About the watershed
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The Herring Lakes watershed is located almost entirely in the southwest corner of Benzie County and encompasses 25 square miles. Herring Creek flows through both Upper Herring Lake and Lower Herring Lake before reaching Lake Michigan. The upper watershed consists of a myriad of small tributaries flowing through primarily agricultural land, forests, and a large wetland. Herring Creek forms at the junction of various tributaries just upstream of Upper Herring Lake. Herring Creek and its tributaries drain a large area of the watershed which includes 41% forest land, 27% agricultural a livestock farms, 14% open land, 6.3% residential land, 6.4% wetlands and 2.4% water.
The primary resource concerns in the Herring Lakes watershed are fecal matter, nutrient, and pesticide contamination from residential and agricultural areas, invasive species, shoreline erosion, road/stream crossings and sedimentation. |
Recent News
The District is working with area partners to submit a Herring Lakes Watershed Management Plan by the fall of 2016. The plan will be submitted for approval from the Department of Environmental Quality under Section 319 of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (Clean Water Act). Partners on the project include: Grobbel Environmental and Planning Associates, Grand Traverse Regional Land Conservancy, Upper Herring Lake Association, Lower Herring Lakes Association, and the Michigan State University Extension.
The Herring Lakes Steering Committee meets once a month at the Beulah office. The public is welcome to attend and notes from the meetings can be made available on request.
The Herring Lakes Steering Committee meets once a month at the Beulah office. The public is welcome to attend and notes from the meetings can be made available on request.
Herring Lake Watershed Links
Michigan DNR Lake maps
Lower Herring Lake DNR fish survey (2015)
Upper Herring Lake DNR fish survey (2015)
Lower Herring Lake Phragmites treatments 2016
Lower Herring Lake DNR fish survey (2015)
Upper Herring Lake DNR fish survey (2015)
Lower Herring Lake Phragmites treatments 2016