survey of Great Lakes marshes in the northern half of Michigan's Lower Peninsula and throughout Michigan's Upper Peninsula

[From the U.S. Government Printing Office, www.gpo.gov]

A SURVEY OF GREAT LAKES MARSHES IN THE NORTHERN HALF OF
MICHIGAN'S LOWER PENINSULA AND THROUGHOUT
MICHIGAN'S UPPER PENINSULA

prepared by

Michigin Natural Features Inventory

Mason Building
Box 30028
Lansing, MI 48909

Dennis A. Albert, Ecologist
Gary Reese, Ecologist
Michael R. Penskar, Botanist
Leni A. Wilsmann, Coordinator/Zoologist
Stuart J. Ouwinga, Data Manager
for

Land and Water Management Division
(CZM Contract 1OC-3)

Completed November 30, 1989

This document was prepared in part through financial
assistance provided by the Office of Ocean and
Coastal Resource Management, National Oceanic
and Atmospheric Administration authorized by
the Coastal Zone Management Act of 1972.

QH
87.3
.094
1989

A SURVEY OF GREAT LAKES MARSHES IN THE NORTHERN HALF OF
MICHIGANPS LOWER PENINSULA AND THROUGHOUT
MICHIGAN'S UPPER PENINSULA

prepared by

Michigan Natural Features Inventory

Mason Building
Box 30028
Lansing, MI 48909

Dennis A. Albert, Ecologist
Gary Reese, Ecologist
Michael R. Penskar, Botanist
Leni A. Wilsmann, Coordinator/Zoologist
Stuart J. Ouwinga, Data Manager
for

Land and Water Management Division
(CZM Contract 1OC-3)

Completed November 30, 1989

TABLE OF CONTENTS

PAGE

ABSTRACT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . .

INTRODUCTION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

METHODS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

RESULTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

SITE SUMMARIES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

DISCUSSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73

LITERATURE CITED . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73

APPENDIX I. LOCATION OF MARSHES SAMPLED . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74

APPENDIX II. GREAT LAKES MARSH SAMPLING FORM . . . . . . . . . . . . 91

APPENDIX III. EXPLANATION OF NATURAL QUALITY AND CONDITION RANKS 95

APPENDIX IV. PLANT COMMUNITY MAPS OF MARSHES SAMPLED . . . . . . . . 97

ABSTRACT

In 1987, a multi-year project to survey marshes along the Great Lakes

shorelines of Michigan was initiated by the Michigan Natural Features

Inventory (MNFI) and funded through a Michigan Coastal Zone Management

grant. Information from aerial photograph interpretation and data from

intensive field surveys were compiled by MNFI in 1987 for the Upper

Peninsula. In 1988, marshes along the shores of the southern half of the

Lower Peninsula were surveyed. In 1989, marshes were surveyed in the

northern half of the Lower Peninsula and throughout the Upper,Pe-ninsula.

This report summarizes surveys completed in 1989 that investigated the

natural communities, abiotic factors, flora, observed fauna, and

disturbances, both human and natural, within marshes along the shorelines

and estuaries of Saginaw Bay, Lake Erie, Lake Huron, Lake Michigan, and

Lake Superior.

US Department Of COmmerce
XOAA Coastal Services Center Library
220-4 South Hobson Avenue
Charleston, SC 29405-2413

INTRODUCTION

The importance of the marshes along the shores of the Great Lakes for

wildlife, shoreline protection, and recreation has long been recognized.

However, there is a need for additional data to supplement our

understanding of these coastal marshes to allow us to more adequately make

management decisions. This is the third year of a three year study

conducted along the shorelines and estuaries of Michigan's Great Lakes.

The study provides valuable baseline data on the vegetation, substrate, and

disturbances characteristic of Great Lakes Marshes.

The primary purpose of this year's study was to inventory the marshes

along the Great Lakes shoreline of the northern half of Michigan's Lower

Peninsula and the Upper Peninsula. As in the previous 2 years, biotic and

abiotic data were collected, from which marshes of significant natural

quality were identified.

The study had several other objectives as well. The first objective

was to document the type and extent of disturbances within the 29 marshes

studied*and to evaluate their impact on the component natural communities.

The least disturbed marshes were identified and appropriate management

suggested to ensure preservation of these relatively undisturbed marsh

ecosystems as natural areas for research, education, protection of native

species and their habitats, and as examples of Michigan's natural heritage.

A second objective of the study was to contrast similarities and

differences among the marshes present on different substrates or in

different climatological areas. We assumed that the natural communities

were determined by differing abiotic conditions, such as levels of wind and

wave activity, water depth, distanle from the shoreline, and soil or

substrate texture, composition, and chemistry. By identifying major

differences among marshes, critical information can be provided for

effective wildlife management, shoreline protection, and other natural

resource aspects. The data collected during 1987 through 1989 will be

analyzed following the 1989 field season.

Few wetland studies have dealt with both the biotic and abiotic

components of marsh systems. Recently, two such studies have been

completed in Michigan, though both were limited in geographic scope. A

study of the St. Mary's River (Liston and McNabb 1987), provides detailed

information on marshes along the St. Mary's River shipping channel. This

study concentrated on permanently submerged portions of the marshes, thus

providing little information on the wet meadow and shrub swamp zones. It

also emphasized the vegetation of the submergent marsh zone (beyond the

emergent marsh), a zone that the present study was not able to sample in

detail.

Another recent study provides a community profile of the Lake St.

Clair Wetlands (Herdendorf, Raphael, and Jaworski 1986). That study also

has a detailed section on the vegetation of the marshes and the factors,

both biotic and abiotic, that determine and influence the natural

communities.

A third objective of surveying the vegetation of the coastal marshes

was to determine the ecological zones and vegetational composition of each

marsh.

METHODS

Great Lakes Marshes in the northern part of Michigan's Lower Peninsula

and in Upper Michigan (Figure I and Appendix I) were identified for this

study on the basis of size and quality, as determined through color

infrared aerial photograph interpretation. Only marshes greater than 100

acres in area with minimal disturbance were initially selected for

sampling. Additional marshes, most of which had been identified as

Environmental Areas under the Shorelands Protection Act (P.A. 245, 1970),

were suggested for sampling by Michigan Department of Natural-Resources

Shorelands Protection Program staff.

Aerial photograph interpretation was used to identify the natural

communities and transects for sampling at each of the 29 marshes. Prior to

field sampling, the natural communities at each marsh were identified and

their boundaries determined from aerial photos and topographic maps. The

major natural communities delineated were: Swamp Forest, Shrub Swamp,

Floodplain Forest, Wet Meadow, Emergent Marsh, and Submergent Marsh

(Michigan Natural Features Inventory, 1986). Transects were then selected

to include all natural communities and to minimize sampling within areas

disturbed by human activities such as wildlife management, road

construction, etc. Community boundaries and sampling transects were mapped

on mylar overlays. These overlays, as well as aerial photographs of the

site, were used during the field surveys to verify and improve accuracy of

the community boundaries.

Vegetation was typically sampled along the transects at 20 m

intervals. Sampling points were occasionally shortened to 10 m where

natural community zones were narrow and lengthened to 40 or 60 m where

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Figure 1. Location of Great Lakes Marshes surveyed in 1989.

natural community zones were broad. A nylon rope, marked at 5 m intervals,.

was used to measure the distance between sampling points. The direction of

the transect line was maintained using a magnetic compass. The transects

typically began at the ecotone between upland and wetland. The ecotone, as

well as all arborescent- and herbaceous-dominated natural communities

encountered along the transect were sampled. Sample points were taken

along the transect until either a) water depth reached approximately 5

feet, or submergent vegetation disappeared, b) the upland/wetland ecotone

was reached at the opposite end of the transect, or c) an impassable river

was encountered.

The vegetation within each 0.5 m quadrat was sampled using a circular

hoop of plastic tubing as a sampling frame. Coverage values were recorded

on a sampling form (Appendix II) for each plant species within the sampling

frame, including submerged aquatic plants beneath the frame. Coverage

values of 1-5 were estimated, denoting 1-20%, 21-40%, 41-60%, 61-80%, and

81-100% coverage classes, respectively. Unknown species were collected for

later identification.

Sampling at each point also included determination of the natural

community, soil texture of the substrate, depth of organic material, and

water depth. At sampling points where these designations were inadequate,

the surveyors had the option to code other information. Soil textures were

recorded as sand, loam, or clay, with additional modifiers, such as silty,

rocky, or gravelly added as necessary. Depths of water and organic

material were both recorded in inches. Additional notes on fauna and

disturbance were recorded on the sampling form. Notes describing the

location of the transect and distances between sampling points were also

included. Natural community boundaries (on the mylar overlays) were

refined following sampling using the latest available aerial photography.

Natural community types used in this report were generalized from the

Michigan Natural Features Inventory (MNFI) draft Natural Community

Classification (MNFI, 1986). For example, in four natural communities, Wet

Meadow, Shrub Swamp, Treed Swamp, and Floodplain Forest, no distinction was

made between "Northern" and "Southern" modifiers to this community type.

The grade of each marsh was determined using MNFI natural quality and

condition grading criteria (MNFI, 1987; APPENDIX III).

Three additional marshes not included here were identified for field

sampling, two on Drummond Island, and one near Epoufette on Lake Michigan.

All three areas were too scoured by wave activity to support extensive,

well-developed marshes, even though there appeared to be marsh vegetation

on the 1978 color infra-red photographs.

RESULTS

Natural Communities

The locations of the 29 Great Lakes Marshes visited and/or sampled

during the 1989 field season are identified in Figure 1. The data

collected pertaining to these sites are presented in Tables 1-3. Table 1

summarizes the geographic, political, and physical characteristics of the

marshes sampled, while Tables 2 and 3 characterize the biota of these

marshes.

Most of the marshes contained a very predictable assemblage-of

species, that had distributions limited by water depth, amount of wave

energy, and protection from wave activity by other vegetation. The most

common sequence of zones was 1) Submergent Marsh, 2) Emergent Marsh, 3) Wet

Meadow, 4) Shrub Swamp, and 5) Swamp Forest.

The Emergent Marsh zone was typically dominated by Scirpus validus

(softstem bulrush), 9_, americanus (threesquare), and S. acutus (hardstem

bulrush), with some TyRha spp. (cat-tail). Within the Emergent Marsh

common submergent species included Elodea.canadensis (water-weed), Najas

flexilis (naiad), Vallisneria americana (wild-celery), Potamogeton spp.

(pondweed), and MyrioRhyllum spp. (water-milfoil). In the shallow waters

near the shoreline, where wave action is weaker, the Emergent Marsh

supports a greater diversity of plants. These include the above mentioned

species of Emergent Marsh, as well as others such as Pontederia cordata

(pickerel-weed), Sagittaria latifolia (wapato or duck-potato), Sparganiu

eurycarRum (bur-reed), S
chlorocarpum, Nahar advena (spatterdock), IL

variegata, and NyMphaea odorata (water-lily). During the relatively low

water years of 1988-1989, some species, such as Sagittaria

Table 1. Geographical, political and physical characteristics of Great Lakes Marshes of the northern half of Michigan's Lower Peninsula
and of Michigan's Upper Peninsula.

Landform
Acreage Inter- Ownership
(Total/ Narrow River River dunal State Local
L Marsh County Body of water Natural) Est Coast Mouth Bay Island Swale Private Gov't Gov't

1 Tobico Bay Saginaw Bay 1300/800 x x

2 Squaw Bay Alpena Lake Huron 720/400 x x
3 Whitefish Bay Alpena Lake Huron 3.00/300 x x x
4 El Cajon BaylMisery Bay Alpena Lake Huron 440/420 x x x

5 False Presque Isle Presque Isle Lake Huron 340/290 x x x
00 6 Cheboygan State Park Cheboygan Lake Huron 280/280 x x

7 Carp/Pine Rivers Mackinac Lake Huron 220/220 x x x x x Fed.

8 St. Martin Bay Mackinac Lake Huron 270/240 x x x Fed.

9 Hessel Mackinac Lake Huron 305/270 x x

10 Peck Bay Mackinac Lake Huron 70170 x x

11 Voight Bay Mackinac Lake Huron 120/120 x x x

12 Duck Bay Mackinac Lake Huron 240/220 x x x

13 Big Shoal Cove Chippewa Lake Huron 200/200 x x

14 Stony Creek Oceana Lake Michigan 200/200 x x x

15 Pentwater Marsh Oceana Lake Michigan 240/240 x X, x x

Table 1. (continued).

Landform
Acreage Inter- Ownershilp
(Total/ Narrow River River dunal State Local
L Marsh County Body of water Naturall Estua Coast Mouth hay Island Swale Private Gov't Gov't

16 Pere Marquette River Mason Lake Michigan 760/0 x x x x
17 Big Sable River Mason Lake Michigan 220/0 x x x Fed.
18 Manistee River Manistee Lake Michigan 1190/1190 x x x x
19 Bar Lake Manistee Lake Michigan 260/260 x
20 Arcadia Lake Manistee Lake Michigan 270/0 x

21 Betsie River Benzie Lake Michigan 100/0 x x x
22 Petobego Pond Grand Trav. Lake Michigan 110/110 x x x
23 Waugoshance Point Emmet Lake Michigan 650/650 x x
24 Cecil Bay Emmet Lake Michigan 135/55 x x x
25 Epoufette Bay Mackinac Lake Michigan 130/110 x x x
26 Kenyon Bay Mackinac Lake Michigan 100/100 x x
27 Grand Island Alger Lake Superior 120/120 x(Tombolo) x x
28 Independence Lake Marquette Lake Superior 320/320 x x x(Tombolo) x x x
29 Lac La Belle Keweenaw Lake Superior 500/460 x x x

Table 2. Biotic characteristics of Great Lakes Marshes of the northern half of Michigan's Lower Peninsula and Michigan's Upper
Peninsula.

Natural Communities Disturbance Codesl
EO Plant Submerg. Emerg. Wet Floodplain Cobble Treed Shrub
Marsh Rank Species Marsh Marsh Meadow Forest Beach Swamp Rog N.F Natural Artificial

1 Tobico C-D 44 x x x x x M DA,DI,A,H
2 Squaw Bay B-C 56 x x x x x x HI B,DI,F,RO
3 Whitefish Bay B-C 59 x x x x x O,RO
4 El Cajon Bay/Misery Bay A 39 x x x x x HI
5 False Presque Isle B 36 x x x x HI
6 Cheboygan State Park A 98 x x x x x
7 Carp/Pine Rivers A 44 x x x x HI,M,BE 0
8 St. Martin Bay A-D 72 x x x x HI F,RO
9 Hessel B-D 58 x x x x HI B,C,F,RO
10 Peck Bay A 50 x x x x x x HI B
11 Voight Bay A 30 x x x x x x HI
12 Duck Bay A 43 x x x x B
13 Big Shoal Cove B 39 x x x x HI B
14 Stony Creek BC-C 49 x x x x DI,DR,H
15 Pentwater River BC 71 x x x x HI H,RO

Table 2. (continued).

Natural Communities Disturbance Codesi
EO Plant Submerg. Emerg. Wet Floodplain Cobble Treed Shrub
Marsh Rank Species Marsh Marsh Meadow Forest Beach Swamp Bog N.Fen Swa= Natural Artificial

16 Pere marquette River CD 52 x x x x x H,D,RO
17 Big Sable River CD 65 x x x x x HI DA
18 Hanistee River C, 54 x x x x x H,D,RO

19 Bar Lake B 42 x x x x

20 Arcadia Lake CD 50 x x x HI H,DI,DR,RO

21 Betsie River C 73 x x x x x HI H,R

22 Petobego Pond AB 68 x x x HI
23 Waugoshance Point A-AB 64 x x HI B,O
24 Cecil Bay B-D 79 x HI F,RO
25 Epoufette Bay B-D 38 x x x x x HI B,DI,F
26 Kenyon Bay B 28 x x x x x HI B,DI

27 Grand Island A 67 x x x x x HI
28 Independence Lake B-D 34 x x x x x DA
29 Lac La Belle A 62 x x x x x C,DR

1 A agriculture field(s); B = small boat slip(s); BE beaver dam; C channelization; D = dike(s); DA dam; DI = ditch(es);
DR dredging; F = fill; H = hay; HI = high water; M muskrat ponds; 0 = off-road vehicle damage; R = railroad right-of-way;
RO road; S = ship or boat wakes; W wildlife openings.

Table 3. Special plants, special animals and selected other animals from Great Lakes Marshes,of the
northern half of Michigan's Lower Peninsula and of Michigan's Upper Peninsula.

Marsh Special plant(s) Special animal(s) Other animals

I Tobico Platanthera ciliaris *Bald eagle Muskrat

2 Squaw Bay *Iris lacustris

3 Whitefish Bay *Iris lacustris

4 El Cajon Bay/Misery Bay *Iris lacustris

5 False Presque Isle Cypripedium arietinum

6 Cheboygan State Park *Solidago houghtonii 1,Sald eagle
*Iris lacustris *Piping plover

7 Carp/Pine Rivers *Bald eagle Beaver, Muskrat

8 St. Martin Bay

9 Hessel

10 Peck Bay

11 Voight Bay *Iris lacustris

12 Duck Bay

13 Big Shoal Cove Astragalus neglectus *Bald eagle
Carex concinna,
Carex richardsonii
Carex scirpoidea
Cirsium hillii
Cypripedium arietinum
Platanthera unalascensis
Sporobolus heterolepis

14 Stony Creek Harrier

15 Pentwater River

16 Pere Marquette River

17 Big Sable River Armoracia aquatica

18 Manistee River Lake sturgeon
*Bald eagle
Harrier
'Great Blue Heron Rookery

Table 3. (continued).

jL Marsh Special plant(s) Special animal(s) Other animals

19 Bar Lake

20 Arcadia Lake Zizania aquatica, var.
aquatica

21 Betsie River *Cirsium pitcheri

22 Petobego Pond *Bald Eagle

23 Waugoshance Point Bromus pumpellianus *Piping plover
Pinguicula vulgaris
*Solidago, houghtonii
Tanacetum huronense
*Cirsium pitcheri
Calypso bulbosa

24 Cecil Bay *Iris lacustris Grizzled skipper
*Cirsium pitcheri
Tanacetum huronense
Cypripidium arietinum
Calypso bulbosa

25 Epoufette Bay Mimulus glabr. var. mich.
Tanacetum huronense

26 Kenyon Bay

27 Grand Island *Bald eagle

28 Independence IAke *Bald eagle
Osprey

29 Lac La Belle Aster nemoralis
Epilobium palustre

Federally threatened or endangered species.

graminea (arrowhead) and Sagittaria montevidensis, appeared to be more

numerous, probably indicating that they do not tolerate the erosive forces

present when water levels are higher.

Shoreward of the Emergent Marsh, where flooding is only occasional,

lies the Wet Meadow zone, typically dominated by grasses and sedges. The

common dominants, both in Upper Michigan and Lower Michigan were

Calamagrostis canadensis (bluejoint) and Carex stricta (sedge). Clumps of

Salix ssp. (willow), Cornus ssp. (dogwood), and/or Cephalanthus

occidentalis (buttonbush) were scattered within this zone. Past human

disturbance was common within this zone, in the form of haying and row

cropping. Whereas farming was unsuccessful in most Wet Meadows in Upper

Michigan, more extensive drainage coupled with a longer growing season

resulted in continued agricultural use of these lands in southern Lower

Michigan. Only the wettest of the meadows were abandoned or never farmed.

Shrub Swamp and Swamp Forest occupied the higher lands adjacent to the

Wet Meadow, where flooding is less severe. It was noted that the trees and

sometimes the shrubs nearest to the shore were killed by the high water

levels of 1986-7. Whereas Hardwood-Conifer Swamp, Rich Conifer Swamp, or

Poor Conifer Swamp were common along the marshes in Upper or northern Lower

Michigan, those in southern Lower Michigan are characterized by Southern

Swamp dominated by hardwoods. Common tree specie s in the Hardwood-Conifer

or Conifer Swamp include Thuia occidentalis (northern white-cedar), Abies

balsamea (balsam fir), Picea mariana (black spruce), Picea Rlauca (white

spruce), Acer rubrum (red maple), Populus balsamifera (balsam poplar),

Betula Papyrifera (paper birch), and Populus tremuloides (trembling aspen).

Common species in Southern Swamps include PoRulus deltoides (cottonwood),

-Fraxinus Rensylvanica (red ash), Acer saccharinum'(silver maple), Ulmus,

americanus (American elm), Quercus bicolor (swamp white oak), Ouercus

macrocarRa (bur oak), and Quercus Palustris (pin oak).

Physiographic Features

The type of physiographic feature upon or within which a marsh

develops appears to be important in determining the nature of the

vegetative zonation. The landforms noted in this study include estuaries,

river mouths, narrow, unprotected shorelines, bays, islands, tombolos, and

interdunal swales.

Estuaries are located along streams which are influenced by the Great

Lakes water levels. Along the Lake Michigan shoreline of Lower Michigan,

almost all of the rivers north of the Black River in Allegan County, flow

into small lakes separated from Lake Michigan by sand spits and/or sand

dunes. Many of these small lakes were bays of Lake Michigan prior to the

Lake Nippising low water stage (approximately 4,000 years ago). Most of

the large rivers in Lake Superior with marshes near their mouths also flow

into lakes which were originally embayments of Lake Superior. The

estuaries are protected from the wave action of the Great Lakes, and

typically have thick deposits of organic soil, capable of supporting Wet

Meadow, Shrub Swamp, and Swamp Forest. In the south, estuaries often

contain large, unstable areas of floating aquatic vegetation, including

Peltandra virginica (arrow-alum), NyMphaea odorata, Decodon verticillata

(water-willow), and Nuphar advena. In the north, typical aquatic

vegetation in the unstable areas includes,Carex exilis (sedge), Carex

limosa, Dulichium arundinacea (sedge), Cladium mariscoides (twig-rush),

RhynchosRora alba (beak-rush), and sphagnum mosses. None of the Lower

Peninsula estuaries sampled in 1989 were of statewide natural area

significance; the Lac La Belle estuary in Keweenaw County was an extensive

and significant wetland.

River mouths typically support a broad Wet Meadow zone, with an

equally well developed Emergent Marsh zone. Swamp Forest and Shrub Swamp

zones are usually present. Most of the river mouths do not have thick

organic substrates like those found in the protected environment of the

estuaries. Many of the rivers surveyed had major deltas where they entered

the Great Lakes. The changing course of the river across the delta

typically resulted in the formation of abandoned oxbow lakes, which

initially supported submergent or floating vegetation, but eventually

succeeded to Wet Meadow, Shrub Swamp, or Swamp Forest. The best examples

of this are the St. Clair River Delta, portions of Pointe Mouillee Marsh on

the Huron River, and the Portage Lake Marsh on the Sturgeon River in

Houghton County.

Islands are present within many of the large rivers. The vegetation

along the edges of these islands is similar to that found on the river's

mainland shoreline. Typical island with marshes include the St. Clair

River Delta (Dickinson Island) and several small islands in the Grand

River.

Most of the Bays occupy erosional depressions or basins in the

shoreline where a river or creek entered into one of the Great Lakes or

into a larger river (such as the St. Marys River in the eastern Upper

Peninsula). Some of the depressions are pre-glacial valleys which were not

completely destroyed by glacial erosion. Other basins were formed by

glacial outwash streams and are now occupied by post-glacial streams.

Still other basins were formed by post-glacial streams eroding into glacial

drift. The previous discussion of river mouths describes the vegetal zones

of these bays adequately.

Most of the larger bays contain the mouth of one or more rivers, and

typically are the sites of the larger marshes. Saginaw Bay, which contains

several of the marshes sampled in 1988, receives waters from a number of

rivers, including the Rifle, Pine, Saginaw, Kawkawlin, Quanicassee, and

Sebewaing. In Upper Michigan, St. Martin Bay contains two large rivers,

the Carp and the Pine. Both of these large rivers, and in Lower Michigan,

large rivers such as the Saginaw, occupy pre-glacial channels in the

underlying bedrock. These pre-glacial channels are partially filled with

glacial deposits, which, in the case of the Saginaw River, consist of tens

of feet of lacustrine clays and sands.

Prevailing winds can move sands along a coastline, often forming

sandspits which enclose small bays. Some of the smaller bays consist

merely of a section of curved shoreline protected from the prevailing

winds. These small areas of protected shoreline allow the development of

Emergent Marsh, but the Swamp Forest, Shrub Swamp, and Wet Meadow zones are

often absent or poorly developed. Portions of the Wildfowl Bay Wildlife

Area, consists of small protected bays on the lee side of Manisou,

Heisterman, and Middle Grounds Islands.

In the eastern Upper Peninsula and northern Lower Michigan, some of

the small bays were carved from the soft limestone or dolomite bedrock by

glacial ice. Bedrock is at or close to the surface in these marshes.

Squaw Bay in Alpena County and Big Shoal Cove on Drummond Island are two

such marshes.

Unprotected shoreline sometimes supported aquatic vegetation,

typically a narrow band of Emergent Marsh consisting of Scirpus acutus, S.

validus, S, americanus, and Eleocharis smallii. Behind this narrow band

there was usually a low beach ridge, with an Interdunal Swale farther

towards the shore. The swale sometimes contained another narrow band of

Emergent.Marsh or Submergent Marsh with both submergent and floating

species. In southern Lower Michigan, the marshes south of the Pine River

in Arenac County are good examples of marsh along a relatively unprotected

shoreline; in eastern Upper Michigan, St. Martin Bay and Pine/Carp Rivers

are narrow marshes along a relatively unprotected shoreline.

Along some shorelines, wave activity is intense enough that no marsh

can develop. Occasionally conditions are right to allow large interdunal

swales to be created just behind the foredune, providing a site for marshes

to develop. In southern Lower Michigan, Tobico marsh occupies such a

swale. Other examples of marshes developing in swales are at Petobego Pond

in Grand Traverse County and near Independence Lake in Marquette County.

A Tombolo is an island, or islands, connected to a mainland by sand

bars or a shallow bedrock shelf. Two very good examples of wetlands

forming on tombolos are found in Upper Michigan. Pequaming, in Baraga

County, consists of a sedge- and sphagnum moss-dominated Bog or Poor Fen

developed on deep, unstable peat deposits, between two well-developed,

relatively high sand bars. The tombolo on the eastern end of Grand Island,

in Alger County, in contrast, consists of numerous parallel, low sand bars,

with shallow adjacent swales. The swales contain shallow, firm peat

deposits upon which sedges are dominant. A third, less evident tombolo is

found at Independence Lake, where two (rather than only one) upland

"islands" are connected by series of sand bars parallel to the adjacent

mainland, creating Independence Lake in the process. The wetland swales at

Independence Lake also contain Bog or Poor Fen vegetation.

Special Plants

In the 1989 surveys, Zizania aguatica var. aquatica (wild rice, state

threatened), was found at Arcadia Lake in Manistee County, growing on deep

muck soils. This represents one of the northern-most records for this

taxon. In the southern half of the Lower Peninsula, this species is found

in estuaries along the Galien, Macatawa, and Grand Rivers.

Iris lacustris (dwarf lake iris, state and federally threatened) was

found, in 1989, along the upland edge of four marshes; Whitefish and El

Cajon Bays in Alpena County, Voight Bay on Marquette Island in Mackinac

County, and Cecil Bay in Emmet County.

Aster nemoralis (bog aster, state special concern) was also

encountered in large numbers at Lac La Belle, in Keweenaw County, the most

northwesterly known locality for the species.

SITE SUMMARIES

A short discussion of each marsh sampled or visited during the 1989

field season follows. Sampling was limited at Independence Lake because we

could not get permission from the landowners to sample on their land, or'to

get access to state-owned lands. At El Cajon Bay/Misery Bay, sampling was

limited to El Cajon Bay. Storm winds from the east caused us to abandon

attempts to sample Misery Bay on two occasions. Misery Bay has abiotic and

biotic conditions similar to nearby El Cajon and Whitefish Bays. Each

sampled marsh was mapped to show plant communities, sampling transect, and

usually adjacent land use (Appendix IV). Ownerships were obtained from the

most recently available plat books.

Lake Huron

1. Tobico (Bay Co., C-D) This 1300 acre marsh, located in a large

Swale along the shore of Saginaw Bay, is part of the Tobico Marsh State

Came Area and the Tobico Marsh Wildlife Refuge. It was sampled both in

1988 and 1989. This marsh probably formed when a sandspit formed to entrap

a small embayment, forming a pond. Although the area has undergone

management by the DNR, which possibly includes some water-level

manipulation, the pond is a natural feature which was mentioned by Ceneral

Land Office (GLO) surveyors in the early 1800's. The northern portion of

the marsh complex is dominated by a broad Emergent Marsh of cattails. This

portion is low in plant diversity, but is probably of significance for

waterfowl and muskrat production. East and west of the pond the zonation

of the marsh is better and plant diversity is probably higher. On the

eastern shoreline low beach ridges and sand spits separate Saginaw Bay from

the pond. Black oak dominates the tops of the dry sand spits, while the

ground cover consists of drought-tolerant grasses and sedges.

Between the oak-dominated sand spits, swales (which are part of the

pond) support broad expanses of Wet Meadow. The Wet Meadow community is

typical of that found in most of the embayments along Saginaw Bay, with

Calamagrostis canadensis (blue-joint grass) and Carex stricta (sedge)

dominating. Similar zonation exists along the western shore of the pond,

where Southern Swamp Forest dominates a series of parallel beach ridges and

swales. Some of the larger swales are dominated by Wet Meadow. A second

small, shallow embayment was trapped further to the southwest by these

beach ridges. This embayment was completely occupied by Emergent Marsh and

Southern Wet Meadow.

The transect plots sampled during the 1989 field season contained 44

species, which are much more representative of the marsh than the species

encountered in the 1988 transect, which contained only 14 species. The

1988 transect was placed in a region dominated almost entirely by cat-

tail. Approximately half of the sampling points were within the Wet Meadow

zone, where the majority of the 44 species were found. The other sampling

points were within the Emergent Marsh zone, which was dominated by cat-

tail. The Emergent Marsh had low diversity, much like the cat-tail

dominated area sampled in 1988. Occasional roundish openings within the

cat-tail zone were likely the result of muskrat activity.

There is a known occurrence of bald eagle (state and federally

threatened) within the marsh area. Platanthera ciliaris (yellow fringed-

orchid, state special concern) is also known from the edge of the marsh.

Extensive sand mining has occurred at the south end of this embayment,

but the Emergent Marsh, Shrub Swamp, and-Wet Meadow at the northern end do

not appear to have been greatly impacted by this activity. Several other

types of disturbance have occurred within the marsh complex. At least 4

ditches enter the pond along its western shore. These ditches drain

adjacent fields to the west and probably have little impact upon the water

levels or vegetation of the pond. The fields that abut the marsh on the

west, were previously occupied by Swamp Forest, Shrub Swamp, and Lakeplain

Wet-Mesic Prairie. ORV damage is apparent in portions of the marsh. A

railroad line runs along the eastern edge of the marsh, possibly causing

ground fires which mimic the effect of Indian-set fires upon the natural

vegetation. A road and residential development along Saginaw Bay have

degraded the natural area value of the shoreline.

Although the majority of the wetland is state-owned, there are four

private owners in the northwest corner, in Sections 13 and 25, and two

private owners in Section 25 to the south. Hartley and Hartley, Inc., a

large ownership in Section 25, is doing extensive sand mining.

2. Squaw Bay (Alpena Co., B-C) This 720 acre marsh is located in a

small embayment of Lake Huron, approximately 3 miles south of the city of

Alpena. The shoreline of the marsh consists of a limestone bedrock beach

overlain with cobbles and similar rubble. There has been little or no

development of organic soils near the shoreline. The Squaw Bay

Environmental Area, designated by the Shorelands Protection Program, is

included within the area mapped as Great Lakes Marsh.

Approximately 400 acres of the marsh is of high natural quality, with

the other 280 acres impacted by either rapidly encroaching residential

development along the north side of the bay or by the proximity of U. S.

Route 23 on the west side of the bay. The residential development has-

impacted both the Wet Meadow zone, adjacent to where most of the houses are

located, and the Emergent zone, where small boats have destroyed most of

the emergent vegetation. Earlier grazing of the north shoreline by cattle

also altered the vegetation of the Wet Meadow zone. A portion of the Wet

Meadow and Emergent Marsh zones, located west of U. S. Route 23, has

undergone hydrologic alteration. There is also a ditch along the west side

of the highway.

The remaining high-quality marsh consists of a dense zone of emergent

vegetation in the shallow waters of the bay, with a Wet Meadow zone or

Shrub Swamp zone along the moist shoreline. Cedar swamp borders almost the

entire upland edge of the wetland. The Emergent Marsh, which extends

approximately 400 meters into the bay, consists of a relatively dense bed

of Scirpus acutus (hardstem bulrush) and Eleocharis smallii (spike-rush),

with some TyRha Xylauca (hybrid cat-tail), Potamogeton gramineus

(pondweed), and Sagittaria latifolia (duck-potato). The Emergent zone ends

at a water depth of less than 30 cm (12 in), where the substrate consists

of a thin veneer of sand upon cobbles. The shallowness of the water

probably indicates that wave erosion during storms is the factor

controlling the breadth of the Emergent zone.

The first sampling point was located on a low cobble ridge near the

upland margin; the second point was located on a cobbly beach flat. Over

80% of the species identified in the transect were within the first three

sampling points. Many of these species were consistently found along the

calcareous shorelines of the marshes within the Mackinac Straits area,

including Carex viridula (sedge), Cladium mariscoides (twig-rush), Lobelia

kalmii (Kalm's lobelia), Satureia arkansana, and Eieocharis Rauciflora

(spike-rush). Chara sp. was also common in the Emergent zone of the

marshes along the calcareous Straits area. Dwarf lake iris is known from

the margins of the bay.

This marsh is not a high priority for natural areas protection for

several reasons. The first is the intensive development already existing

within the boundaries of the marsh, primarily U. S Route 23 and residential

development. Second, Realty Development Corporation can be expected to

continue shoreline development, especially near rapidly growing Alpena.

Third, land acquisition for protection would probably be very expensive due

to local shoreline land values. Fourth, the heavy adjacent residential

land-use is the source of ORV and other recreational uses which degrade the

quality of the marsh.

The center of the marsh at Squaw Bay consists of small tracts; the

northeastern end of the marsh, in Section 11, is owned by one owner, Realty

Development Corporation. The southwestern portion of the marsh, in

Sections 9 and 16, consists of two large ownerships, one by E. Schemanski

and the other by Phil C. Smith.

3. Whitefish Bay (Alpena Co., B-C) This 300 acre wetland, which

contains about 170 acres of marsh, is located approximately 3 miles east of

Alpena along the east shore of Whitefish Bay, a small embayment within

larger Thunder Bay. The Whitefish Bay Environmental Area, designated by

the Shorelands Protection Program of the Michigan DNR, is located within

the area mapped. The location of a large cement factory and quarry between

the marsh and Alpena appears to have restricted residential development in

the area. South of the marsh scattered, large single-family homes are

located along the shoreline.

The marsh, which is generally less than 500 m (1640 ft) wide, consists

of a relatively wide zone of shallow Emergent Marsh on a clay substrate,

with a narrow Wet Meadow zone bordered by dense cedar swamp. During 1989

sampling the Emergent Marsh was saturated, but there was almost no standing

water. Sandspits along the shoreline, which separated the Emergent Marsh

zone from open water, had little vegetation and, based on 1987 aerial

photos, appeared to have been produced by the 1986 high-water levels of the

Great Lakes. During this high-water period, water levels would have been

approximately .6 m (2 ft) deep in most of the Emergent Marsh. Four typical

species of Emergent Marshes, Scirpus americanus (threesquare), Scirpus

acutus (hardstem bulrush), Juncus balticus (rush), and Cladium mariscoides

(twig-rush) were common. Most of the remainder of the 59 species found in

the marsh were also found in the Emergent zone. Many of these species are

typical of the moist, calcareous clay, marl, or cobble flats of the Straits

area. Among the more common are Lobelia kalmii (Kalm's lobelia),

Eleocharis rostellata (spike-rush), Eleocharis Pauciflora (spike-rush),

Potentilla fruticosa (shrubby cinquefoil), Tofieldia glutinosa (false

asphodel), Primula mistassinica_(primrose), and Sarracenia Purpurea

(pitcher-plant).

The Wet Meadow zone, located between the Emergent Marsh and the Rich

Conifer Swamp, is narrow and somewhat arbitrarily defined on the presence

of Calamagrostis canadensis (blue-joint grass), Carex stricta (sedge),

Carex interior (sedge), and two species of shrub, Aronia melanocarpa (black

chokeberry) and ftrica gale (sweet gale).

The Rich Conifer Swamp, dominated by Thuia occidentalis (northern

white-cedar), also contained small Abies balsamea (balsam fir). The soils

beneath the swamp consist of 25-30 cm (10-12 in) of muck over sand. A

virtual carpet of Iris lacustris (dwarf lake iris, state and federal

threatened) formed beneath the cedars, between the Wet Meadow and a small

road to the east.

The majority of the marsh has suffered little damage. ORVs have

damaged the shoreline near the north edge of the bay, but have not damaged

the Emergent Marsh or Wet Meadow zones. A small two-track road extends to

the edge of the marsh from the south along a sandspit. The dirt road along

the east side of the marsh, which continues to Whitefish Point and further

south, does not appear to impact the marsh. The road is located on an old

beach ridge. A small portion of the marsh at the north has been filled to

construct North Point/Misery Bay Road. Within the marsh, cut sections of

cedar and white pine logs, apparently from early logging operations in the

area, are relatively common.

The marsh is shown to by owned by one large owner, the Huron Portland

Cement Co. According to workers at t he Huron Portland Cement Co., this

company and an adjacent private club east of Whitefish Bay, have been

recently sold to another party. The private club consists of several

single-family residences owned by members.

Protection should be sought for the marsh and adjacent swamp, both

because of the large population of dwarf lake iris and the diverse Emergent

Marsh. Single ownership of the tract may simplify either purchase or

negotiation of a management agreement.

4. El Cajon Bay/Misery Bay (Alpena Co., A) This 440 acre marsh is

located approximately 8 km (5 mi) east of the city of Alpena, along the

western shore of Lake Huron. Both Crooked Islanci and Misery Bay

Environmental Areas are within the mapped marsh. Rich Conifer Swamp

accounts for an additional 1600 acres along the margins of the marsh.

El Cajon Bay is a small, shallow, well protected bay at the north end

of Misery Bay. Misery Bay, in contrast, receives very little protection

from easterly winds off Lake Huron. Sampling was limited to El Cajon Bay

due to stormy weather during field visits.

The marsh at El Cajon Bay is very similar to that on Whitefish Bay;

the Emergent Marsh zone is nearly 500 m (.3 mi) wide, while the Wet Meadow

zone is very narrow. Cedar Swamp (Rich Conifer Swamp) begins at the

shoreward edge of the Wet Meadow zone.

The clay surface of most of the Emergent Marsh zone was saturated,

with water depths occasionally reaching 25 cm (9 in). Washed up vegetation

at the shoreward margins of the Emergent Marsh marked the 1986 high-water

line. As the shallow waters of the bay were reached, species diversity

dropped greatly, with only Chaga sp. (stonewort) and Sciryus acutus

(hardstem bulrush) present. Dominants in the Emergent zone include Juncus

balticus (rush), Scirpus acutug, Scirpus americanus (threesquare), and

Chara sp. Other species in the Emergent Marsh, are typically common on

moist, calcareous beaches. These includefladium mariscoides (twig-rush),

Carex viridula (sedge), and Lobelia kalmii (Kalm's lobelia).

The narrow Wet Meadow zone, also with a clay substrate, contained

Calamagrostis canadensis (blue joint), Carex interior (sedge), Potentilla

fruticosa (shrubby cinquefoil), HyReric kalmii (Kalm's St. Johnswort),

Sarracenia RurRurea (pitcher-plant) and Satureja arkansana. The presence

of these and other calciphiles characterizes many of the marshes within the

Mackinac Straits area. A small colony of Iris lacustris (dwarf lake iris,

state and federally threatened) was found growing on an isolated low, sand

beach ridge within the Wet Meadow zone.

Rich Conifer Swamp forms a 120-150 m (400-500 ft) wide zone between

the uplands and the Wet Meadow. The upland forest upl and of the swamp is

also rich in conifers, with cedar a common dominant. Dwarf lake iris is

common in the cedar swamps, covering 50-75% of the ground in a 15-20 m (50-

60 ft) wide swath along the swamp's lakeward margin.

Species diversity in El Cajon Bay is relatively low; only 39 species

were encountered in the transect. Sampling within the swamp forest and in

Misery Bay would increase the number of species encountered significantly.

Disturbance within El Cajon Bay was minimal. There was a house built

at the far west end of the bay, and there were also low levels of ORV use.

The swamp and upland forest to the north had been logged in the past, but

were reaching maturity. Disturbance on Misery Bay is concentrated at the

east end of Misery Bay Road, where there is a small marina and several

single-family homes. The three miles of marshy shoreline south of the road

show little sign of major human disturbance. West of Misery Bay swampy

land extends more than a mile inland in places, probably accounting for the

lack of residential development.

The north half of El Cajon Bay, in Section 15, is owned by Michigan

and is managed as part of the Mackinac State Forest. An occurrence of a

high quality Moist Nonacid Cliff, at the west end of the bay, and an

occurrence of Karst and Spring in shallow waters of the bay are on State

Forest lands. The southern half of Section 15 is owned by Ken Houghmaster

et al. This tract contains only one shoreline home at the extreme west end

of the bay, and should be considered for purchase to protect the marsh.and.

shoreline. The Rich Conifer Swamp in this parcel has been identified as

significant in an earlier sur-vey. Dwarf lake iris does not appear to be

common in the swamp forest in the southern half of Section 15.

The shoreline of Misery Bay, in Section 22 and the north half of

Section 27, is part of Prospect Park, an unincorporated town or village.

The southern part of Section 27, and all of Sections 34 and 35 are owned by

one organization, Beaumont Point, Inc., c/o David Barnett. The most

significant portion of the Misery Bay marsh is that in Sections 27, 34, and

35, which should be considered as a prime candidate for acquisition as a

natural area. Dwarf lake iris may also be common along the shoreline of

Misery Bay.

5. False Presque Isle Bay (Presque Isle Co., B) This 340 acre marsh

is located along the Bell River, near the south end of Grand Lake. The

marsh, separated from Lake Huron by a narrow wetland area at the north,

consists of a 100 m (300 ft) wide zone of Wet Meadow and a 40 m (130 ft)

wide zone of Emergent Marsh. The organic deposits in the Wet Meadow are

only a few cm thick near the shoreline, but greater than 3 m (10 ft) thick

near the boundary between the Wet Meadow and Emergent Marsh zones. The

thick organic soil appears to be a floating mat, which is very unstable at

the water's edge. Thirty-six species were encountered in the short

transect. The upland forest to both the east and west of the marsh has

been removed and removal of limestone has begun almost to the edge of the

wetland.

The Wet Meadow zone is dominated by Calamagrostis canadensis (blue-

joint grass), Carex stricta (sedge), and an unidentified sedge species.

The Emergent Marsh zone is dominated by ScirRus actitus (hardstem bulrush),

Eleocharis rostellata (rush), and TyRha angustifolia (narrow-leaved cat-

tail). Chara sp. (stonewort) and Leersia oKyzoides (cut grass) are also

present.

Part of the Wet Meadow, Shrub Swamp, and Rich Conifer Swamp have been

cut by a road, locally altering the hydrology of these zones. Quarrying of

limestone on the adjacent uplands has probably resulted in at least some

degradation and impact to the wetland plant communities. The extreme

alteration of the uplands by quarrying reduces the natural area value of

this marsh, even though the marsh probably remains functional as habitat

for fish, waterfowl, and other wetland species. The marsh is low priority

for land acquisition, due primarily to its moderate quality and the poor

potential for protection. There are previously known occurrences of bald

eagle (state and federally threatened) and CyRriRedium arietinum (ram's-

head lady-slipper, state special concern) from the site.

The entire marsh is under the ownership of Quile Corporation, the

manager of the adjacent, large-scale, limestone quarry operation.

6. Cheboygan State Park (Cheboygan Co., A) This 280 acre marsh,

located entirely within Cheboygan State Park, is on the east side of Duncan

Bay, which is located in the Straits of Mackinac. Part of the marsh is

designated as the Duncan Bay Environmental Area. Three transects were

conducted at this marsh, resulting in the identification of 98 species, the

highest number of species found at any of the marshes sampled in 1989. The

number of species found in single transects ranged from 53 to 69,

demonstrating that all transects were located in species-rich areas. The

zones represented in this marsh complex include Rich Conifer Swamp, Shrub

Swamp, Wet Meadow, Sand and Cobble Beach, and Emergent Marsh.

The Wet Meadow zone was up to 160 m (500 ft) wide. The dominant

plants of the Wet Meadow included Calamagrostis canadensis (blue-joint

grass), Carex stricta (sedge), Carex viridula (sedge), Carex lasiocarpa

(sedge), Phalaris arundinacea (reed canary grass), and Cladium mariscoides

(twig-rush). hyrica &Lle (sweet gale), SRiraea alba (meadowsweet), and

several species of Salix (willow) are also common within the Wet Meadow,

along with several other calciphiles characteristic of moist beaches and

other calcareous shores.

The Emergent Marsh zone was also broad, greater than 300 meters wide

in one transect. Due to low water levels, a large portion of this zone was

saturated but had no standing water in 1989. As a result of these low

water levels, the zone contained species typical of both the moist beach

and the Emergent Marsh. Species typical of the Emergent Marsh included

ScirRus acutus (hardstem bulrush), Scirpus americanus (threesquare),

ScirRus validus (softstem bulrush), and Sagittaria latifolia (duck-potato).

Species typical of the moist beach include Utricularia cornuta

(bladderwort), Juncus brevicaudatus (rush), Juncus canadensis (rush), and

Eleocharis Rauciflora (spike-rush). Rich Conifer Swamp borders the marsh,

accounting for approximately 400 acres of wetland.

There is little sign of human disturbance within the marsh. Potential

for protection and management for the marsh system is high, since it is

within state park boundaries. Adjacent land use in the park include a

campground and a swimming beach.

The park is a known site for bald eagles (state and federally

threatened), although it is not known if there is an occupied nest within

the park. Eagles.have been sighted over the marsh in 1985 (during previqus

CZM surveys of coastal dune areas) and also during this survey. Duncan Bay

is known as an historic site for eagles, and a nesting site on Lighthouse

Point has been documented (Tom Weise, pers. comm.) Piping plovers (state

and federally endangered) nested here in 1989.

Special plants present within the park include Solidago houghtonii

(Houghton's goldenrod) and Iris lacustris (dwarf lake iris), both of which

are federally threatened species. Houghton's goldenrod is very localized

in the park, occupying the foredune areas fringing the bay. Dwarf lake

iris occurs in localized, but dense colonies that are concentrated near the

campground, extending into the cedar-dominated areas north of the bay.

The entire marsh is within Cheboygan State Park ownership. Grass Bay,

a preserve of The Nature Conservancy located immediately to the east,

provides protection and management to an additional large stretch of Lake

Huron shoreline.

7. Carp/Pine Rivers (Mackinac Co., A) This 220 acre marsh, which

stretches from the Carp River to the Pine River, consists of a narrow band

of Wet Meadow and Emergent Marsh along two and a half miles of Lake Huron

shoreline. The entire shoreline between the rivers is designated as the

Carp River Environmental Area by the Shorelands Protection Program of the

Michigan DNR. Interdunal swales comprise narrow zones of Emergent Marsh

separated by low beach ridges. Plants characteristic of the Emergent Marsh

zone occupy the lower portions of the beach ridges and foredune, continuing

into the shallow waters of Lake Huron. Behind the open marsh is a broad

zone of Hardwood-Conifer Swamp, which occupies narrow swales between

several low, forested beach ridges. The swamp accounts for an additional

300 acres of wetland.

The erosive force of the lake is strong, causing extensive alteration

of the marsh within only a few years time. When the marsh was first

visited during the high water levels of 1986 and 1987, the Emergent Marsh

zone had been greatly altered, with most of the Juncus balticus (rush)

buried by recently deposited foredune and the Scirpus acutus (hardstem

bulrush) culms and rhizomes eroded by waves. Parts of the Wet Meadow were

still intact, but the grass and sedge mats along with underlying organic

soils in other parts were heavily eroded, often down to the unde rlying

limestone bedrock. When the marsh was revisited in 1989, the Emergent

Marsh and foredune were being revegetated. The eroded organic materials at

the edge of the Wet Meadow zone were still evident. The entire marsh was

less than 160 m (500 ft) wide, from the edge of the forest to open water.

The Wet Meadow zone, less than 60 m (180 ft) wide, is dominated by

Calamagrostis canadensis (blue-joint grass), Carex aguatilis (sedge), Carex

stricta (sedge), and Carex lasiocarpa (sedge). Salix candida and Salix

Redicellaris (willows), Alnus rugosa (speckled alder), Lysimachia

terrestris (loosestrife), and CaMRanula aparinoidea (marsh-bellflower) are

also common in this zone. I

Dominants within the Emergent Marsh, less than 100 meters wide,

include Scirpus acutus (hardstem bulrush), Eleocharis smallii (spike-rush),

Pontederia cordata (pickerelweed), and SaSittaria latifolia (wapato).

Isoetes sp. (quillwort) also grows in the saturated sands at the edge of

the foredune and in the shallow waters of the Emergent Marsh.

Only 44 species were encountered in the sampling transect. Additional

species could be expected if a second transect had been located further to

south, where exposed limestone was encountered during 1987 field surveys..

Exposed limestone and cobble beach support calciphiles not encountered on

the sand soils of the sampling transect. The higher diversity found

further to the east on St. Martin Bay (see St. Martin Bay marsh) reflects

the presence of cobble beach and limestone bedrock.

Bald eagles (state and federally threatened) are known to nest in the

general area around the marsh. No other Special Plants or Animals are

known from the site.

Beaver floodings and muskrat lodges are common, contributing to the

natural disturbance within the marsh complex. Fluctuating water levels of

the Great Lakes and storm waves account for most of the natural disturbance

occurring within this marsh. Limited ORV damage occurs, but is restricted

primarily to the foredune and beach area. The entire marsh complex is of

natural area quality, even though natural disturbance levels are high.

The southern portion of the marsh, in Sections 9, 16, and 21, is part

of the Hiawatha National Forest. At the north end of the marsh, in Section

10, there are six landowners, each owning less than 40 acres of shoreline

property. At present, it appears that none of these owners has

significantly altered the shoreline wetland. Although the northern section

of the marsh is privately owned, it is of relatively low priority for

purchase, since most of the marsh is under public ownership.

8. St. Martin Bay (Mackinac Co., A-D) This 270 acre marsh occurs

along a 4 mile stretch of shoreline on St. Martin Bay, extending from

Pontchartrain Point in the northwest nearly to St. Martin Point in the

southeast. The Pontchartrain Environmental Area is located within the

marsh. Scattered marshes also occur in the 6.6 km (4 mi) stretch between

the Pine River (further to the west) and Ponchartrain Point, but the

marshes are narrow and small.

The St. Martin Bay marsh consists of a narrow zone of Wet Meadow,

typically less than 100 m (300 ft) wide, and a slightly wider zone of

Emergent Marsh, 200-300 m (660-1000 ft) wide. Rich Conifer Swamp or cedar-

dominated upland forests form the landward boundary of the marsh.

The Wet Meadow zone is dominated by Calamagrostis canadensis (blue-

joint grass), Carex stricta (sedge), and Carex lasiocarRa (sedge). Other

sedges are common. Common shrubs include Myrica gale (sweet gale) and

Alnus rugosa (speckled alder). Other common species of the zone are

CaMRanula aRarinoidei (marsh-bellflower), Lathyrus Valustris (vetch or

beach pea), and Scutellaria Calericulata (skullcap).

The Emergent Marsh occupies sandy substrate with water ranging from

saturated to 94 cm (37 in) in depth. Rocks are common in the shallow

water. There are indications that the emergent vegetation was heavily

eroded by high water in the past. The Emergent zone, from 200-300 m (660-

1000 ft) wide, consists of a dense band of Scirpus acutus (hardstem

bulrush), Scirpus americanus (threesquare), and Eleocharis smallii (spike-

rush). Common submergent species include Potamogeton gramineus (pondweed)

and Chara sp. (stonewort).

Although the diversity of this marsh is relatively low, it is

characteristic of the narrow marshes located along shorelines where only

minimal protection from erosive storm waves exists. It is probably one of

the longest continuous areas of narrow marsh remaining on the shores of

Lakes Huron, Michigan, or Superior.

Bald eagles (state and federally threatened) are known to nest in the

general area of the marsh. No other Special Plants or Animals are known,

from the site.

Human disturbance within the marsh is restricted to roadfill for

Michigan Highway 134 and a small boat dock to the south of Michigan Highway

134 in Section 16. Minor ORV damage is also present along the shoreline.

A large part of this narrow marsh, approximately 3.3 km (2 mi) of

shoreline in Sections 17, 20, 27, and 28, is within the Hiawatha National

Forest. Another tract in Section 27 is owned by the Nature Conservancy.

The shoreline in Section 16, and part of the shoreline in Section 27, is

privately owned by several owners. Sections 3 and 33 to the south are

under multiple small ownerships. The extent of protected coastal marsh

could be increased either by management agreement with owners or by

purchasing the shoreline. Because of the extensiveness of the shoreline

remaining in private ownership, management agreements are probably a more

realistic approach.

9. Hessel (Mackinac Co., B-D) This 305 acre marsh, located within

the city of Hessel, along the shore of Mackinac Bay, is protected from the

severe storm waves of Lake Huron by the Les Cheneaux Islands. The marsh is

designated as the Lone Susan Environmental Area. Michigan Highway 134

crosses the northern edge of the marsh, altering the hydrology of at least

40 acres of marsh.

Fifty-eight species were encountered in this marsh, which consists

primarily of broad zones of Wet Meadow and Emergent Marsh. Shrub Swamp and

Rich Conifer Swamp (northern white-cedar dominated) are also present.

The Wet Meadow was approximately 120 m (390 ft) wide on the sampling

transect. The soils are 23-56 cm (9-22 in) deep organic deposits over

sand. Dominants included Calamagrostis canadensis (blue-joint grass) and

Carex stricta (sedge). Other species common within the zone include

LXsimachia Lhyrsiflora (loosestrife), Potentill palustris (swamp

cinquefoil), Campanula aparinoides (marsh-bellflower), and several species

of Sali (willow).

The soils of the Emergent Marsh consist of organic deposits over sand

for the 80-100 m (260-330 ft) nearest to shore, with sand at the surface

for the remainder of the transect. Organic soils are 91-97 cm (36-38 in)

deep at the ecotone between the Wet Meadow and Emergent Marsh, where water

is less than an inch deep. Forty meters further into the bay, in the last

transect point where organic soils are encountered, organic depth is 18 cm

(7 in) and water depth is 15 cm (6 in). At the ecotone, organic soils are

most susceptible to erosion during high-water periods. Dominant vegetation

probably alters between that typical of Wet Meadow and Emergent Marsh

zones, depending on fluctuations of water depth.

Dominants within the Emergent Marsh, which is 300 m (1000 ft) wide,

include Scirpus acutus (hardstem bulr ush), Scirpus subterminalis (bulrush),

CeratoRhyllum demersum (coontail), NuRhar variegata (spatterdock), and

several species of Potamogeton (pondweed). The Emergent Marsh is

relatively diverse, containing about 20 species.

Human disturbance is remarkably limited, considering the nearness of

the town of Hessel. Filling along the highway and scattered boat docks

along the margins of the marsh are the only evident alteration of the

marsh, other than the apparent channelization of a portion of a stream

inlet in the northwest region of the marsh just south of M-134.

Small tracts account for the ownership of most of this marsh. A

relatively large tract in the center of the north shoreline is owned by

Norm L. Blissell, Jr. et al. Located along M-134, the scenic value of the

marsh is high. Perhaps management agreements could be arranged between the

many owners and the state to maintain the natural condition of the marsh.

Shallow waters and weedbeds within the bay, combined with open, weedless

shoreline to the west in Hessel Bay, may account for the lack of

development within the marsh.

10. Peck Bay (Mackinac Co., A) This 70 acre marsh is one of the

smallest marshes sampled, but it is typically of many of the small marshes

found on the glacier-eroded limestone bedrock along the northern shore of

Lake Huron. The marsh, located on compact gray clay, consists of three

zones, a very narrow Submergent Marsh, a 100 m (330 ft) wide Emergent

Marsh, and a Wet Meadow greater than 300 m (1000ft) wide. The Wet Meadow

zone is probably more accurately described as a Northern Fen, dominated by

calciphiles. Approximately 370 acres of Rich Conifer Swamp are located

along the shoreline adjacent to the marsh.

The Submergent Marsh has been heavily eroded by recent high water

levels. Presently only Chara sp. (stonewort) is found growing in the

shallow waters of the bay.

The Emergent Marsh zone has also been heavily eroded by high water; at

the first two sampling points in this zone, dead Scirpus acutus (hardstem

bulrush) rhizomes are common at the surface of the clay. Eleocharis

Rauciflora and E, rostellata (spike-rushes), Cladium mariscoides (twig-

rush), and ScirRus acutus are common within the remainder of the Emergent

zone. Several calciphiles characteristic of the Northern Fen are also

found near the upland edge of the Emergent Marsh.

The Northern Fen zone contains marly pools and "islands" of graminoids

supporting shrubs and small cedars, tamaracks, and black spruces. Common

species in the Fen include Juncus balticus (rush), Lobelia kalmii (Kalm's

lobelia), Potentilla fruticosa (shrubby cinquefoil), Parnassia Rlauca

(grass-of-Parnassus), Tofieldia glutinosa, and Sarracenia PurRurea (pitcher

plant). Most of the 50 species noted in the marsh are within the Northern

Fen.

There is little human disturbance within the majority of the wetland.

A home with a boat dock is located at the mouth of the bay, but does not

impact the wetland. High water levels have altered the Emergent and

Submergent Marsh zones, but have little effect on the broad Northern Fen

zone.

The majority of the marsh is owned by two owners, Technical Rubber Co.

and Valentine Dauber. These parcels should be considered for purchase to

protect the marsh. The southeastern quarter of the marsh has several

smaller owners.

11. Voight Bay (Mackinac Co., A) This relatively small marsh (120

acres), like Peck Bay marsh, is located in an embayment eroded from the

limestone bedrock by glacial ice. Marly seeps and pools line the edges of

the marsh. The marsh is designated as the Voight Bay Environmental Area by

the Shorelands Protection Unit of the Michigan DNR. Sampling within the

marsh was restricted to the Wet Meadow, Emergent Marsh, and Submergent

Marsh zones. The more diverse Northern Fen zone, with its seeps and pools,

was not sampled. The species present within the.Northern Fen were the same

species recorded at Peck Bay. The shallow waters of the bay were less

protected than Peck Bay. As a result of greater wave activity and along-

shore currents, a thin veneer of sand blanketed the clay in all but one

sampling point. Approximately 200 acres of Rich Conifer Swamp are located

along the marsh's upland boundary.

The only species present in the 5-15 cm (2-6 in) deep water of the

shallow Submergent Marsh was Chara sp. (stonewort). A storm beach with

ScirRus acutus (hardstem bulrush) stems demonstrated the erosive effect of

waves from the southeast.

The Emergent Marsh was also low in diversity, dominated by Scirpus

acutus, Eleocharis Rauciflora (spike-rush), Eleocharis rostellata, and

scattered Cladium mariscoides (twig-rush). The Emergent Marsh, which was

approximately 100 m (330 ft) wide, had also undergone heavy erosion during

the recent high-water period; a dense mat of ScirRus acutus rhizomes was

present within most of the zone, but most of the stems had been broken off,

resulting in the death of the rhizomes. Scattered patches of bulrush still

persisted near the upland margins of the emergent zone. The spike-rushes

had established over the surface of most of the Emergent Marsh zone.

A narrow zone of Wet Meadow, only 40-50 m (120-150 ft) wide, occupied

the margins of the embayment. Diversity was low. Calamagrostis canadensis

(blue-joint grass) and Carex viridula (sedge) were common, along with

Cladium mariscoides. Eleocharis rostellata, Potentilla fruticosa (shrubby

cinquefoil), Sarracenia gurpurea (pitcher-plant), and Satureja arkansana

were also present, demonstrating the calcareous nature of the substrate.

Iris lacustris (dwarf lake iris, state and federally threatened) was

present along the margins of the wetland, both on the low foredune and on

abandoned gravel beach ridges above the present level of Lake Huron. Dwarf

lake iris, present on the shoreline both east and west of the marsh,

probably continues along much of the sand and gravel shoreline at the south

end of the island. Although Solidago houghtonii (Houghton's goldenrod) was

not seen during the survey, the habitat appears to be appropriate.

Human disturbance, with the exception of past logging activity, within

the marsh and along the shoreline is minimal. Old logging roads end near

the marsh, both to the north and east, but there appears to be little or no

destructive ORV use of these trails. Although plant diversity is low

within the marsh, the low levels of human disturbance, the presence of a

sizeable population of dwarf lake iris, and the high quality Northern Fen

are reasons for acquiring this marsh for protection as a natural area.

A small part of this marsh, in Section 13, is owned by the State of

Michigan. Important portions of the marsh in Sections 13 and 14 are owned

by Douglas Szwed, Thaddeus J. Moross, and William H. and John Kindell.

12. Duck Bay (Mackinac Co., A) This 240 acre marsh is designated as

the Duck Bay Environmental Area by the Shorelands Protection Program of the

Michigan DNR.

The marsh is partially protected from storm waves, resulting in the

development of broad Emergent Marsh and Submergent Marsh zones. The

Submergent Marsh zone is one of the most extensive sampled, covering the

center of the entire bay. Broad Emergent Marsh zones are located in the

shallow waters at both the northwest and southeast ends of the bay. There

are also narrow zones of Wet Meadow and Shrub Swamp and a broad band of

Rich Conifer Swamp (130 acres) on the south side of the bay. Sampling was

restricted to the marsh at the southeastern end of the bay, where 43

species were encountered. A brief survey of the marsh at the western end

of the bay indicated that the zonation and.species were too similar to

justify a second-transect.

The Shrub Swamp zone was narrow, approximately 60 m (195 ft) wide.

The organic soils, underlain by clay, were 91-122 cm (36-48 in) thick.

Dominants included Alnus rugosa (speckled alder), Calamagrostis canadensis

(blue-joint grass), and Carex lacustris (sedge). A Wet Meadow zone of

approximately 40 m (130 ft) width, which contained no shrubs, was dominated

by the previously mentioned graminoids and Carex stricta.

The Emergent Marsh zone, approximately 120 m (390 ft) wide, is

underlain by 30-60 cm (12-24 in) of organic material at the landward edge.

There are openings within the Emergent zone, probably the result of waves

from the east, where Duck Bay joins the larger Muscallonge Bay. These

openings are dominated by Chara sp. (stonewort), MeRalodonta beckii,

NMRhaea odorata (water-lily), several species of Potamogeton (pondweed),

and Zizania aguatica (wild rice). Several species were common throughout

the emergent zone, including Nalas flexilis, Potamogeton gramineus, Scirpus

acutus (hardstem bulrush), and Vallisneria americana. A very sparse bed of

hardstem bulrush continues to about 400 m (1300 ft) from shore, where water

depth is about 166 cm (63 in). Wild rice is quite abundant within the

marsh; the greatest densities are in the Emergent Marsh at the west end of

the bay.

The Submergent Marsh begins in water which is approximately 166 cm (63

in) deep, and continues across the center of the bay, where water depth is

approximately 229 cm (90 in). Even in the deepest parts of the bay there

is a complete cover of Vallisneria americana, Heteranthera dubia, and

Potamogeto illinoiensis.

Human disturbance within the marsh is minimal. A dock and old boat

yard is located at the south end of the bay, near'the edge of the Emergent

Marsh. The few homes along the shoreline have caused little damage to the

marsh; two docks within the marsh extend into the open Emergent Marsh zone.

The high quality of the entire marsh justify its purchase and protection

from further residential development.

The southeastern portion of the marsh, in Section 12, is owned by the

State of Michigan. Two important ownerships in the northwestern part of

the marsh are Whitaker and Schweikert, where a house is located on the

shoreline, and Ceorge M. Covington. Two smaller ownerships at the north

end of the marsh are C. Burkholder and C. H. Shoberg.

13. Big Shoal Cove (Chippewa Co., B) This relatively small, 200 acre

marsh, is located in Big Shoal Cove at the south end of Drummond Island.

Although human disturbance is minimal, the marsh is low in diversity (39

species in transect), probably due to erosive wave action from Lake Huron.

Most other bays on the south side of Drummond Island do not support

extensive marshes due to the extreme erosion by Lake Huron's waves.

The sampling transect was approximately 200 m (660 ft) long,

consisting of 100 m (330 ft) of Wet Meadow and 100 m of Emergent Marsh.

The substrate of both zones consisted of thin sand deposits over limestone

bedrock.

The Wet Meadow is dominated by Carex viridula (sedge), Carex

lasiocarga (sedge), Calamagrostis canadensis (blue-joint grass), Eleocharis

Rauciflora (spike-rush), Juncu� brevicaudatus (rush), and Scirpus acutus

(hardstem bulrush). Several other plant species common to calcareous

shorelines were present, including Lobelia kalmii (Kalm's lobelia), Primula

mistassinica (primrose), Potentilla fruticosa (shrubby cinquefoil),

Selaginella ecliRes (spike-moss), and Satureia arkansana.

Dominants of the Emergent Marsh include Eleocharis smallii (spike-

rush), ScirRus acutus (hardstem bulrush), Potamogeton gramineus (pondweed),

Potamogeto richardsonii (pondweed), and Chara sp. (stonewort). Water

depths in the Emergent Marsh were 46 cm (18 in) or less.

The shoreline area is an occurrence of Bedrock Beach in MNFI's data

base. Known Special Plants from the area include Carex scirRoidea (sedge,

state threatened), Carex concinna (state special concern), Carex

richardsonii (state special concern), Cirsium hillii (Hill's thistle, state

special concern), CyRripedium arietinum (ram's-head lady-slipper, state

special concern), Astragalus nealectus (Cooper's milk-vetch, state special

concern), Habenaria unalascensis (Alaska orchid, state special concern),

and SRorobolus heteroleRis (prairie dropseed, state threatened). Bald

eagles (state and federally threatened) are also known from the area.

The ownership of the Big Shoal Cove coast consists of several small

tracts. The marsh alone does not appear to be of high enough quality to

recommend purchase.

Lake Michigan

14. Stony Creek (0ceana Co.,BC-C) This 200 acre marsh is located

where Stony Creek and Stony Lake join, approximately one and one-half miles

east of the village of Stony Lake. Originally Stony Creek entered into a

bay of Lake Michigan; then the bay was separated from Lake Michigan by sand

dunes, thus creating a small lake. The presettlement vegetation of this

marsh was a"cedar swamp," along the section 33/34 and 27/34 common lines.

These lines are 1.3 km (0.8 mi) and 1.8 km (1.2 mi) upstream of Stoney

Lake. No description of the vegetation in the lower 1.3 km of Stony Creek.

was made.

Presently, four natural communities are found in the Stony Creek

marsh: Emergent Marsh, Shrub Swamp, Wet Meadow, and Submergent Marsh. The

Emergent Marsh was dominated by IMRatiens biflora, Urtica dioica, and Typha

latifolia, on saturated muck of variable depth. The Shrub Swamp was

dominated by Alnus rugosa and Cornus stolonifera in the shrub layer and

Carex lacustris and I. biflora in the groundlayer. The soils were

saturated mucks from 2.4-2.7 m (8-9 ft) deep. The Wet Meadow was dominated

by Carex aguatilis, Solidazo sp., and Euvatorium maculatum, on saturated

mucks of variable depth. The Submergent Marsh was not sampled.

This site was owned, in 1987, by the following private owners: Hannah

Mikkelsen; Andrew Sundell; Howard Hill, et al.; L. & I. Beckman; John Post;

and Gerald and Leverna Moschke. Much of the Submergent Marsh lies in

public waters under the jurisdiction of the State of Michigan.

There were no Special Plants or Special Animals found, nor are any

known from this marsh.

15. Pentwater Marsh (Oceana Co., BC) This 240 acre marsh, an estuary

located at the confluence of the Pentwater River and North Branch of the

Pentwater River, lies approximately 3.3 km (2 mi) southeast of the city of

Pentwater. The river originally flowed into a bay of Lake Michigan. The

bay was eventually separated from Lake Michigan by sand spits or sand

dunes, thus creating Pentwater Lake. Within the upland forest boundary to

the south is a steep ridge that displays the lake level of the former bay.

The presettlement vegetation of this marsh was described as a "lake,"

except along the Pentwater River in Section 30 where there were "low

bottomlands."

Presently, four natural communities are found in the Pentwater Marsh:

Shrub Swamp, Wet Meadow, Emergent Marsh, and Submergent Marsh. The Shrub

Swamp type, dominated by Alnus rugosa (Speckled alder), was not sampled and

was of limited extent within the site. The-Wet Meadow type was dominated

by Calamagrostis canadensis, Carex stricta, and C. aquatilis and occupied

dry to saturated organic soils up to 1.5 m. (5 ft) deep. The Emergent

Marsh, dominated by !_Uha X&I-auca, Sgargani eugycarpum, and Carex

aguatilis, had a saturated muck substate that was over 3 m (10 ft) thick.

The Submergent Marsh type was dominated by CeratoRhyllum demersum,

Myriophyllum exalbescens, and NyMphaea odorata in 23-46 cm (9-18 in) of

water over muck of greater than 3 m (10 ft) depth.

Most of this site lies within the Pentwater River State Came Area and

is administered by the Wildlife Division of the Michigan Department of

Natural Resources. In addition, there were, in 1987, multiple private

inholdings and adjacent private and corporate parcels, including: J.R.

Hepworth; Jack Glover; D. & L. Van Gills; Gregory Van Boxel; E. Kokx, Tr.;

and three tracts identified only by initials.

There are no Special Plants or Animals known from this marsh.

16. Pere Marquette River (Mason Co., CD) This 760 acre marsh is

located where the Pere Marquette River meets Pere Marquette Lake,

approximately 3.3 km (2 mi) southeast of the city of Ludington. The river

originally flowed into a bay of Lake Michigan which became separated from

Lake Michigan by sand spits and dunes, probably during Lake Nipissing

times. The presettlement vegetation of this marsh was variably described

as a cedar swamp (in the southern part), with "lake/overflowed bottoms,"

"bayou," and "water deep and brush so thick cannot run the line" along the

Section 25/26 common line.

Presently, five natural communities are found in the Pere Marquette

River marsh: Wet Meadow, Shrub Swamp, Emergent Marsh, Treed Swamp, and

Submergent Marsh. The Wet Meadow was dominated by Calamagrostis canadensis

with Carex comosa as the only major associate. The soils were saturated

muck, 0.6-2.0 m (2-6.5 ft) deep. The Emergent Marsh was dominated by

Lythrum salicaria with Urtica dioica and Impatiens biflora as the only

major associates. It was found on saturated muck which was .75-2.0 m (2.5-

6.75 ft) deep. The Treed Swamp and Shrub Swamp was not sampled.

Much of this site lies within the Pere Marquette State Came Area and

is administered by the Wildlife Division of the Michigan Department of

Natural Resources. The remainder of the site was owned, in 1988, by Dow

Chemical Company; Robert E. & Rose Sobieralski; Eric Johnson, etux.; S.

Jansen; Nancy Hogenser, et al.; and other small tracts and unidentified

owners. Most of the Dow Chemical Company property to the west of U.S.

Highway 31 has been converted to an evaporation pond, with the exception of

an outlying area of unconverted marsh. An alien plant, Lythr salicaria

(Purple loosestrife) has invaded and presently dominates broad areas of the

state property. No efforts at eradication are being undertaken.

There are no Special Plants or Animals known from this marsh.

17. Big Sable River (Mason Co.,CD) This 220 acre marsh is located

where the Big Sable River flows into the artifically impounded Hamlin Lake.

It is located approximately 17 km (10 mi) northeast of the city of

Ludington. This marsh is representative of an estuary on a river which

originally entered into a bay of Lake Michigan. This bay was separated

from Lake Michigan by sand spits and sand dunes, creating Lake Hamlin. A

small dam on the outlet of Hamlin Lake has increased the water level of the

Lake, flooding this site which was reported by the original land surveyors

as being a cedar swamp.

Presently, five natural communities are found in the Big Sable River

marsh: Emergent Marsh, Wet Meadow, Shrub Swamp, Treed Swamp, and

Submergent Marsh. The Emergent Marsh was dominated by T@Mha latifolia and

Sagittaria latifolia on shallowly- to moderately-inundated floating muck of

over 1.5 m (5 ft) in depth. The Wet Meadow was dominated by Carex

lasiocarRa and Dulichium arundinaceum on shallowly inundated mu ck of over

1.5 m (5 ft) in depth. The Shrub Swamp was dominated by Betula papyrifera

in the subcanopy, Alnus rugosa in the shrub layer, and Thelypteris

Ralul_tris in the understory. The soils were saturated muck over 1.5 m (5

ft) in depth. The Treed Swamp and Submergent Marsh were not sampled.

Most of this site lies within the Huron-Manistee National Forest and

is administered by the U.S. Forest Service. A private tract on the east

side of the marsh was owned, in 1989, by Jill C. Schulz. Much of the

Submergent Marsh lies in public waters under the jurisdiction of the State

of Michigan.

A Michigan threatened plant, Armoracia aguatica (lake cress), has been

reported from this site. No Special Plants or Animals were found from this

marsh during the course of survey work.

18. Manistee River (Manistee Co., Q This 1190 acre marsh is located

where the Manistee River flows into Manistee Lake, beginning approximately

3.3 km,(2 mi) east of the city of Manistee. It is representative of an

estuary on a river which originally flowed into an embayment of Lake

Michigan. Sand spits and low dunes eventually separated the embayment from

Lake Michigan, creating Manistee Lake. The presettlement vegetation of

this marsh was variously described as "bayou", nmarsh", "wet and mirey

swamp", "drowned and dead timber", "drowned wet bottoms and swamp", and

"pond". On the south side of Section 32, the surveyors noted "...water

from six inches to two feet deep. Once apparently well timbered. But with

the rise of the Lake and sand filling the channel of the River, it has

become a perfect dead swamp almost impassable." In Section 31, on the

south side of the river, they described the riverside wet meadows as "...a

few chains wide in some places of good Grass Marsh, the balance flags and

rushes."

Presently, five natural communities are found in the Manistee River

marsh: Treed Swamp, Wet Meadow, Emergent Marsh, Shrub Swamp, and Floodplain

Forest. The Treed Swamp is dominated by Fraxinus nigra in the overstory

and both Leersia oryzoides and Phalaris arundinacea in the understory. The

dry, mineral soils here were silty loam and silty clay loam. The Wet

Meadow was dominated by Calamagrostis canadensis, with only localized

Carex, primarily g. stricta. The saturated to shallowly inundated organic

soils here were 0.8-1.5 m (2.75-5 ft) deep. The Emergent Marsh was

dominated by Polygo amphibium, on saturated to inundated muck that was

1.2-1.5 m (4-5 ft) thick, or thicker (only a 1.5 m probe was used on this

marsh). The Treed Swamp was not sampled.

Much of this marsh is part of Manistee River State Game Area and is

administered by the Wildlife Division of the Michigan Department of Natural

Resources. Private tracts ownership was not determined.

A Great Blue Heron Rookery is known to occur on this marsh, but was

not verified in this survey. Two Special Animals are known from this site:

the lake sturgeon (Michigan threatened and federal C2 status), and the bald

eagle (state and federally threatened). No other Special Animals or Plants

are known or were collected from here.

19. Bar Lake (Manistee Co., B) This 260 acre marsh is located along

the eastern shores of Bar Lake, approximately 7.5 km (4.5 mi) north

northeast of the city of Manistee. This marsh is an estuary on a small

stream. The stream originally flowed into a small embayment of Lake

Michigan, which has been separated from Lake Michigan by sand spits and

dunes, thus creating Bar Lake, into which the stream now flows. A floating

peat mat is now expanding into Bar Lake. The presettlement vegetation of

this marsh was described as cedar swamp grading into "open, mirry grass

marsh." Dead timber was noted, but no comment was made on its extent.

Presently, four natural communities are found in the Bar Lake marsh:

Submergent Marsh, Emergent Marsh, Shrub Swamp, and Treed Swamp. The

Submergent Marsh was dominated by Ceratophylium demersum with Nuphar

varigata as a common associate. Water depth here was 1.5 m (5 ft) with a

substrate of loose muck at least an additional 1.5 m (5 ft) thick. The

Emergent Marsh was dominated by occassional Myrica gale or Decadon

verticillata in the shrub layer, with Carex lasiocarpa and Typha XZlauca in

the groundlayer. The muck soils were shallowly inundated. The muck was

either 1.2-1.5 m (4-5 ft) thick and underlayed by water, or over 3 m (10

ft) thick. The Shrub Swamp was dominated by Salix discolor and/or Alnus

rugosa, on .75-3 m (2.5-10 ft) of saturated muck. The Treed Swamp was not

sampled, but was dominated by Fraxinus nigra in shallow to .75 m (2.5 ft)

of muck.

This site was owned, in 1986, by: Rich Horaszewski; Myra Sundbeck;,

Lawr. Hargreaves; Gary Bentley; Carol Kruger; Gordon Kruse; and Chas.

Miller, etux. Much of the Submergent Marsh lies within public waters under

the jurisdiction of the State of Michigan.

There are no Special Plants or Animals known from this marsh.

20. Arcadia Lake (Manistee Co., CD) This 270 acre marsh is located

1.7 km (I mi) south of the village of Arcadia on the eastern shore of

Arcadia Lake. It is an estuary on a small stream, Bowens Creek, which

flows into Arcadia Lake. Arcadia Lake was a bay of Lake Michigan until it

was separated from Lake Michigan by sand spits and dunes. Thick peat

deposits have developed at the margins of Arcadia Lake. The presettlement

vegetation along the edges of this marsh were described as hardwood and

hardwood-conifer swamp. However, much of the marsh was "impassable swamp."

Presently, three natural communities are found in the Arcadia Lake

marsh: Submergent Marsh, Emergent Marsh, and Wet Meadow. The Submergent

Marsh occupies what was just 50 years ago an Emergent Marsh or Wet Meadow.

Presumably, hydrologic impact from the construction of a causeway for

Michigan Route 22 backed water up and converted the vegetation to dominance

by tyriophyllum sp. Water depth is typically 30 cm (12 in) over a muck

substrate that is greater than 3 m (10 ft). The Emergent Marsh is

presently dominated by Leersia oryzoides and ScirRus validus on shallowly

inundated muck 0.6-2.6 m (2-8.5 ft) thick. The Wet Meadow is highly

variable in composition due to recovery from high water levels in 1987 and

1988. It occupies saturated mucks 40-60 cm (1.5-2.0 ft) thick.

This site was owned, in 1986, by: Milard Brooks; R.L. Peitz, et al.;

Grebe Company; John C. Miller; M.M. Arthur, etux.; V. Organ; and a number

of small, ambiguous holdings. Much of the Submergent Marsh lies in public

waters under the jurisdiction of the State of Michigan.

Zizania aguatica var. aguatica (wild rice, state threatened) was found

in this marsh; this is one of the northern-most known occurrences of this

species in Michigan. No other Special Plants or Animals are known.

21. Betsie River (Benzie Co., C) This 100 acre marsh is located 2 km

(1.25 mi) east southeast of the village of Elberta and 4 km (2.5 mi)

southeast of the city of Frankfort. This estuary is located where the

Betsie River flows into Betsie Lake. Betsie Lake was originally an

embayment of Lake Michigan before it was separated from Lake Michigan by

sand spits and dunes. The presettlement vegetation of this marsh was

described as a conifer swamp with part of the Section 34/35 common line a

"lake."

Presently, five natural communities are found in the Betsie River

marsh: Treed Swamp, Shrub Swamp, Wet Meadow, Emergent Marsh, as well as

Submergent Marsh in meanders of the river. The Treed Swamp was not

sampled, but was a mosaic of logged hardwood and conifer swamp with a rich

understory resulting from opening of the canopy. The Shrub Swamp was

dominated by colonies of Alnus rugosa with Carex pseudo-cyRerus as the

dominant herb. It occupied saturated mucks, 91-167 cm (3.0-5.5 ft) thick.

The Wet Meadow was dominated by Calamagrostis canadensis with Carex stricta

an important associate. It occupied saturated muck from 46-122 cm (1.5-4.0

ft) thick. The Emergent Marsh was confined to the river margins and was

early successional and variable in species composition. The muck or

stratified muck/sand soils were shallowly inundated and up to 137 cm (4.5

ft) thick. Sand substrate was also present. The.Submergent Marsh was

confined to the backwaters of the Betsie River. The dominant vegetation

was Llyriophyllum verticillata with Potemozeton pectinatus an associate.

This site lies within the Betsie River State Game Area and is

administered by the Wildlife Division of the Michigan Department of Natural

Resources.

Cirsium Ditcheri (Pitcher's thistle, state and federally threatened)

has been reported from this marsh. No other Special Plants or Animals are

known.

22. Petobego Pond (Grand Traverse Co., AB) This 110 acre marsh is

located 18 km (11 mi) northeast of Traverse City. It is representative of

a large interdunal swale located where Tobeco Creek flows into Lake

Michigan. The presettlement vegetation of this marsh was described as a

"lake" with "marshy" shores.

Presently, three natural communities are found in Petobego Pond:

Submergent Marsh, Emergent Marsh, and a Wet Meadow/Northern Fen mosaic.

The Wet Meadow/Northern Fen mosaic was dominated by either a) Carex

lasiocalga and CalamaarosLiLs canadensis, growing on an average of 23 cm (9

in) of dry to saturated muck over sand, or b) Eleocharis elliptica, Scirpus

americana, and Cladium mariscoides on marly sand and marl. Some areas of

the former contained dead stalks of TyRha Xglauca, indicating recovery

after high lake levels killed Emergent Marsh vegetation. The intact

Emergent Marsh areas were dominated by 1. Xglauca and ImRatiens biflora

over 10-25 cm (4-10 in) of saturated muck. The Submergent Marsh was

dominated by Nuphar varigata, Chara alobularia, and Naias flexilis, in 30-

60 cm (12-24 in) of water over 30-60 cm (12-24 in) of muck.

This site lies within the Petobago State Game Area and is administered

by the Wildlife Division of the Michigan Department of Natural Resources,.

One private inholding was owned, in 1987, by John Pulcipher, et al.

Bald eagle (state and federally threatened) has been reported from

this marsh, but was not seen during the field survey. No other Special

Animals or Plants are known. There is potential for both Cirsium vitcherii

and Tanacetum huronense on the dune side of the marsh.

23. Waugoshance Point (Emmet Co., A-AB) This 650 acre marsh is

located 22 km (13 mi) west southwest of Mackinaw City. The marsh is

located in a shallow bay heavily impacted by storm waves. The

presettlement vegetation of this marsh was not described. Presently, three

natural communities are found here: Cobble Beach and Emergent Marsh, and

Submergent Marsh. Due to the broad, slightly dipping landscape of

Waugoshance Point, changes in the water level of Lake Michigan results in

dramatic changes in the shoreline and the dynamic re-configurations of the

natural communities. No attempt was made to delineate natural community

boundaries since any such map would represent only a snapshot in time with

a low probability of reoccurrence. Nevertheless, a generalized description

of the three communities can be given. The Cobble Beach was characterized

by a dry substrate of large cobbles mixed with sand and gravel and lacking

a surface horizon of organic matter. The plant composition is highly

variable and early successional, with six species of nearly equal

importance: Carex viridula, Cladiu mariscoides, Lobelia kalmii, Potentilla

frutir-osa, Panicum lindheimeri, and Satureja arkansana. The Emergent Marsh

was characterized by a water depth of 2-46 cm (1-18 in) over a thin organic

layer. The vegetation was sparse with the predominate plant being Scirpus

acutus.

The north edge of the site fronts a long Open Dune, Interdunal

Wetland, and Sand/Gravel Beach complex. This area was excluded from the

Great Lakes Marsh acreage. Small inclusions of Boreal Forest throughout

this area were likewise excluded.

Much of this site lies in public waters under the jurisdiction of the

State of Michigan. The remainder is part of Wilderness State Park,

administered by the Parks Division of the Michigan Department of Natural

Resources. This entire area has been designated as the Wilderness

Environmental Area by the Shorelands Protection Program. It is also a

pending state Natural Area.

Numerous Special Plants are known from this site, many of which were

seen during the field survey. These include Bromus pumpellianus (Pumpell's

bromegrass, state threatened), Pinguicula vulgaris (butterwort, state

special concerned), Solidago houghtonii (Houghton's goldenrod, state and

federally threatened), Tanacetum huronense (Lake Huron tansy, state

threatened), Cirsi Ditcheri (Pitcher's thistle, state and federally

threatened), and Calypso bulbosa (Calypso, state threatened). One special

animal, Piping Plover (state and federally endangered), is also known from

here. No other Special Plants or Animals were found in this survey.

24. Cecil Bay (Emmet Co., B-D) This 135 acre marsh is located 8 km

(5 mi) southwest of Mackinaw City. It is a relatively narrow marsh located

in a large, shallow bay. The substrate is clay overlain by a thin veneer

of sand near the shoreline. Although the marsh was called Cecil Bay, Cecil

Bay has no good Emergent Marsh, based on our 1989 sampling. A nearby

Emergent Marsh in Trails End Bay, to the east, has been sampled annually

for more than 10 years by Dr. Voss' students from the University of

Michigan's Biological Station. This marsh, typical ly called Cecil Bay

marsh, is discussed below, following a discussion of the 1989 sampling.

Presently, three natural communities are found at this site: Emergent

Marsh, Wet Meadow, and Treed Swamp (Rich Conifer Swamp). Treed Swamp is

excluded from acreage figures. Wilderness Park Drive, built right along

the shoreline of portions of the bay, separates Rich Conifer Swamp and Wet

Meadow from the Emergent Marsh. Iris lacustris (dwarf lake iris) occurs in

the highway right-of-way, where it may be adversely impacted by grading and

mowing. Sampling was done from near the road in Rich Conifer Swamp,

through Interdunal Wetlands, into the unaltered Emergent Marsh.

Seventy nine species were noted in the 1989 sampling transect. Most

of these were actually from near the junction of the road with the wetland,

and there are therefore many "weedy" species. The Emergent Marsh contained

nothing but Chara sp. (stonewort). This lack of typical Emergent

vegetation may be the result of heavy wave scour in recent high-water

years.

The transect sampled by Voss' students in Trails End Bay is typical of

those found in relatively unprotected bays. The dominant along most of the

transect is Scirpus acutus (hardstem bulrush), with Eleocharis smallii and

Scirpus americanus (threesquare). The substrate of most of the Emergent

zone is clay with a thin veneer of sand at the surface. In sheltered,

shallow water where the rhizome mat is 3-8 cm (1-3 in) thick over clay,

Eguisetum fluviatile (horsetail) is common. In the deeper water, where

wave scour is severe, clay is exposed at the surface, and only scattered

stems of Scirpus americanus are present. In 1980, emergent vegetation

continued to a water depth of 75 cm (30 in); in a high-water year, such as

1986, the emergent vegetation would probably have been growing in 150 cm

(60 in) of water. The greatest amount of variation in this regularly

sampled transect is near the road, where soil is exposed or only shallowly

covered with water. In dry years, sedges, such as Carex stricta and Carex

aguatilis are common, along with Calamagrostis canadensis (blue-joint

grass) and other quickly establishing seedlings of herbs and trees. In wet

years the diversity of species near the road is greatly reduced.

Much of the area lies in public waters under the jurisdiction of the

State of Michigan. Large areas of wetland south of Wilderness Park Drive

are also under State of Michigan management.

A number of Special Plants are known from this site, some which were

seen during the field survey. These include Iris lacustris (dwarf lake

iris, state and federally threatened), Cirsi pitcheri (Pitcher's thistle,

state and federally threatened), Tanacetum huronense (Lake Huron tansy,

state threatened), CypriRedium arietinum (Ram's head lady-slipper, state

special concern), and CalyRso bulbosa (Calypso, state threatened). A

Special Animal, the Grizzled skipper (state special concern), also occurs

in the general area.

25. Epoufette Bay (Mackinac Co., B-D) This 130 acre marsh, located

on the north shore of Lake Michigan, is designated as the Epoufette

Environmental Area by the Shorelands Protection Program. The marsh is

subject to wave activity from Lake Michigan, which probably accounts for

the eroded nature of the marsh. Small islands present just off-shore were

visible in the 1978 aerial photos; these same islands were not visible on

the 1986 aerial photos, probably due to erosion during this high-water

period. The substrate of the marsh was primarily sand, probably deposited

over the underlying clay (which is at the surface in nearby Kenyon Bay) by

nearshore currents of Lake Michigan.

The sequence of natural communities encountered in the sampling

transect was Rich Conifer Swamp, Shrub Swamp, Wet Meadow, Emergent Marsh,

Submergent Marsh, and finally Emergent Marsh again, as we came onto a small

island within the marsh. The Rich Conifer Swamp zone is broad, occupying

most of the narrow peninsula. The Shrub Swamp and Wet Meadow zones are

quite narrow. The Emergent zone is relatively broad, but low in diversity

due to recent high water levels.

The Shrub Swamp is dominated by Alnus rugosa (speckled alder), Myrica

Rale (sweet gale), Potentilla fruticosa (shrubby cinquefoil), Salix

pedicellaris (willow), and small trees. Many of the trees had been killed

by high water. The dominant grasses and sedges of the Wet Meadow were also

common in the Shrub Swamp. These included Calamagrostis canadensis (blue-

joint grass), Carex stricta (sedge), and Carex viridula. Other species

common in this zone include Campanula aRarinoides (marsh bellflower),

Lysimachia terrestris (loosestrife), and Potentilla palustris (swamp

cinquefoil). A broad swath of dead bulrush stems formed a storm beach

between the Wet Meadow and Emergent Marsh zone.

The present water line within the marsh begins nearly 20 m (66 ft)

beyond the beginning of the typical Emergent Marsh vegetation. The

Emergent Marsh is dominated by Scirpus acutus (hardstem bulrush), but also

contains Scirpus americanus (threesquare), Chara sp. (stonewort), and

Juncus tenuis (rush). Portions of the hardstem bulrush beds have been

killed by wave erosion; only the dead rhizomes remain in the first and

second sampling points of the Emergent zone. Species found in both the

Emergent Marsh and the Submergent Marsh zones include Chara sp., Nuphar

va iegata (spatterdock), Polygo amphibi (water smartweed), and

Potamogeto gramineus (pondweed). The marsh substrate and its vegetation

both showed signs of wave erosion.

Two Special Plants are found near the marsh, Mimulus glabratus var.

michiganensis (Michigan monkey-flower, state threatened and federal

candidate for threatened) and Tanacetum huronense (Huron tansy, state

threatened). Diversity within the marsh is not high (38 species), probably

due to the heavy erosion to which the marsh is regularly subjected. Human

disturbance is concentrated at the south end of the marsh, where the

Frazier Fish Corporation has built a dike and dredged channels for their

boats. Although the marsh is small and not botanically exciting, it is one

of the more picturesque marshes in Michigan. It is viewed daily by

hundreds of motorists from the U.S. 2 overlook.

The west end of Epoufette Bay is partially in State of Michigan

ownership (Section 5) and partially privately owned by the Frazier Fish

Corp. (Section 9). The west end is the least disturbed portion of the

marsh. The north end of the bay, where the marsh is not well developed, is

under multiple small ownerships.

26. Kenyon Bay (Mackinac Co., B) This small marsh, only

approximately 100 acres in area, is very similar to its neighbor, Epoufette

Bay marsh. With its mouth oriented toward the southwest, it is subject to

even more intense erosional forces than Epoufette Bay. This heavy erosion

is reflected in its low species diversity, only 28 species in the Wet

Meadow, Emergent Marsh, and Submergent Marsh zones. One small island at

the mouth of the bay was completely erodedby high water levels and

accompanying wave.erosion, while a second was great ly reduced in size. The

substrate of the marsh is clay in the center of the bay, which forms a

cloudy suspension when there are waves. There are gravel bars within the

bay, and rocks are common near the shoreline.

The broadest zone within the marsh is the Submergent zone, which is

dominated by a 280 m (920 ft) wide, relatively dense bed of Uyriophyllum

verticillatum (water-milfoil) and NuRhar variegatum (spatterdock), with

scattered Sagittaria graminea (arrow-head). Water depths in the Submergent

zone is approximately 122 cm (48 in). Interestingly enough, water depth in

the Emergent Marsh was deeper, 137 cm (54 in). ScirRus acutus (hardstem

bulrush) is common in the Emergent zone; Eleocharis smallii (spike-rush) is

occasional. Due to the small size of the marsh and the low species

diversity, we do not consider the marsh high priority for acquisition for

the purpose of natural area protection. Human disturbance within the marsh

is low, with some small boat docking near its southeast end. Boat use does

not appear to be degrading the vegetation. The marsh is under two

ownerships, Helen Stevens and T. A. Weish.

Lake Superior

27. Grand Island (Alger Co., A) This 120 acre marsh is located at

the north end of Murray Bay, on the margin of a tombolo which formed

between Grand Island and what was once a smaller island to the east. The

tombolo is formed of a series of parallel, arcuate sand bars which joins

the two upland areas. Between the sand bars are swales. Near the present

shoreline these swales contain up to 76 cm (30 in) of water; as one

progresses inland across the tombolo, the water depth becomes shallower and

eventually the swales are merely saturated. The saturated swales have

organic soils which were under 61 cm (24 in) in depth. The marsh is

diverse; 67 species were recorded on the transect.

The Wet Meadow zone is about 180 m (590 ft) wide. Further to the

north it becomes Shrub Swamp and finally Poor Conifer Swamp. There are

approximately 240 acres of swamp forest adjacent to the marsh. The

northern 200-300 m (656-985 ft) of the tombolo are dry beach ridges

supporting upland conifers. A low shrub-dominated foredune separates the

Wet Meadow zone from the Emergent Marsh in shallow Murray Bay. The

Emergent zone extends approximately 220 m (721 ft) into the bay, where

water depth was about 106 cm (42 in).

The Wet Meadow zone is dominated by Carex lasiocarpa (sedge), Carex

stricta, and Dulichium arundinacea (sedge); Calamagrostis canadensis (blue-

joint grass) is common but not a dominant. Chamaedaphne calyculata

(leatherleaf), Alnus rugosa (speckled alder), and Myrica Rale (sweet gale)

are common shrubs within the meadow. The Wet Meadow is diverse; its

species might best be considered characteristic of a Poor Fen. It is one

of the few wetlands sampled along Lake Superior which is not dominated by

Sphagn species in at least some zones. Sphagnu was encountered in the

first sampling plot, that is, the plot furthest from the water of the bay.

If we had continued to the far northern edge of the Wet Meadow zone, where

groundwater influence would be expected to be least, we might have

encountered greater amounts of Sphay-num. Within the Wet Meadow zone were

regularly occurring beach ridges, dominated by Gaylussacia baccata

(huckleberry), ChamaedaRhne calyculata, and scattered white and red pines.

The Emergent Marsh zone of the marsh was interesting; it was dominated

by Eleocharis smallii (spike-rush), and was probably the only Emergent zone

sampled in the Upper Peninsula which contained no Scirpus acutus. The

other dominants, Isoetes sp. (quillwort), Lobelia dortmanna (lobelia), and

tyriophyllum tenellum (water-milfoil), were not common in any of the other

marshes sampled.

Natural disturbance was high at the edge of the marsh, where wave

action during recent high water levels had locally eroded through the

foredune, piling up fallen shrubbery and trees along the water's edge.

Organic material from the interdunal swales was also eroded and exposed a t

the water's edge. No sign of human disturbance was encountered during the

survey.

There is a known site for bald eagle (state and federally threatened)

along the shoreline near the marsh. This is a high priority marsh for

protection due to its unusual, diverse flora and low levels of human

disturbance.

The entire marsh, located in Sections 11 and 14, is owned by Cliffs

Forest Products Co.

28. Independence Lake (Marquette Co., B-D) This 320 acre marsh

consists of a wetland at the east end of Independence Lake and also

graminoid dominated wetlands occupying both an interdunal swale along Lake

Superior and the margins of the Iron River. The Squaw Beach Environmental

Area, also occupying an interdunal swale, is just to the west of the

sampled marsh. Independence Lake was once a bay of Lake Superior, with a

mile long island at its center, a mile off shore. Two sets of parallel

beach ridges, one from the west and one from the east, have connected the

island to the mainland, forming a double tombolo and creating Lake

Independence. The Yellow Dog River and two small creeks flow into Lake

Independence, and the meandering Iron River flows out. The Iron River is

very similar in appearance to the Au Train River in Alger County, which

flows from Au Train Lake (once a bay-of Lake Superior) into Lake Superior

through a series of parallel beach ridges. Approximately 1600 acres of

Hardwood-Conifer and Conifer Swamp were located along the margins of the

marsh.

Sampling was confined to a large, sand-bottomed swale adjacent to the

Lake Superior shoreline because of heavy posting of NO TRESPASSING signs by

the owners. Aerial photo interpretation of the expansive wetland along the

east edge of Independence Lake indicates a bog-like wetland similar to that

encountered in the swale. This wetland is probably not unlike that sampled

along Lac La Belle in Keweenaw Co.

The vegetation of the large swale is separated from Lake Superior by a

steep, lightly forested foredune and a narrow sand beach. The swale is
nearly a mile long, ending aiong the Iron River. The vegetation within the

swale is bog-like; herbaceous dominants include Carex lasiocarpa (sedge),

Carex lacustris, and several species of Sphagnum moss. Shrubs, including

Alnus rugosa (speckled alder), Chamaedaphne calyculata (leatherleaf),

Andromeda glaucophylloides (bog rosemary), and Myrica gale (sweet gale),

cover much of the wetland surface. Vaccinium macrocarpon (cranberry) is

common throughout most of the swale. Red maple swamp begins at the south

margin of the swale. Within the swale a low beach ridge is exposed. While

there is shallow peat, 15-107 cm (6-42 in) thick, over most of the swale's

surface, only a thin coating of live Sphagnum moss covers the sands of the

low beach ridge. ChamaedaRhne, Andromeda, and Sphagn magellanicum are

densest on the beach ridge.

Human disturbance is limited to the upland beach ridges and the shore

of Lake Independence, where a small community has developed. A low dam

maintains Lake Independence at 190.6 feet, which probably has some impact

upon the wetland at the lake's east end, where logging has occurred.

There are nearby nesting sites for both bald eagle (state and

federally threatened) and osprey (state and federally threatened). Plant

diversity is relatively low, as expected in a Bog or bog-like wetland. Due

to the concentration of residences and artificial control of the lake

level, the wetlands are not being recommended for purchase.

The marsh at the east end of Independence Lake is owned by the State

of Michigan (Escanaba River State Forest), Fred R. Walsh, et al., and small

owners. The marshes located in swales along Lake Superior and along the

Iron River are owned by Beatrice H. Touton.

29. Lac La Belle (Keweenaw Co., A) This 500 acre wetland, located at

the east end of Lac La Belle, is separated from Lake Superior by several

beach ridges. Lac La Belle was originally an embayment of Lake Superior,

much like Lake Independence (Marquette Co.) and Au Train Lake (Alger Co.).

The wetland is separated from Lake Superior by only a few 100 m at the

north and south edges of the old embayment. Similar to Lower Herring and

Upper Herring Lakes in Benzie County, Deer Lake and Lac La Belle were once

part of the same large Great-Lakes embayment. Post-glacial uplift and

lowering Great Lakes water levels have separated these lakes from Lake

Superior.

Most of the wetland at the east end of Lac La Belle is bog-like, but a

narrow zone of Emergent Marsh is found at the edge of Lac La Belle and in

the shallow waters of the river draining Lac La Belle into Lake Superior.

The substrate under most of the wetland is sand, with up to 1.2 m (4 ft@) of

overlying peat. Gravel was encountered at two points, where the peat depth

was the greatest, possibly at points where the original lake bottom was

encountered, rather than one of the beach ridges. As one moved further

from the lake edge the amount of shrubs and trees increased. The dominants

of this Poor Conifer Swamp/Bog, which accounted for an additional 2300

acres, were northern white-cedar, tamarack, and black spruce.

The dominant herbaceous species were mosses, including SRhagn

pappillosum (golden sphagnum), SRhag magellanicum, and several other

species of Sphagn . Other dominants included Carex oligosperma (sedge)

and RhynchosRora alba (beak-rush). Vaccinium macrocarpon (cranberry) and

Aster nemoralis (bog aster) were common, as were Myrica Rale (sweet gale)

and PoRonia ophioglossoides (fringed pogonia).

The narrow Emergent Marsh contained Eleocharis smallii (spike-rush),

Scirpus subterminalis, and several other emergent and submergent species.

At the water's edge there was also a thin band of Calamagrostis canadensis

(blue-joint grass) and Carex stricta (sedge).

At the edge of Lac La Belle, the Submergent Marsh consisted of

scattered Isoetes sp. (quillwort), Scirpus subterminalis, and SaRittaria

graninea (arrow-head) growing on 60-107 cm (24-42 in) of organic material

over sand. At the mouth of the river, where the water was 60-137 cm (24-54

in) deep, there was no organic material over the sand substrate. The

vegetation consisted of a dense bed of MyrioRhyllum heterophyllum, Nuphar

variegatum (spatterdock), Scirpus subterminalis, and several species of

Potamogeto (pondweed).

The major human disturbance within the wetland is the channel between

Lac La Belle and Lake Superior. These channel has probably had minimal

impact upon the plant community, as the river joined the two water bodies

prior to construction of the channel. The road, which runs across the edge

of the wetland in part and upon upland beach ridges in part, does not

appear to have greatly altered the wetland.

Known special plants from the marsh include Aster nemoralis (bog

aster, state special concern) and ERilobi Ralustre (marsh willow-herb,

state special concern). The wetland is worthy of protection because of its

diverse flora, special plants, and lack of severe human disturbance.

The marsh along the eastern end of Lac La Belle is owned by the Lake

Superior Land Company, with a parcel in Section 4 owned by Gene and

Maryellen Arnsten.

DISCUSSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS

Response of Marsh Vegetation to High Water Levels

The importance of coastal marshes and their resiliency in response to

high water levels was discussed in the 1987 Survey of Great Lakes Marshes

in Michigan's Upper Peninsula (MNFI 1987). During the 1987 survey, it was

noted that portions of the marshes which had suffered heavy erosion during

the high water levels of 1986 were already beginning to be recolonized in

the summer of 1987, when the water levels had just begun to drop. The

1988 surveys served to further demonstrate the resiliency of coastal

marshes to high water levels. Signs of erosion resulting from high water

levels were still evident in most of the marshes sampled in 1988, but

recolonization, primarily by native vegetation, was occurring in all zones

of the marsh. The greatest amount of erosion typically occurred at the

high water beach line, where both beach ridges and thick organic deposits

were eroded away by wave and current.action. In both cases revegetation

was swift as the water level dropped, indicating that the buried seeds of

typical heavily-fruiting annual aquatics (Keddy and Reznicek, 1986) or

densely rhizomatous perennial aquatics recolonized relatively rapidly after

a drop in water level. The colonizers included Eleocharis acicularis

(spike-rush), Eleocharis obtusa, RoriRpa Palustris (yellow cress), Juncus

dudleyi (rush), Verbena hastata (vervain), Rumex maritima (dock), Bidens

cernua (beggar-tick), Boehmeria cylindrica (false nettle), and many others.

Changes in the vegetation of the offshore portions of the Emergent

Marsh zone also occurred due to high water levels. In 1988, species of the

Emergent Marsh zone typically grew in water less than 90 cm (36 in) in

depth. In contrast, during 1987, when water levels were higher, the

emergent species were typically growing in water as deep as 150 cm (60 in).

It appears that during high water levels the emergent vegetation in deep

water begins to die, both because of the reduced amount of available oxygen

and because increased wave action breaks the stems and erodes the rhizomes.

When water levels drop there is a lag time before the emergent vegetation

expands outward into deeper water. By the summer of 1988, the emergent

vegetation had not yet had time to recover from the high water years of

1986 and 1987, and was only found in up to 90 cm (36 in) of water During

1989 sampling, emergent vegetation was found in deeper water (137 cm or 54

in deep in Kenyon Bay). Two species with limited vertical growth

potential, Eleocharis smallii (Small's spike-rush) and Equisetum fluviatile

(horsetail), were found in greater numbers during 1988 and 1989 than in

1987 due to shallower waters.

The location of muskrat houses, common within the Great Lakes marshes

surveyed, also changed as a result of water level changes. In the marshes

sampled in 1987, muskrat houses were located in 30-60 cm (12-24 in) deep

water among emergent vegetation, typically cat-tails or bulrushes. Upon

returning to sample two marshes in 1988, it was found that the houses,

which were above the water level at the time of the revisit, had been

abandoned and new houses had been constructed further from shore in shallow

water. Thus, with changing lake levels, new openings are-continually being

made by muskrats in the Emergent Marsh beds.

Natural Community Composition

Major vegetational differences between the marshes in the Upper

Peninsula and southern Lower Peninsula were evident in some of the natural

community zones. The Emergent Marshes in the southern Lower Peninsulavere

dominated by Scirpus validus and S. americanus, while L._ acutus was much

more common in northern Lower Michigan and Upper Michigan. Eleocharis

smallii and Cladium mariscoidks were also more common in the Upper

Peninsula. Diversity of Potamogeton spp. appears to be higher in coastal

marshes of the Upper Peninsula than those surveyed in the Lower Peninsula

during 1988.

At the beach line, the muddy zone of the Emergent Marsh on Lake Erie

supported Sagittaria montevidensis, a State Threatened plant. This species

is restricted to Lake Erie shorelines in Michigan. SaRittaria graminea was

commonly present in this same zone in some Upper Peninsula marshes

following the drop in water level.

The Wet Meadow zones of both the northern and southern marshes are

very similar. It appears that Bidens cernua, Polygon lapathifolium, and

Rumex maritimus establish commonly on the exposed organic material of the

Wet Meadow zone in the southern Lower Peninsula, whereas they are not as

common in Upper Michigan.

The estuaries of the two peninsulas differ greatly. Both have thick

organic soils, but the vegetation of northern Lower Peninsula and Upper

Peninsula estuaries contains many species characteristic of Bogs or Poor

Fens. Those of the southern Lower Peninsula are often dominated by dense

colonies of Peltandra virginica, a species restricted to southern Michigan.

Cephalanthus occidentalis and Decodon verticillata are common shrubs in the

southern Michigan estuaries which are absent in the northern Lower

Peninsula and Upper Peninsula estuaries, where Aillnus rugosa (speckled

alder), Chamaedaphne calyculata (leatherleaf), and Myrica gale (sweet gale)

are common.

Human Disturbances

Dike and channel construction caused the greatest amount of marsh

alteration in the southern half of Lower Michigan. A large amount of

diking and channel construction has been done on State Game Areas,

primarily to produce waterfowl habitat. The consequences of this

alteration is the destruction of large expanses of natural plant

communities. This probably also has severe long-term impacts for

waterfowl, as at least two introduced plant species, purple loosestrife and

Eurasian water-milfoil, often establish after dredging. Both species form

dense monocultures which exclude native plant species. Unfortunately,

neither species produces seeds or other edible parts of importance as food

for waterfowl. Purple loosestrife, once established, is almost impossible

to eradicate.

Dredging has occurred at the mouths of most of the large rivers

entering the Great Lakes. The dredging allows the passage of either

commercial or recreational ships and boats. The wakes generated by these

vessels cause further erosion of both emergent and submergent vegetation.

As a result, the best examples of high quality marshes are typically

located where water depths are too shallow for pleasure boat or ship

traffic.

Diking and dredging were not as common in most of the marshes of

northern Lower Michigan and Upper Michigan sampled in 1989. A channel was

dredged from Lake Superior to Lac La Belle across the existing river

channel, but it did not appear to greatly alter the hydrology of the

wetlands.

Dam construction had altered the hydrology of three marshes sampled in

1989, Lake Independence, Tobico, and Big Sable River marshes. Further

investigation would be required to determine the full extent of marsh

alteration by these dams.

Boat docks and slips were common sources of Emergent Marsh

degradation. Single slips created narrow channels through the emergents,

with little sign of active degradation along the edges of the channel, as

long as boat traffic was restricted to the channel. Marshes sampled in

1989 which had been degraded by small boat slips included Squaw Bay, St.

Martin Bay, Big Shoal Cove, Epoufette Bay, and Kenyon Bay. In the vicinity

of marinas, or where there were several nearby slips, degradation was more

severe, with the potential for complete destruction of the emergent beds.

Highway construction along the edges of Great Lakes' shorelines has

also altered marsh hydrology. During highway construction it is common to

fill in portions of the marsh, typically resulting in the flooding of

portions of the Wet Meadow, Shrub Swamp, or Swamp Fores-t zones. This

occurred at Hessel, St.Martin Bay, Squaw Bay, Cecil Bay, Arcadia Lake, and

False Presque Isle.

Natural Area Recommendations

Several marshes sampled are of high natural quality and will be

entered in MNFI's database as Natural Community occurrences (Table 1).

Among the highest quality of these are El Cajon/Misery Bay, Cheboygan State

Park, Carp/Pine Rivers, Voight Bay, Duck Bay, Bar Lake, Petobego Pond,

Grand Island, and Lac La Belle. Waugoshance Point, also a high quality

marsh, has been previously recognized as an occurrence.

Protection of the highest natural-quality marshes identified in this

survey is integral to conservation of Michigan's natural diversity.

Marshes have long been recognized for the diversity of living organisms

which they sustain. They also trap and utilize silt and nutrients, slowing

the degradation of the Great Lakes. If the perpetuation of Michigan's

natural heritage in all its diversity is to be ensured, the best

representative marshes from each natural region of the state should be

adequately protected. Other, more disturbed marshes are also of importance

for their ecological functions and as wildlife habitat.

Protection of marshes as natural areas helps to ensure for future

generations the opportunity to experience, appreciate, and learn about the

natural landscape and the ecological processes which maintain it and its

inhabitants. These marshes serve as scientific resources for study of

system functions and for baseline data on relatively natural ecosystems and

potentially as monitoring sites for detection and study of environmental

degradation. The opportunities to protect high natural-quality marshes

continue to decline yearly, especially in more urbanized and developed

portions of the Lower Peninsula, making it imperative that we act now to

protect this valuable natural resource for future generations.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Many thanks to Larry "Muck-walk" Brewer, Tim Garlock, Dr. Dan Wujek,

and Dr. Ben Stark for their enthusiastic participation in the rigorous

field surveys and plant identification. Thanks to the Remote Sensing Lab

at Michigan State University for allowing us the use of photos from their

photo archives. A final thanks to the landowners who so graciously allowed

us to sample on their property or to cross their property to more easily

reach the marshes.

LITERATURE CITED

Herdendorf, C. E., C. N. Raphael, and E. Jaworski. 1986. The ecology of
Lake St. Clair Wetlands: a community profile. U.S. Fish Wildl. Serv.
Biol. Rep. No. 85.

Keddy, P. A. and A. A. Reznicek. 1986. Great Lakes vegetation dynamics:
The role of fluctuating water levels and buried seeds. J. of Great
Lakes Res. 12(l):25-36. International Association of Great Lakes
Research.

Liston, C. R. and C. D. McNabb. 1987. Limnological and fisheries studies
of the St. Mary's River, Michigan, in relation to proposed extension
of the navigation season, 1982 and 1983. Dept. of Fisheries and
Wildlife, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI.

Michigan Natural Features Inventory. 1986. Draft Description of Michigan
Natural Community Types. (Unpublished manuscript, revised 6 March
1986).

Michigan Natural Features Inventory. 1987. Criteria for Determining
Natural Quality/Condition Grades and Element Occurrence Size-Classes
of Palustrine and Terrestrial Natural Communities in Michigan.
(Unpublished manuscript, revised 11 February 1987).

Michigan Natural Features Inventory. 1987. A Survey of Great Lakes
Marshes in Michigan's Upper Peninsula. A report for Land and Water
Management Division (CZM Grant 9C-10).

Michigan Natural Features Inventory. 198S. A Survey of Great Lakes
Marshes in the Southern Half of Michigan's Lower Peninsula. A report
for Land and Water Management Division (CZM Grant 9C-10).

APPENDIX I.1 Great Lakes Marshes sampled in Bay County

A
QVI.
Z1.
7:. =.
rR
TJO V..N
%.,,,.j C -ON
All

E 5 T

ke
IF-IF --E -77

Noyonquing Point
S G N A w
Ildlife Aroo

F I
S.E

V_E X4 E "R
TOBICO

.-JV
Sr
J
L Quonicallsee
At'
IT Wildlife
I -A M. LIFT
M I.. ., 'AlA Arso
-ww- k.- L

r or
MA
11k.
- t. 12-6
.,P-

Hil
11 R

it 7"'
+
MN

D S
C72
it

J -0-411'., 1V-Q
It

WHII

SQUAW BAY

ljc-

1c,
&Ar

&Ar
mo#

37ATt PARK

FALSE PRESQ
L,-@

A (V- 5 K

1 11241%

fare

tr I

Alz
4@

:m4c n

TAT
APPENDIX 1.4 Great Lakes Marshes sampled in Cheboygan County

c
41
lot&

CHEBOYGAN STATE PARK 9

"Tr.
$TIT.

VIVO

1\Q1

4;
3V

Val

i4\

t-!L.

_;01 A
71'1

'late

cuill

C.N At@-IrE
TH

-@7@ Z.
s.pe,

-4-k"
-V-1

F ELT ii
% .-u

ST. MARTIN BAY
EC
NL! 1h -.F- CARP/PINE RIVER
V

dd"W

-cf:

APPENDIX 1.5 Great Lakes Marshes sampled in Mackinac County

IN 41

riji

L
0 44

EPOUFETTE BAY

Ai it

1@10 4,
KENYON BAY

0
MU
a.
U
<
UZ

Ml.

COIXnty
chi.,Plpe
led
hes
s s
-1,6 Great
F
Dly
N

O'k L COVE
BIG sli

ilk

!V1

two,

cL
u

46
:.L.ooo

Is
t

APPENDIX 1.7. Great Lakes Marshes sampled in Oceana County

C.. Its ft

-W
PENTWATER RIVER
1" Y S@'T A L "F
WAre
-zt-

.7
r, 0 A' V
I J-r
I ..D

FA
-41

@0 . @N,
R y
FlFii
7-E 1-7a y
.T

411a;

All 14 L

STONY CREEK '"Ij G R

7 1 13.

APPENDIX 1.8 Great Lakes Marshes saimpled in Mason County,

S
R
BIG SABLE RIVE

E R M A N
L

L Ii! r. I

t4i

"I B E A

Im" K,
PERE MARQUETTE RIVER
A;

-IT 7 4@1
A, I " '-.. . ! .
Y, qpfT.0 "4

-24
ARCADIA 1AKE
CA
N ur N @@E C@
I L P I
P t-3

F mn-
J 1174
E @'A
--A'F, 1! L

00
IL r-7 ..X.

BAR IAKE
:1@1% N- f D- A s-,'

MANISTEE RIVER

0 N A c

r-e-

1.4

APPENDIX I.10 Great Lakes Marshes sampled in Benzie County

if
Z*-4@

BETSIE RIVER

+
/ 7
85

APPENDIX I.11 Great Lakes Marshes sampled in Grand Traverse
and Antrim Counties

6RAND

N
TRAVERSE BAr

'zAJ tJ

PETOBEGO POND

=xr Pot

AAF

TRAVERSE

4L K

7r
F@!

V7W
UN

0-4*_
Jaw. 1V Ak
N11\ lk .1,

U 17i I@Al i ,;@b
.44= 7_7

APPENDIX 1.12 Great Lakes Marshes sampled in Emmet County

MACKINAC

CECIL BAY

WAUGOSHANCE POINT

S URGEON

OAP

- A

Forts I
cl

G.. A
A 1041
I J-1
M C)

FRI

Niot
Fort

of
.A

1-1 A ;;-I: 1 1:

OAr

=1Z -17.

U
+

ort, 1 171.

APPENDIX 1.13 Great Lakes Marshes sampled in Alger County

A Z'

:--A

Es D 4

GRAND ISLAND

8can 10a
r
Silts -1
T@A
0 N
far
-FT(Y OWN

M U N I I

ILI\
I v 6F, IFt

M E: VkW EV

-4 44

O-Y@' E" L1@ INDEPE

-Alk

r7v J

M J N

shes samPled in Keweenaw County
APPENDIX 1.15 Great Lakes Kar

m hl

.41

Lai Lq J

"y'

Af
Pr"i

APPENDIX Il

CREAT LAKES MARSH SAMPLINC FORM

GREAT LAKES MARSH SAMPLING FORM: PAGE 1
Communities: Coverage Class: Soil Texture: Water Depth:
1=Herbaceous 1=1-20% S=sand D=dry
2=Shrub swamp 2=21-40% L=loam S=saturated
3=Tree swamp 3=41-60% C=clay Depth in inches
4=Emerg. marsh 4=61-80%
5= 5=81-100%
SITE NAME LOCATION:T R S. DATE: SURVEYORS:
COMMUNITY CODE
ACTUAL COMM.
% COVER-SUBMERGE
% COVER-EMERGE
ORGANIC DEPTH
SOIL TEXTURE
WATER DEPTH
SPECIES OCCUR
Alisma plant.aq
Alnus
Aronia malano.
Asclepias Incar
Bidens
Brasenia schreb
Bromus ciliatus
Calamagr. can.
Calla palustris
Campanula apar.
Carex aquatilis
C. bebbii
C. comosa
C. crinita
C. flava
C. hystericina
C. lacustris
C. lasiocarpa
C. retrorsa
C. stricta
C. viridula
Carex
Carex
Ceratophvllum d
Chara globular.
Chelone glabra
Cicuta bulbifer
C. maculata
Cirsium muticum
Cladium marisc.
Cornus amomum
C. stolonifera
Cyperus
Decodon vertic.
Deschamps. caes
Dulichium arund

NOTES:

GREAT LAKES MARSH SAMPLING FORM: PAGE 2

SITE NAME: LOCATTON:T R S. DATE: SURVEYORS:
SPECIES OCCUR
Eleochar. small
E.
Elodea canaden.
Equisetum fluv.
Eriocaulon sept
Eupatorium mac.
Eupatorium perf
Fraxinus pennsy
Galium trifidum
Glyceria canad.
Hypericum
Ilex verticill.
Impatiens bifl.
Iris
Isoetes
Juncus balticus
J. effusus
J.
Leersia oryzoid
Lemna minor
Lemna trisulca
Lobelia dortman
Lobelia kalmii
Lycopus amer.
L. uniflorus
Lysimachia
Lythrum salicar
Mentha arvensis
Muhlenber. glom
Myrica gale
Myriophyllum
Najas flexilis
Nitella flexil.
Nuphar
Nymphaea odorat
Phalaris arund.
Phragmites aust
Polygonum amphi
Polygonum
Pontederia cord
Potamogemon gra
P. richardsonii
P. robbinsii
P.
P.
Potencilla palu
Ranunculus
Rhynchospora

GREAT LAKES MARSH SAMPLING FOR14: PAGE 3
STTF. NAME: LOCATION:T R S. DATE*- SURVEYORS,
SPECT S OCCUR
Rorippa_islandi
Rosa
Rumex
Sagittaria
Salix bebbiana
S. candida
S. cordaca
S. glaucoehy-11.
S. lucida
Salix
rITI-P 77 = c u s
S. armnericanus
S. validus
Scirpus
Scucellaria
rl,"= IUAVO f I
5-olidaeo
Sparganium
Sparganium-
Spartina pectin
Spiraca alba
S. tomencosa
Spiranthes rom.
Spirodeia paivr
Subularta anuac
WaTictrum- dasy
Thelypteris_211-
Tofieldia gluc.
Triadenum fras.
T. virRinicum
77TMuchin -Mari
T, palustris
Typha angusti.
T. lacifolia
Utricularia
Utricularid
Vdllisneria am.
Viburnwn lent.

APPENDIX III

EXPLANATION OF NATURAL QUALITY AND CONDITION RANKS

Great Lakes Marsh Must be big enough to sustain breeding waterfowl,
shorebirds, fish spawning grounds, and some medium-sized mammals
(e.g. muskrat, fox). Must exhibit typical zonation, preferably with natural
vegetation at upland edge. Increase quality-grade for marshes with several
cover types and many native vascular 'plant species (40+). Decrease quality-
grade for presence of exotics, especially if major vegetative composition
changes result. Water control structures are a major disturbance and lower
condition-grade relative to severity of hydrological change. Boat slips,
jetties, etc. are minor disturbances unless associated with heavy human use,
which disturbs animals and destroys submergent vegetation. [See also:-
Submergent Marsh, Emergent Marsh, Northern Wet Meadow, Southern Wet Meadow,
Northern Shrub Thicket, Southern Shrub-Carr, and Inundated Shrub Swamp
criteria.]
Benchmark Quality Standard: High native plant species density and
diversity (equitability and richness) relative to environmental
conditions; heterogenous plant community zonation; presence of full range
of natural communities expected for site; well developed natural
vegetative buffer if exposed to open water; good buffer of associated
natural communities on upland side; and unaltered natural disturbance
regime.
Minimum Element Occurrence Specifications: Exceptional significance: EO
Rank B and 100 acres. Notable significance: RO Rank B and 30 acres.
Element Occurrence Size-Classes: Large: 300 or more acres; Moderate: 100-
299 acres; Small: 30-99 acres; Very Small: under 30 acres.
Boundarv Mapping: Wetlands associated with a single coastal feature (a bay,
a delta) constitute one occurrence even if interrupted by fields, forest,
fill, or channels. Highly managed portions of marshes, even if they sustain
animals, should be excluded.
Exemplary Occurrences: St. Clair River Delta, St. Clair Co. (southern
type); Munuscong River Delta, Chippewa Co. (northern type); Pottawattomie
Bayou, Ottawa Co. (estuary).

APPENDIX IV

NATURAL COMMUNITY MAPS OF MARSHES SAMPLED

APPENDIX IV.01 TOBICO

TOBICO MARSH (Bay Co.)

T.15N., R.4E. and R.5E
Photo: R22:10-11 (1978 MDNR)
Scale: 1:24,000 308368)
Kawkawlin, Mich Quad (4

VOW
SAGWAQ 'BA-Y

-raAoSac-r A

q/S

2/ScL

Key:
1. Wet Meadow
2. Shrub Swamp
3. Treed Swamp
4. Emergent Marsh Al.
5. Agriculture
6. Upland Forest
7. Industrial
8. Urban/Residential 3 3
9. Pond

Sampled by Michael R. Penskar and
Larry J. Brewer, July 1989.
Mapped by Dennis Albert, MNFI, 1989.
C. /a f6
98 Z/3
5/6

3 APPENDIX IV.02 SQUAW BAY

N. flzi@m sL ri.

/IV
TN
SoAr
SLSPS

orpAosecr A

SQUAW BAY (Alpena Co.)
9L

T.30N., RAE. -
Photo: R11:211 (1978 MDNR)
Scale: 1:24,000
9 Alpena and Ossineke
Quads (4508314 and 4408344)

Key:
1. Wet Meadow (Cobble Beach)
2. Shrub Swamp
z 3. Treed Swamp
4. Emergent Marsh
4a. Open Emergent Marsh
5. Submergent Marsh
6. Upland Forest
7. Agriculture
8. Residential/Urban
9. Beach
10. Pond

Sampled by Michael R. Penskar and
Larry C. Brewer, July 1989.
Mapped by Dennis Albert, MNFI, 1989.

APPENDIX IV.03 WHITEFISH BAY

WHITEFISH BAY (Alpena Co.)

T.31N., R.9E.
Photo: R5:55; R11:75 (1978 MDNR)
Scale: 1:24,000
North Point, Mich. Quad (4508313)

Key:
1. Wet Meadow
2. Shrub Swamp
3. Treed Swamp
4. Emergent Marsh
5. Submergent Marsh
6. Upland Forest
7. Agriculture
8. Residential/Urban
9. Beach
10. Pond

Sampled by Dennis Albert and Tim
Garlock, August 1989.
Mapped by Dennis Albert, MNFI, 1989.

100

CAJON BAY AND MISERY BAY (Alpena Co.)

T.31N., RAE.
Photo: R11:74-76,84-86 (1978 MDNR)
Scale: 1:24,000 -T12 IJ EC -r
North Point, Mich. Quad (4508313) +

Key:
1. Wet Meadow q
2. Shrub Swamp
3. Treed Swamp
4. Emergent Marsh
4a Open Emergent Marsh 6
5. Submergent Marsh
6. Upland Forest
7. Agriculture
8. Residential/Urban z
9. Beach
10. Pond

&hy

VC,

Sampled by Dennis Al
Garlock, August 1989
Mamed bv Dennis Alb

CAJON BAY AND MISERY BI
\j

T.31N., RAE.
4 Photo: R11:74-76,84-86
Scale: 1:24,000
North Point, Mich. Quad

VI
3

Key: 3
1. Wet Meadow
2. Shrub Swamp
3. Treed Swamp
4. Emergent Marsh
4a Open Emergent Marsh
5. 'Submergent Marsh
6. Upland Forest
7. Agriculture
8. Residential/Urban
9. Beach
10. Pond

Sampled by Dennis Albert and Tim
Garlock, August 1989.
Mapped by Dennis Albert, MNFI, 1989.

APPENDIX IV.05 FALSE PRESQUE ISLE

MIN?-

TRA.050c-'r A

2. 1 -j

FALSE PRESQUE ISLE (Presque Isle Co.)

T.33N., R.H.
Photo: R5:66; R8:24 (1978 MDNR)
Scale: 1:24,000
Presque Isle Quad (4508334)

Key:
1. Wet Meadow
2. Shrub Swamp
Sampled by Michael R. Penskar and 3. Treed Swamp
Larry J. Brewer, July 1989. 4. Emergent Marsh
Mapped by Dennis Albert, MNFI, 1989. 4a Open Emergent Marsh
5. Submergent Marsh
6. Upland Forest
7. Agriculture
8. Residential/Urban
9. Beach
10. Pond

103

CHEBOYGAN STATE PARK (Cheboygan Co.)
T,38N., RAW. MDNR)
photo: R67:36 (1978
Scale: 1:24,000
Cheboygan Quad (4508464)@

Key:
1. Wet Meadow
2. Shrub Swamp tN
3. Treed Swamp
4. Emergent Marsh 4 If fL
5. Submergent Marsh &J.
6. Upland Forest
7. Agriculture
8. Residential/Urban low
0
9. Beach
10. Pond
11. Bog A
sampled by Michael R. Penskar and 13
Larry J. Brewer, July 1989.
Mapped by Dennis Albert, MNFIf 198

V. .2.

APPENDIX IV.07 CARP/PINE RIVERS

r M-1-6q

V./

ell CARP/PINE RIVERS (Mackinac Co.)
T.42N., RAW.
Photo:R37:80-81,110 (1978 MDNR)
Scale: 1:24,000
Charles Quad (4608416)

Key:
1. Wet Meadow
(2 2. Shrub Swamp
3. Treed Swamp
4. Emergent Marsh
4a Open Emergent Marsh
5. Submergent Marsh
6. Upland Forest

Sampled by Dennis Albert and Tim
Carlock, August 1989.
Mapped by Dennis Albert, MNFI, 1989.

105

3 to

(0
TN

ST. MARTIN BAY (Mackinac Co.)

TAIN., R.2W.
Photo: R12:17; R37:139 (1978 MDNR)
Scale: 1:24,000
C)
a% Pontchartrain Shores and St. Martin
Island Quads (4608415 and 4508485)

Key:
1. Wet Meadow
2. Shrub Swamp
3. Treed Swamp
4. Emergent Marsh
5. Submergent Marsh
6. Upland Forest
7. Agriculture
8. Residential/Urban
9. Beach
10. Pond

Sampled by Michael R. Penskar and
Larry J. Brewer, July 1989.
Mapped by Dennis Albert, MNFI, 1989.

HESSEL (Mackinac Co.)

T.42N., R.lW. z
Photo: R12:77 (1978 MDNR)
Scale: 1:24,000
Hessel and Goose Island
Quads (4608414 and 4508484)
-M APS Ef-r
Key: A
1. Wet Meadow Ec-- CE-L F,
2. Shrub Swamp 13AY M A-(- N 0 Ar C@
3. Treed Swamp BAY
4. Emergent Marsh
5. Submergent Marsh
6. Upland Forest
7. Agriculture
8. Residential/Urban
9. Beach
10. Pond
10a,Beaver Pond
11. Bog

Sampled by Michael R. Penskar ar@d
Larry J. Brewer, July 1989.
Mapped by Dennis Albert, MNFI, 1989.

APPENDIX iv.10,11,12 DUCK, PECK, AND VOIGHT BAYS

C KAOW&

13Av

DUCK. PECK, AND VOIGHT BAYS (Mackinac
Co.)
Lacy- T.41N., RJE. and R.lW.
Photo: R23:49 (1978 MDNR)
Scale: 1:24,000 lie
Goose Island and Cedarvi
Quads (4508484 and 4508483)
\J I?

Ae
L

vo KHT
13AY

Key:
1. Wet Meadow
la. Northern Fen.
2, Shrub Swamp
3, Treed Swamp
4. Emergent Marsh
5. Submergent Marsh
6, Upland Forest
Sampled by Dennis Albert and 6a. Upland Conifer Forest
Tim Garlock, August 1989. 7. Agriculture
T
N

Mapped by Dennis Albert, MNFI, 1989. 8, Residential/Urban
9. Beach
10..Pond

108

BIG-SHOAL COVE (Chipp

T.41N., R.6E. and R.7
Photo: R5:112 (1978 M
Scale:,1:24,000
Marble Head Quad (450

Key:
1. Wet Meadow
2. Shrub Swamp
3. Treed Swamp
4. Emergent Marsh
5. Submergent Marsh
I wr 6. Upland Forest
7. Agriculture
SHOAL 8. Residential/Urban
COV& 9. Beach
10. Pond

Sampled by Michael R.
Larry J. Brewer, July
Mapped by Dennis Alber
LAVCS "Ore

JL
STONY CREEK (Oceana Co.)

T.14N., R.18W.
Photo: R6:06;R7:51 (1978 MDNR)
Scale: 1:25,000
Town Corners Quad (4308654) 4 -rrajse&t A
#4

0
t,A

#L--Jt
Key:
1. Emergent Marsh
2. Shrub-Swamp
3. Wet Meadow
4. Submergent Marsh

Sampled by Gary Reese, Dan Wujek,
and Ben Stark, August 1989.
Mapped by Cary Reese, MNFI, 1989.

APPENDIX IV.15 PENTWATER RIVER

PENTWATER MARSH (Oceana Co.)

T.16N., R.18W.
Photo: R7:99 (1977 MDNR)
Scale: 1:24,000 (approx.)
Pentwater and Mears Quads
(4308674 and 4308664)

Key:
4 4 1. Shrub Swamp
4 2. Water
3. Wet Meadow
4. Emergent Marsh
3 5. Submergent Marsh

Sampled by Gary Reese and Michael
Penskar, July 1989.
Mapped by Cary Reese, MNFI, 1989.

-INA

3 3 3%

3 3
Trans
PERE MARQUETTE (Mason Co.)

T.18N., R.18W.
Photos: R7:69;R25:107 (1977 MDNR)
Scale: 1:25,000
Ludington Quad (4308684)

Key:
1. Wet Meadow
2. Shrub Swamp
3. Emergent Marsh
4. Treed Swamp
5. Submergent Marsh

Sampled by Gary Reese, Dan Wujek,
and Ben Stark, August 1989.
Mapped by Gary Reese, MNFI, 1989.

APPENDIX IV.17 BIG SABLE RIVER

111Z.,zz z ZZ ZZ a Z Z zz

4 S S'

;L 4

BIG SABLE RIVER (Mason Co.)

117 T.20N., R.17W.
Photo: R1084:32 (1984 HMNF)
Scale: 1:12,000 (approx.)
LA%e Kings Corner and Hamlin Lake Quads
(4408613 and 4408614)

Key:
1. Emergent Marsh
7 2. Emergent Marsh/Wet Meadow
3. Wet Meadow
4. Shrub Swamp
5. Treed Swamp
6. Upland Forest
7. Submergent Marsh
8. Open Water

Sampled by Cary Reese, Dan Wujek,
and Ben Stark, August 1989.
113 Mapped by Gary Reese, MNFI, 1989.

4 4
x

NOISTEE RIVER (Manistee Co.)
T.21N. and T.22N, R.16W NR)
Photo: R22:132 (1978 MD-
Scale 1:259000
Parkdale and Onekama Quads
(4408633 and 4408632)

Key:
1. old field
2. Shrub Swamp
3. Treed Swamp
4. Wet Meadow
5. Floodplain Forest
6. Emergent Marsh
sampled by Cary Reese, Dan Wujekv
and Ben Stark, August 1989*
mapped by Gary Reeses MNFI, 1989*

117

2.14 4
BAR IAKE (Manistee Co.) 2

30
T.22N., R.16W.
Photo: R22:134 (1978 MDNR)
Scale: 1:25,000
Parkdale Quad (4408633)

Key:
1. Submergent Marsh
2. Emergent Marsh
3. Shrub Swamp
4. Treed Swamp
5. Open water
6. Upland Forest

Sampled by Gary Reese, Dan Wujek,
and Ben Stark, August 1989.
Mapped by Gary Reese, MNFI, 1989.

1-4

ARCADIA LAKE (Manistee Co.)

T.24N., R. 16W.
Photo: R22:76 (1978 MDNR)
Scale: 1:25,000
IS f 14
Bear Lake Quad (4408642) ju I is

Key:
1. Wet Meadow
2. Emergent Marsh
3. Submergent Marsh and open
water

Sampled by Gary Reese, Dan Wujek,
and Ben Stark, August 1989.
Mapped by Gary Reese, MNFI, 1989.

APPENDIX IV.21 BETSIE RIVER

JAM 30
3ST31,

3 4

e r

3S7

T. as
R i 6W it %.T

BETSIE RIVER (Benzie Co.)

T.26N., R.16W.
Photos: R22:83; R14:191 (1978 MDNR)
Scale: 1:25,000
Benzonia Quad (4408651)

Key:
1. Emergent Marsh
2. Wet Meadow
3. Shrub Swamp
4. Treed Swamp
5. Old field
Sampled by Cary Reese, Dan Wujek,
and Ben Stark, August 1989.
Mapped by Gary Reese, MNFI, 1989.

117

APPENDIX IV.22 PETOBEGO POND

ea. a a A4

Loi ke

4.1

PETOBEGO POND (Grand Traverse and
Antrim Co.'s)

T.28N.. RAW.
Photo: R32:194 (1987 MDNR)
Scale: 1:25,000
Williamsburg Quad (4408574)

Key:
1.1 Submergent Marsh: Scirpus acutus
dominated
1.2 Submergent Marsh: NuRhar varigata
dominated
2. Forest
3.1 Northern Fen
3.2 Wet Meadow
4.1 Emergent Marsh: Typha dominated
4.2 Emergent Marsh: Scirpus acutus
dominated
5. Open water
6. Sand/Gravel Beach and Open Dunes

Sampled by Gary Reese and Michael
Penskar, July 1989.
Mapped by Cary Reese, MNFI, 1989.

118

-3

VAUGOSHANCE POINT (Emmet Co

T.39N., R.6W.
Photo:, R13:3 (1978 MDNR) %%
Scale: 1:24,000
Big Stone Bay and Waugoshance Island
Quads (4508478 and 4508571)

Key:
1. Interdunal Wetland
2. Boreal Forest
3. Open Dunes and Sand/Gravel Beach
4. Cobble Beach, Emergent Marsh, and
Submergent. Marsh -
--- extent of vegetation in 1938
Sampled by Gary Reese and Michael
PensIr-ar, August 1989.
V,---A 1.@kr [email protected] Ppoca MNrT 1989.

CECIL BAY (Emmet Co.)
.LAk- Lc-" te, 11IJ
T.39N., RAW.
Photo: R100:194; R66:90 (1978 MDNR)
Scale: 1:24,000 J"R A 0 Sez I-
Levering and McGulpin Point
Quads (4508467 and 4508477)
-tfZAILS POD
CEC- tL- SAV

Key:
1. Wet Meadow
2. Shrub Swamp
3. Treed Swamp
4. Emergent Marsh
5. Submergent MarsL
6. Upland Forest
7. Agriculture
8. Urban/Residential
9. Beach
10. Pond

Sampled by Gary Reese, Dan Wujek,
and Ben Stark, August 1989.
Mapped by Gary Reese and Dennis
Albert, MNFI, 1989.

6@D

E foof IE TTE
BAY
EFOUFETTE AND KENYON BAYS (Mackinac .0e
Co.) 3

T.42N., R.N.
Photo: R23:214; R35:114 (1978 MDNR) -T(2A SAY
Scale: 1:24,000 110. IL
Epoufette Quad (4608512) 3

Key:
1. Wet Meadow
2. Shrub Swamp
3. Treed Swamp
4. Emergent Marsh
4a. Open Emergent Marsh
5. Submergent Marsh
6. Upland Forest
7. Agriculture Sampled by Dennis Albert and
8. Residential/Urban Tim Garlock, August 1989.
9. Beach Mapped by Dennis Albert, MNFI, 1989.
10. Pond

APPENDIX IV.27 GRAND ISLAND

RAO 0 GRAND ISIAND (Alger Co.) T
T-47N., R.19W. N
Photo: R17:55-56 (1978 MDNR)
Scale: 1:24,000
Munising Quad (4608646)

10
3 ICL .41 C4 RA 0 D

MURRAY
1b^Y
Oe 00,
Ow

Key:
1. Wet Meadow
la. Bog-like Wet Meadow
2. Shrub Swamp
3. Treed Swamp
3a. Treed Swamp on Beach Ridge/Swale
3b. Treed Swamp on Bog Mat
4. Emergent Marsh
5. Submergent Marsh
6. Upland Forest (Hardwood)
6a. Upland Forest (Conifer)
Sampled by Dennis Albert and 7.. Agriculture
Tim.Carlock, August 1989. 8. Residential/Urban
Mapped by Dennis Albert, MNFI, 1989. 9. Beach-
10. Pond

122

6
N

6 -MAI@ZECI

LAKE INDEPENDENCE (Marquette Co.)

T.51N., R.26W. and R.27W.
Photo: R34:138, 178 (1978 MDNR)
Scale: 1:24,000
Big Bay Quad (4608776)

LAK6
Key:
1. Bog-Like Wet Meadow
2. Shrub Swamp
3. Treed Swamp
4. Emergent Marsh
5. Submergent Marsh
6. Upland Forest
7. Agriculture
8. Residential/Urban
9. Beach
10. Pond

Sampled by Dennis Albert and
Tim Garlock, August 1989.
Mapped by Dennis Albert, MNFI, 1989.

LAC LA BELLE (Keweenaw Co.)

T.58N. and T.57N., R.29W.
Photo: R42:292-293; R45:4-6 (1978 mDNR)
Scale: 1:24,000
Deer Island, Delaware, and Point -
Isabella Quads (4708831, 408841,
and 4708738)

Key:
1. Wet Meadow
Ia. Bog-Like Wet Meadow ZeL e, R, 64
2. Shrub Swamp
3. Treed Swamp (Black Spruce)
4. Emergent Marsh
5. Submergent Marsh -rk>PAgLCr
6. Upland Forest
6a. Upland Forest (Conifer)

34-

3 cL-

Sampled by Dennis Albert and
Tim Garlock, August 1989.
Mapped by Dennis Albert, MNFI, 1989.

3 6668 14104 25.25