Property owners around East Lake gathered to hear an update on a proposed dam project there and debated its merits Saturday, August 22, at the Mackinac County Courthouse. The next step will be to hold a Circuit Court hearing September 11 on the issue.

Support from property owners for the project is divided. At issue are declining water levels in the lake that harm the fish population, the cost of the proposed dam to nearby property owners, and the impact on local septic fields of tampering with the lake level.

A panel consisting of the East Lake Dam Committee, Hiawatha Forest District Ranger Stevan Christiansen, environmental attorney Susan Topp, Assistant Prosecuting Attorney Kayla Nixon, and senior project manager of the Spicer Group engineering and surveying company Ronald Hansen addressed the questions of East Lake property owners. Mackinac County Commission Chair Dawn Nelson moderated the meeting.

Mary Woodruff of the East Lake Dam Committee said a dam is needed to be constructed to halt the decline of the water level. The decreasing water level would damage property values as well as local wildlife, she said.

Citing an environmental study conducted by Christopher Grobbel of Grobbel Environmental and Planning Associates, Mrs. Woodruff explained a lower lake level results in more sunlight entering the water, causing greater photosynthesis. More plants would then grow, she said, which causes a dangerous chain reaction.

When the plants die, they sink to the bottom of the lake where they are decomposed by bacteria. The bacteria consume oxygen to break down the plants, which lowers the overall oxygen level of the water, she said.

With lower amounts of oxygen, the plants do not decompose completely, resulting in layers of muck that further decrease the water level. The lower level of oxygen damages the fish population, as well, she said. The common loons that live at the lake survive by diving into the water to catch fish. If something is not done to increase the lake level, then the loons will abandon the lake as the fish die out.

Mrs. Topp echoed Mrs. Woodruff's statements, adding that particulates in the water catch sunlight and warm the water, further reducing the lake level.

"There's no doubt in my mind that a lake level needs to be set," Mrs. Topp said.

The proposed minimum lake level is 4.9 feet and was obtained through a study of the historical lake levels completed by the Spicer Group. Information on the lake levels was provided by the United States Geological Survey.

By law, the 11th Circuit Court must set a lake level before the dam project can continue, Mrs. Nixon said.

Another step would be to set up a special tax assessment district so property owners could fund the project. The charge to each property owner has not yet been determined.

Once an assessment district is established, the amount of money the district can provide for the project will be known. The money can then be used to conduct further studies that provide more detailed information.

The Mackinac County Board of Commissionners is willing to work with the owners to create an assessment procedure that would be fair to everyone, Mrs. Nelson said during the meeting.

Mr. Hansen of the Spicer Group explained the details of the type of dam that may be used in the project.

The dam, called a riffle rock dam, would be composed of an earthen base with the riffle rocks at its center. The entire dam would not be made of the rock, Mr. Hansen told The St. Ignace News.

"These are the cheapest and easiest to permit," he said of the dam.

General measurements of the size and width of the dam were taken, and an estimate was made of how much it would cost. A survey of the land to determine if it would be capable of supporting the rock riffle dam has yet to be made, he said. The study cannot be made until the project is approved.

The county would be responsible to examine the dam each year and perform necessary maintenance. Costs for the exam and maintenance would fall upon those in the special assessment district.

The dam project would cost an estimated $350,000, including the costs of materials and engineering. Prices could still fluctuate, he said, as it is unknown when the project would take place.

Support for the project was divided as residents expressed their feelings and concerns.

Brian Anderson, who attended the meeting to gather more information on the project, was skeptical of the proposed costs. Mr. Anderson said he believed the cost of the project would be much greater than estimated, saying transportation and material location could easily increase costs.

Mr. Hansen responded, saying materials and transportation had been budgeted into the estimate. Bidding costs for construction projects have declined up to 40% since last year, Mr. Hansen said, which could help lower fees.

"There's a possibility it could come in more expensive," he admitted.

If residents within the special assessment district felt project costs were too high, the residents could decide to abandon the project, Mrs. Nelson said.

Paul Williams, who has lived at East Lake for more than 20 years, said the proposed water level is too high. About three to four feet of shoreline by his property was lost when lake levels rose to nearly six feet, he said.

Other residents were concerned about the effect the water level could have on septic fields.

The study the Spicer Group conducted took the septic fields into consideration, Mr. Hansen told The St. Ignace News, and identified the lowest land level a septic field rested on. The proposed water level is below the lowest septic fields, he said, and is unlikely to flood them.

Other owners expressed concern over who would be liable for any problems the dam may cause, and how many liabilities the dam could bring.

Mrs. Topp said the only liability she is aware of would be a large release of sediment into the surrounding area. If a sediment release were to occur during construction, the construction company would be liable for any damages that were incurred. If it happened after construction, then the county would be held liable as it is responsible for the dam's maintenance.

Property owner Don Bowman was unmoved about the concerns many of the residents voiced. Mr. Bowman, who purchased property near the lake to pass on to his son, supported the dam project.

"Guys, lets get it moving forward," he said. "In most cases these are just scary monsters that have no bearing."

Ron Mraz, East Lake property owner and member of the East Lake Dam Committee, also encouraged support of the project. Mr. Mraz said he would rather pay the assessment than watch his property value decrease with the lake level.

A circuit court hearing to determine if a lake level should be set will be held Friday, September 11, at 1:15 p.m. in the Mackinac County Courthouse and is open to the public.