The Water's Edge

THE

EDGE

800-662-9278 | Michigan.gov/EGLEInlandLakes

Helping sh and

wildlife on your

lakeshore property

he water’s edge is a busy place. Northern

pike, bluegills, bass, and other sh spawn in

the shallow water along the shore. Loons, ducks,

sandhill cranes, and other water birds nest along

the banks. Wildlife such as frogs, otters, and mink

live there too. Shoreline areas—on land and into

the shallow water—provide essential habitat for sh

and wildlife that live in or near Michigan’s lakes.

Overdeveloped shorelines can’t support the sh,

wildlife, and clean water that are so appealing to

the people attracted to the water’s edge.

Unfortunately, that’s exactly what’s happening

to many Michigan lakes. The problem is poorly

planned lakeshore development. Bit by bit,

the cumulative effects of tens of thousands of

lakeshore homeowners “xing up” their property is

destroying one of the state’s valuable resources—

its fragile lake habitats. Some examples:

Sand trucked in for swimming beaches covers

underwater gravel or silt used by:

• sh for spawning

• mayies for burrows

• frogs for laying eggs

Aquatic vegetation removed to create swimming

and boating areas eliminates shoreline-

stabilizing plants that are also habitat for:

• bass and other sh that hide among the plants

and spawn in areas protected from waves

• loons that nest on oating vegetation

• waterfowl that feed on underwater plants

• insects that live among underwater vegetation

Shoreline shrubs and “unsightly” fallen trees are

removed to create golf course-type lawns, thus

eliminating habitat for wildlife such as:

• songbirds that use these shrubs for nesting

• ducks that lay eggs in native shoreline grasses

• turtles that sun on fallen logs

• bass and pansh that hide in the shade

under toppled trees.

“Protecting and

restoring shoreline

habitat is critical

to the health of an

entire lake. If you

want great shing,

you must protect your

natural shorelines.”

Jim Dexter,

DNR Fisheries

Eric Calabro

Roger Darden

Shoreline habitat

wners of shoreland property often bring with them traditional

landscaping ideas that strive for the conventional, suburban “clean” look

of a golf course or a beach. Yet, besides eliminating sh and wildlife habitat,

this type of landscaping also creates problems for homeowners such as:

• Green water: A mowed lawn sends rain runoff carrying fertilizers, pet

waste, and the lawn clippings to the water where they fuel algae blooms

that make swimming less enjoyable.

• More erosion: Water plants such as bulrushes, cattails, and coontail

soften the erosive effects of waves along shores. Removing these plants

increases erosion.

• Nuisance wildlife problems: Traditional lawns attract geese, which are

grazers. In one week, an adult goose can produce 15 pounds of slippery,

smelly droppings.

The combined effect of shoreline alterations by many property owners on a

lake destroys habitat and causes declines in sh and wildlife populations. It’s

ironic that many lakeshore property owners buy their lots because they enjoy

nature and then unknowingly harm habitat by altering the natural landscape.

Most species of sh and wildlife don’t thrive along sandy swimming beaches

or on mowed lawns. They do best within the tangles of aquatic (“weeds”) and

shoreline cover (“brush”) that lakeshore owners frequently remove.

Landscaping that’s

unfriendly to sh and wildlife

Chris Frieburger

“Clean” lawns can make dirty lakes

Rain that would

seep into the

soil ows more

quickly off

rocks and lawns

straight into the

lake. The runoff

carries pet

waste, fertilizer,

and other lake

pollutants.

All natural vegetation along

the water’s edge has been

eliminated—and with it has

gone the shrubs and grasses

needed by birds, butteries,

and other wildlife.

With all the aquatic vegetation gone,

sh have no place to live. Waves

will stir up sediment and destroy

spawning areas.

horeline habitat consists of many natural elements woven into the lake

ecosystem to form a web of life. Native vegetation, bottom materials, and

natural debris play essential roles in the life cycles of a lake’s sh and wildlife.

Nearshore alterations that damage or destroy these habitat components sever

essential strands in the web. As a result, the lake ecosystem is weakened,

wildlife and sh numbers decline.

The value of shoreline habitat

What can you do?

A growing number of lakeshore owners

are switching from traditional mowed

lawns to native grasses and wildowers.

In addition to helping wildlife, native

plants require little to no maintenance.

That frees up more of your time to go

shing, watch wildlife, and otherwise

enjoy being at the lake.

Mark Bugnaski Photography

Amy B. Beyer

Lightly developed shoreline = lots of sh and wildlife

Overdeveloped shoreline = few sh and wildlife

Shoreline buffers

Kathleen Preece

earshore vegetation provides habitat for

many wildlife species. Waterfowl nest in

shoreline grasses, while songbirds build their nests

in trees and shrubs. Natural shorelines are wildlife

highways, or travel corridors, for animals such as

mink. Grasshoppers, ants, and other insects that

live in shoreline vegetation are blown into the lake,

where they are eaten by bluegills and other sh.

A tidy lawn and a sandy beach make great spots

for sunbathing and swimming, but they provide

little habitat for sh and wildlife. By leaving a

buffer of natural vegetation along the shoreline,

property owners can reduce erosion, help

maintain water quality, and provide habitat and

travel corridors for wildlife.

The width of the buffer strip depends upon the

terrain. On a gentle slope, having a 35 to 50 foot

strip of natural vegetation between the water’s

edge and the lawn will accommodate the needs of

many shoreline wildlife. On steeper grades, leaving

even more natural vegetation in place will stabilize

soils and reduce the need for retaining walls or

other erosion prevention. Trees and shrubs in the

buffer strip can mufe noise from watercraft while

providing nesting areas for songbirds.

Avoid using pesticides or fertilizers in the buffer

strip because harmful chemicals can leach into

the lake. Pesticides kill benecial insects living in

shoreline vegetation that are important foods for

sh, birds, and other wildlife.

Have your lawn—

and wildlife too

You don’t need to give

up a lawn and beach

to create a natural,

wildlife-friendly

lakeshore.

If you have 100

feet of shoreline,

consider reverting

75 feet back to its

natural condition

and keeping 25 feet

for a boat dock and

swimming area.

Additionally, if you

restore the area near

the lake to natural

grasses and shrubs,

you can still keep

plenty of lawn up near

the house or cabin

while helping ducks,

songbirds, butteries,

and other wildlife.

Along your shoreline, try

to maintain a buffer of native

grasses, wildowers, shrubs, and

trees. Native plants especially

good for wildlife are sugar

maples, bur oaks, cranberries,

dogwoods, native grasses, and

wildowers. Benecial aquatic

plants include bulrushes, wild

rice, arrowhead, cattails,

and bur reeds.

Woody cover

ecause most Michigan lakes are surrounded

by trees and shrubs, storms and winds often

blow dead or dying branches, limbs, and trees

into the water. This woody debris is important to

lake ecosystems. Beneath the water’s surface,

woody material is critical habitat for tiny aquatic

organisms that feed bluegills, turtles, craysh,

and other critters. Water insects such as mayies

graze on the algae that grows on decomposing

wood. Dragony nymphs hunt for prey among the

stems and branches. Bass nd food, shelter, and

nesting sites among fallen trees.

Above water, a fallen tree is like a dock for wildlife.

Ducks and turtles rest and sun themselves on

the trunk. Predators such as mink and otter hunt

for prey in the vicinity of the tree. Dead trees that

remain along the shoreline are used as perches by

belted kingshers, ospreys, and songbirds.

Many lakeshore owners consider this woody debris

unsightly and remove it from their shoreline. Yet

this takes away hiding and feeding areas for many

sh and wildlife species. Unless the fallen tree is a

hazard to navigation or swimming, consider leaving

it in the water to improve sh and wildlife habitat,

shing, and wildlife observation.

What can you do?

Leave fallen trees in

the water to provide

habitat for sh and

wildlife.

Eric Calabro

Waterfowl, turtles,

and other wildlife

use fallen trees as

resting sites.

Bottom materials

ocal geography and geology determine what

natural materials exist on lake bottoms and

shorelines. Hard lake bottoms and beaches

made up of sand or gravel are usually in open

areas exposed to waves. Soft bottoms composed

of muck are usually in shallow, sheltered bays.

Areas with lots of rocks and boulders were left by

receding glaciers 10,000 years ago.

Bottom material, called substrate, is used by sh

and other aquatic life. Walleyes spawn on the clean

gravel of wave-swept shorelines. Mucky bottoms

support insects and other invertebrates that provide

food for sh and wildlife. Craysh, smallmouth bass,

and other species hide and forage among rocks.

Pure sand is the least ecologically productive lake

bottom substrate. Yet lakeshore dwellers frequently

buy property and then alter the shore and bottom by

dumping sand to improve a swimming area. Creating

sand beaches on soft bottoms is expensive and

covering rock-rubble bottoms with sand destroys sh

spawning areas, and reduces sh populations.

Before creating a large beach, lakeshore owners

should know that their shoreline alteration will

eliminate sh and wildlife habitat from the entire lake

ecosystem, and may require permits from EGLE.

What can you do?

• Minimize the size

of your sandy

beach to allow

for more natural

shoreland and

underwater

vegetation.

• If buying property,

look for shoreline

and lake bottom

that match your

desires. Don’t

expect to change

it into something

it isn’t.

In-Fisherman

Rock and gravel

bottoms are important

spawning areas for

game sh such as

walleyes and forage

species such as

suckers, darters, and

some minnows.

Emergent Plants

Floating-leaf Plants

Submergent Plants

Algae

Aquatic vegetation

ften dismissed as “weeds” by many

lakeshore property owners, aquatic plants

provide essential sh and wildlife habitat and

help keep lakes clean and healthy. Through

photosynthesis, aquatic vegetation produces

oxygen for the lake. Wetland vegetation provides

food and cover for waterfowl and other wildlife.

Removing aquatic vegetation to improve boating

or swimming eliminates sh habitat and damages

the root network that holds bottom sediments in

place. For example, bulrushes keep silt carried by

waves from covering bottom gravel used by bass

and pansh for spawning. When bulrush beds are

removed, waves also begin to erode the shoreline.

Wave action and boat wakes also stir up sediment,

causing the lake water to become murky. If

sunlight cannot penetrate the cloudy water, many

healthy and vibrant lakes can eventually turn into

a green soup, devoid of most desirable sh and

wildlife species.

What can you do?

• Leave aquatic

plants along the

shoreline.

• Consider re-

establishing

aquatic plants

along the

lakeshore.

• Utilize docks &

swim platforms

rather than

removing

vegetation for

access.

David Howell

Shoreline vegetation

provides critical habitat for

benecial insects, such as this

mosquito‑eating dragony.

Biologists refer to aquatic plants as emergent,

submergent, and oating‑leaf vegetation.

Emergent vegetation protrudes above the water’s

surface; submergent vegetation stays underwater;

and oating‑leaf plants rest on the water surface.

Emergent Plants

Floating-leaf Plants

Submergent Plants

Algae

Wetlands

etlands help keep lakes clean by ltering

sediments and excess nutrients. Acting like

natural sponges, wetlands slow down water. This

function reduces ooding, stabilizes lake levels,

and provides recharge for groundwater.

Shoreline wetlands are habitat for a diverse

community of plants and animals such as

northern pike, which spawn among aquatic

vegetation. Nutrient-rich sediments and soils

in wetlands support insects, frogs, and other

small animals eaten by sh and wildlife. Wetland

vegetation provides food and cover for waterfowl,

muskrats, and other wildlife.

Marshes, bogs, bulrush beds, and other shoreline

wetlands have been disrupted by lakeshore

property owners to create boat docks and

swimming beaches. The loss of a lake’s wetland

areas leads to poorer water quality, lower game

sh populations, and ooding.

What can you do?

• Don’t ll or alter

wetlands, even if

they are only wet

in the spring.

• Consider

restoring drained

or lled wetlands.

Amy Peterson

Healthy wetlands

attract nesting and

migrating waterfowl.

t’s up to everyone who values lakes to keep them healthy and productive.

Many lakeshore owners wonder what difference alterations to their one

lake lot could possibly make. But when the actions of dozens or hundreds

of individual property owners are added up, the sum effect can alter the

habitat and water quality on that lake. The cumulative harm from shoreline

alterations by many lakeshore property owners affects swimming, shing,

wildlife watching, and the overall health of the lake. It’s like walking in a

garden. If a neighbor kid came through once, that would be no big deal but

if the whole neighborhood came through, the garden would be trampled.

We’re all responsible

Dick Stoltman

This picture shows the cumulative impacts of vegetation elimination on

the nearshore habitat of an inland lake. When multiplied around the lake,

individual shoreline alterations affect the overall health of Michigan Lakes.

Protecting watersheds

A watershed is a basin that collects water from the surrounding

landscape. A healthy lake depends on a healthy watershed. Logging,

farming, livestock grazing, and urban development occurring in a

watershed can affect a lake’s water quality. Pollutants and eroding soil

within the entire watershed can easily end up in the lake. Poor land use,

even several miles away, can end up harming sh and wildlife habitat in

a lake. Some lake associations map the lake’s watershed to inventory

and evaluate activities taking place. When activities that degrade water

quality are discovered, people living in the watershed work together to

nd a solution.

Prescription for a healthy lake

healthy lake is a functioning ecosystem.

The water is safe for swimming and shing.

The aquatic habitat supplies food, cover, and

spawning areas for sh. Natural shoreline

vegetation supports sh, songbirds, small

mammals, and other wildlife. Throughout this

lake’s watershed, land management activities are

planned to improve water quality.

A healthy lake doesn’t just happen. It comes

about when shoreline property owners and others

living in the watershed take steps to ensure the

lake’s ecological health. Only if more lakeshore

owners manage their shoreline in a natural

condition can sh and wildlife populations on

Michigan lakes stay healthy and abundant.

More things to know

Several state laws

and rules protect

shorelines, wetlands,

and oodplains. For

example, it is illegal

to construct seawalls

and beaches wihout

a permit.To learn

which shoreline

alterations are

prohibited without

a permit, call your

local EGLE ofce.

Good shing doesn’t just

happen. It’s the result of clean

water and abundant spawning

habitat found in lakes that still

have plenty of natural shoreline.

Mark Bugnaski Photography

For more information

The Michigan Department of Environmental Quality (EGLE) is responsible for the

protection of the natural resources and public trust of inland lakes. You can get

information on permits and laws from EGLE through their Environmental Assistance

Center (800-662-9278), on the web (

Michigan.gov/EGLEInlandLakes

) or by

contacting your local EGLE ofce. EGLE staff are happy to discuss your project so

that it meets both personal and environmental concerns.

The Michigan Natural Shoreline Partnership (MNSP) is an organization made up

of experts from EGLE, universities, resource conservation groups, and industry

designed to assist lakefront property owners who wish to restore natural shoreline

habitat along their waterfront. The MNSP educates contractors and landscape

professionals on natural shoreline methods, and provides workshops for

landowners. Visit

MiShorelinePartnership.org

for more information.

MICHIGAN

NATURAL

SHORELINE

PARTNERSHIP

12/2022

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beliefs, height, weight, genetic information, or sexual orientation in the administration of

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applicable laws and regulations.

To request this material in an alternative format, contact [email protected]

or call 800-662-9278.

800-662-9278 | Michigan.gov/EGLEInlandLakes