessarily better!
Water the lawn sparingly to avoid washing nutrients and sediments into the lake.
Don’t feed ducks and geese near the lake. Waterfowl droppings are high in nutrients and may cause swimmer’s itch.
Don’t burn leaves and grass clippings near the shoreline. Nutrients concentrate in the ash and can easily wash into the lake.
Don’t mow to the water’s edge. Instead, allow a strip of natural vegetation (i.e., a greenbelt) to become established along your waterfront. A greenbelt will trap pollutants and discourage nuisance geese from frequenting your property.
Where possible, promote infiltration of stormwater into the ground. Build a rain garden to capture runoff from driveways and downspouts.
Don’t dump anything in area wetlands. Wetlands are natural purifiers.
If you have a septic system, have your septic tank pumped every 2 to 3 years.
Don’t be complacent — your collective actions will make or break the lake!

The Lake Oakland watershed is about 66 square miles—a land area 138 times larger than the lake itself. Lake Oakland has a relatively rapid flushing rate. On average, the entire volume of water in Lake Oakland is replenished about every 40 days. Water flows from Lake Oakland to the Clinton River which, in turn, flows into Lake St. Clair. Lake Oakland is about 380 feet above the elevation of Lake St. Clair. The watershed for Lake Oakland includes the upper reaches of the Clinton River and Sashabaw Creek. Fortunately, drainage from the Clinton River passes through several upstream lakes which act to retain many of the pollutants that would otherwise continue downstream to Lake Oakland. Similarly, the wetlands and woodlands adjacent to Sashabaw Creek help to filter the water flowing to Lake Oakland. To download a map of the Lake Oakland watershed, click on the image below.

Caring for Your Shoreland

The take-home message here is straightforward: Maintain or restore as much natural shoreland as possible. That is not to say that you can’t—or shouldn’t—have an area to swim, moor boats, fish or lounge by the shore. However, manicured lawn to the water’s edge and boundless seawalls are not conducive to a healthy lake. Natural shorelines are easier to maintain and provide many ecological benefits.