Nutrient chemistry and phytoplankton survey: Maple River impoundment (summer 1973).

Abstract

Lake Kathleen is a privately owned man-made impoundment formed by waters of the East and West branches of the Maple River being retained by a dam just north of Maple River Road. The present owner, Mr. K. McLaughlin, asked that the limnology class (1973) from the U. of Michigan Biological Station complete a preliminary survey of this body of water to determine its general condition at this time, to establish important baseline data for use in further research and from this data, to make recommendations as to how the lake and land surrounding it might best be used with the least amount of impact to the natural environment. Many factors (physical, chemical and biological) contribute to the ""health"" and ""well-being"" of a water system, and any generalizations made from examining only one aspect of the system will certainly not show the total picture. This paper is a segment of a more complete study made by our entire class and the study must be considered as a whole to obtain a true picture of Lake Kathleen and its surroundings. ...In general, then, from the data observed here, the Maple River impoundment appears to be more of a river than a lake (a fake lake!). The system is not limited by any of the nutrients analyzed, and the steadily moving waters tend to keep the impoundment free from nutrient overloading. Whatever the problems of Lake Kathleen may be, eutrophication by the hand of human impact does not seem to be one of them. With careful management, this river-lake seems to have the potential to retain its present state for some years to come.