A general guide to water quality as related to agricultural practices. Gives general background and guidelines for qualitative assessment of water quality.

Prepared by students in the MSU Dept. of Resource Development. Covers the portion of the Flint R. watershed east of the City of Flint, in eastern Genesee and Lapeer counties. A copy of the cover page, showing the general topics covered, is attached. Some decent background information, but limited in scope and time. Many of the papers are general in nature. Referenced works are primarily from the 1960’s.

Studies prepared by MSU students as term projects in Water Resources Management. They are well done steam-road crossing and aireal photo surveys of the area east of Flint, and include numerous photos and suggestions for recreational use. The documents appears to coincide with the period of the development of the Genesee Recreation Area and the construction of Mott Lake, but the studies consider a much larger area.

A good description of streamflow characteristics for the Flint R. and selected tributaries in Genesee County.

Resource data was collected on 297 sample units of 160 acres each throughout Genesee county. The report includes data on land use, cropland use, erosion, use of water bodies and steams, and conservation needs.

Executive Summaries - a separate document describing the major points of each phase of the study.

Phase I - Upriver Reaches - a copy of this report was not included in the information supplied by Jay Blair. This report accessed nonpoint source pollution problems, primarily from agricultural practices. Water quality and flow problems of Holloway Reservoir were emphasized. It was found that the reservoir receives extremely high levels of nutrients for its size, although the water quality of the reservoir did not appear to be significantly degraded, perhaps due to a relatively short water retention period. It appears that the reservoir may serve as a nutrient trap, reducing the impact of nutrients on downstream waters. Most of the nutrient inputs (>70%) appeared to originate from the South Branch of the Flint.

Areal coverage is the lower Flint Basin, from Holloway Reservoir to the confluence of the Flint and Shiawassee Rivers. Addresses the possible development of a river management system to augment river flows during low-flow conditions, presents a limited survey of water quality and pollutant impacts during high-flow conditions, and attempts to identify urban nonpoint source problems. Nonpoint sources appeared to have a much higher impact on water quality than point sources, particularly during high-flow conditions. The study indicated that commercial land use produces a major portion of the urban nonpoint source loads.

Addresses the severe problem areas identified in the Phase I report. Specific sites are documented and best management practices are suggested. The most critical watersheds indicated by the Phase I data were Plum Creek (central Lapeer County), Butternut Creek (northeastern Genesee County), and Webb Drain (southwestern Genesee County). A map showing the locations of the three watersheds is attached. Plum Creek watershed was the least severely impacted. Plum Creek had very good water quality except for the high sediment and nutrient levels in the lower two miles of the creek. Butternut Creek watershed, which drains into Mott Lake, exhibited high nutrient loadings in the Thetford Twp. area, originating primarily from several large dairy operations. This portion of the watershed was found to be intensely cultivated, while the northeastern part of the watershed was primarily forested lands. Water quality in the northeastern section was found to be very good. The Webb Drain area was at the time of the study intensely cultivated and exhibited the most severe erosion problems.

This report addresses the need for stormwater management for the purpose of flood control. Part I of the report consists of a general description of stormwater problems and potential solutions. It includes guidelines for the implementation of Best Management Practices (BMP’s) in the planning and design of future development. Part II describes in detail three areas in Genesee county which have stormwater problems, the City of Burton, Grand Blanc City and Township, and the City of Lapeer. The Grand Blanc area impacts Thread Creek. Burton impacts upon Gilkey Creek, and is in turn impacted by Thread Creek downstream of Grand Blanc. The Lapeer area was selected as a case study for the implementation of BMP’s in future development.

Lapeer County: Natural Resources and Opportunities for Action

Genesee County: Natural Resources and Opportunities for Action

USDA reports; April 1987

The focus of the reports is soil and water conservation with relation to agricultural practices. The reports include descriptions of the natural resources in each county and discuss problems related to erosion, flooding, drainage, sedimentation, water quality, and cropland and forest management. Resource management systems and conservation practices are discussed. Maps are included which show land use, erosion and water quality problem areas and flood prone areas in each county.

A copy of a grant proposal submitted to MDNR. A number of cosponsors were involved, including UM-Flint, Genesee Cooperative Extension Service, Genesee Environmental Health Division, and others. Includes descriptions of the watershed and of identified watershed problems. The major types of pollutants are nutrients, sewage, fecal coliform and sediments from soil erosion, resulting in high turbidity, suspended solids and sedimentation, nuisance algae growth, low dissolved oxygen levels, loss of aquatic habitat and oil contaminated sediments. Biological surveys show that sampling stations along Gilkey Creek are contaminated with sanitary waste from unsewered residential areas and storm drain inputs. Upstream erosion results in high turbidity and sedimentation. Significant flooding occurs due to the reduction of infiltration by paving of surrounding land.

A series of staff reports issued by the MDNR Surface Water Quality Division describing biological surveys of the Flint R. and selected tributaries. Findings are summarized below:

Overall stream quality: poor to fair based on habitat and macroinvertebrate abundance; macroinvertebrates improved relative to 1972.

Appeared nutrient-enriched based on profuse growths of green algae Cladophora.

Sediments contained detectable levels of chromium, copper, nickel, lead, mercury and zinc.

Overall stream quality: poor to fair; macroinvertebrates improved relative to 1972.

Elevated levels of phosphorus and nitrogen.

Detectable sediment levels of chromium, copper, nickel, lead and zinc. Levels typical of industrialized areas.

Overall stream quality: poor to fair.

Reasonably diverse fish communities; abundance and diversity improved relative to 1973.

Nutrient concentrations decreased 95% relative to 1969 and 1974.

Detectable sediment levels of chromium, copper, nickel, lead and zinc. Levels typical of industrialized areas.

Overall stream quality: poor to fair; conditions somewhat worse downstream of landfill relative to upstream.

Water chemistry indicated somewhat increased levels for most parameters at the downstream station. Sediments displayed significantly higher levels of metals downstream.

Physical habitat conditions: fair to good

Macroinvertebrate community: good

Fish community: good to excellent

Water chemistry: nutrient levels, TOC and COD all at background levels.

Eight stations were occupied east of Columbiaville, on the NB and SB of the Flint and selected tributaries to each. Remaining stations were on Butternut Creek, on the Flint downstream of Holloway Reservoir, and at three sites downstream of the City of Flint.

Fish communities: moderate to severe impairment. Little change compared to 1983.

Brief summaries of several local and regional studies (1959 to 1986) producing quantitative water quality data for the Flint River and tributaries within and adjacent to the City of Flint. Focus of the summaries is urban stormwater pollution. Data for agricultural runoff studies are not included. A copy of the summary is attached.

Also included in this document is the STORET inventory for stations and parmeters measured within and around the City of Flint, with data ranging from 1959 to 1992. The data includes toxic substances as well as standard water quality parameters.

The Flint River data presented in this document includes summary descriptions for BOD, suspended and total solids, nutrients, chloride, metals, PCBs and PBB, and phenols. Data spans the period from 1972 to 1986. Both water and sediment data are included. An excerpt of the report, provided by Brad Hill, is attached. Note that the report does not indicate where the data were collected.

Data indicates that, for the period 1972 to 1986, BOD, suspended solids, and total and orthophosphorus declined significantly after 1977 and remained low through the remainder of the period. Nitrate+nitrite levels showed the opposite trend, increasing by a factor of 2 to 3 from 1978 to 1984, but declining again in 1985 and 1986.

Metals:

Water data is summarized for the period 1976 to 1986. In general, the highest values reported were for the Flint River. In most instances, levels are reported to have declined over this period. It is likely that this reflects improvements in analytical methods rather than actual declining values. With the exception of lead, reported values for metals did not exceed the Michigan water quality standards (Rule 57(2)) for metals implemented in 1985. The higher lead values may have been due to sample contamination problems.

Surficial sediment samples were collected from the Flint River in 1974 by MI-DNR. Four stations downstream of the City of Flint are reported, beginning at Elms Road. Sediments were reported to be heavily contaminated with lead, nickel, chromium and copper. Highest concentrations were found at Elms Road, and attributed to industrial sources as well as inputs from the Flint WWTP.

August, 1969

Periodically 1974 to 1980

Monthly 1987 to 1994

250098 Upstream of City of Flint, Carpenter Road