Master Plan Hoped To Aid Use of Millecoquins Lake
Boosting Fishery, Controlling Weed Growth Are Goals
By Paul Gingras

To encourage use of Lake Millecoquins near Naubinway by both sportsmen and recreational boaters, a master plan for the lake is being drafted that will strive to maintain the fish habitat and curb massive aquatic plant growth. The Lake Millecoquins Improvement Committee of Garfield Township anticipates receiving a completed master plan for the lake in early October.

The plan will address how to maintain the lake's fish habitat, while dealing with the continuing problem of massive aquatic plant growth, which limits other forms of recreation on the water. Lake Millecoquins has had an excellent summer fishing season, said Jim Rutledge of the committee.

The lake committee wants to ensure that their prized watershed remains suitable for swimming, water-skiing, and trolling, as well as other forms of fishing, he said.

This July, the committee hired Dr. Doug Pullman of the Flintbased Aquest Corporation, who assessed the lake and wrote the master plan.

Addressing weed congestion on the lake bottom and preventing the introduction of a common fish disease called viral hemorrhagic septicemia (VHS) tops the committee's concerns, Mr. Rutledge said.

The master plan will contain a budget for lake maintenance and recommendations regarding how to deal with Millecoquins' aquatic weed growth, which has caused damage to boats by becoming entangled in their propellors.

Mr. Pullman determined that the lake's diverse weed community is composed entirely of native species, so chemicals used to wipe out invasive species cannot be used to kill them off, Mr. Rutledge said, adding that members of the committee were hesitant about using chemicals to address to the problem.

The spread of aquatic weeds in Lake Millecoquins resembles the way certain invasive species choke watersheds, he said.

The lake is about 9.5 feet deep and its clear water enables sunlight to reach the bottom, causing the weeds to flourish.

In addition to common water milfoil, the committee is concerned about broad-leaved pondweed, which is becoming dense in areas of the lake. The committee plans to survey areas where the weed is taking hold and prevent it from spreading.

This July, Mr. Rutledge informed the Garfield Township Board of Trustees that excessive mechanical harvesting could damage the loose lake bottom, but, "I think we have had enough people on the lake to determine that [mechanical harvesting] is all we can do," he told The St. Ignace News.

If the committee manages to gather funding for harvesting equipment, it will only clear sections of the lake, Mr. Rutledge said. At Dr. Pullman's recommendation, the committee plans to clear strips through the center of the lake, creating areas for swimming, boating, and other activities, without wiping out too much of the lake's flora.

The committee is concerned that removing excessive amounts of the lake's plant life would diminish its fish population, which appears to be flourishing in the weedy environment, Mr. Rutledge said.

The Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has declared Lake Millecoquins one of the state's top 10 pike-producing lakes. Owing the prevalence of the fish, it has been featured in outdoor magazines, Mr. Rutledge said.

Funding a harvesting program presents a challenge.

The Straits Area Sportsmen's Club has paid for the committee's research on Lake Millecoquins, but lacks sufficient funding to rent a mechanical harvester. On average, it costs about $600 to rent a harvester and clear one acre of lake bottom.

Lake Millecoquins is 1,123 acres in size.

Aquatic weeds are not the only problem the committee is concerned about. This year, in an attempt to stop the spread of VHS, the DNR canceled a planned operation to plant thousands of walleye in the lake.

"[The virus] is not in the lake now. Hopefully, it never will be," Mr. Rutledge said.

The DNR has issued numerous warnings about VHS, he said. The virus is not transferable to humans but easily kills both warm and cold water fish. VHS has spread throughout Lake Huron, Green Bay, and it has been found in Bud Lake near Harrison.

The disease is predicted to spread throughout the entire Great Lakes system. In theory, any inland lake connected to the Great Lakes could be infected easily, Mr. Rutledge said.

To help protect the local fishery, Mr. Rutledge suggests visiting boaters wash their boats well and rinse live wells with chlorinated water. He discourages transporting live fish, including minnows captured for bait. Bait obtained from certified dealers is safe.

The lake committee includes 35 to 40 members, many of whom live on Lake Millecoquins. Some are business people from Engadine and Naubinway who are aware that "fortunes can rise and fall depending on our natural resources," Mr. Rutledge said.

Fishing this year and last has been excellent, but the loss of the fishery from VHS would certainly damage the local economy, he said.