Admission is free.  You can enjoy sumptuous local foods and beverages.  RSVP Denise at dbaker@gtbay.org by May 16 if you can attend. 

Leelanau Women Artists featured in this exhibit are Edie Aylsworth-Scott, Jane Batteiger, Jane Ditri, Kristin Hurlin, Debra Lanning, Dawn Russell, Catherine Siterlet, Carol Spaulding and Desiree Vaughn. 

A portion of sales will support the Watershed Center’s vital mission to protect Grand Traverse Bay and its 1,000-square-mile watershed. 

This exhibit runs through September 21.  Hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.

“We also take samples to test for total suspended sediments, nitrates and total phosphorus,” says Program Associate Maureen McManus.  Measurements are taken at two spots:  at Grasshopper Ranch, which is above Brown Bridge dam, and one off of Brown Bridge Road, below the dam. 

A computer and GPS unit atop a tripod helps the project team capture distinct topographic images of the river bottom.  For example, they can see how deep or shallow the river gets in a particular cross-section.  They can also see how the river’s elevation may drop over a section, say, going 100 yards downriver. 

Project partners include the Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians and the Grand Traverse Conservation District.  You can see photos of the project team in action on Facebook. 

Measurements help the team calculate how much sediment, or dirt, is flowing through the water.  They were measuring for a rain event from March 22-26.  It rained on Thursday, March 22 and Friday, March 23.  At this time of year with little or no ground cover, flow will increase the very same day that it rains.  In the summer when there’s more ground cover to absorb rainfall, flow won’t increase until the next day. 

Measurements were taken in spring 2011 during snowmelt runoff, during summer for the driest time of year, and another one last fall.  This provides a picture of how the river is flowing at different times of year.   

Data compiled will help the Army Corps of Engineers determine a sediment transport model to see how sediments are flowing through the Boardman before Brown Bridge dam is removed.  Data will also provide a snapshot of water quality.  The Watershed Center received a $533,000 grant from EPA’s Great Lakes Restoration Initiative to help manage sediments when Brown Bridge dam is dismantled.

“We were looking for the low-hanging fruit, the problems that are easy to identify and fix,” says Sarah U’Ren, Program Director.  “If there’s an illicit connection to the storm drain system, we can stop it.  If there’s a leaking sanitary line, we can fix it.” 

So E. Coli levels at Suttons Bay’s two swimming beaches aren’t being caused by human waste from leaking sanitary lines or illicit connections.  However, it’s entirely possible that animal waste is responsible.  Sable is trained to detect human waste, not animal waste.  It’s possible that raccoons in storm drains, waterfowl near the beach and doggy doo-doo on lawns are causing elevated E. Coli levels at the swimming beaches. 

This project with Environmental Canine Services is the first step in the Watershed Center’s $987,000 project to repair storm drains in Suttons Bay.  It helped rule out other potential E. Coli sources that the new design might not take into consideration.  Funding comes from EPA’s Great Lakes Restoration Initiative. 

Current plans include smaller, decentralized water filtering areas to decrease the amount of runoff coming out of pipes.  This involves installing attractive rain gardens along roads, at intersections, and up the hill from M-22.  “There will be more opportunities for water to infiltrate into the ground rather than getting into a storm drain pipe,” says U’Ren.  Other solutions include porous pavement that readily absorbs runoff and underground filtering trenches in alleys.   

There will still be two pipes that require treating runoff before it is released.  The Broadway Street drain will be abandoned and connected to the Madison Street drain.  “We’re still looking at whether we can discharge runoff into the wetland near the marina with some kind of pretreatment to remove trash and dirt,” says U’Ren.  A rain garden will be installed at the Grove Street drain.   

The ultimate goal is to keep families safe from bacteria at swimming beaches.

URS is the subcontractor in charge of on-the-ground work.  Design is already underway, and construction may begin this fall.  The Watershed Center is working closely with the Village of Suttons Bay on this project, which is in conjunction with other park, TART trail and road improvements.

You can see more photos of Sable the drain sniffing dog on Facebook.

A portion of sales will support the Watershed Center’s vital mission to protect Grand Traverse Bay and its 1,000-square-mile watershed.  Kean’s exhibit will run through May 11.

Image:  Holding Brookie by Kean Oh

 Job Description

• Aquatic Invasive Species Education and Outreach (80 hours)
  • Help design and implement a boater education program about invasive species, whichl includes significant direct interaction with recreational boaters 
• Phragmites Surveying in Grand Traverse County (40 hours)
  • Accompany staff into the field to learn how to identify native and non-native Phragmites
  • Help survey the Grand Traverse Bay shoreline and inland lakes
  • Help compile data for presentations 
• Water Sampling, Analysis and Data Input (30 hours)
• Accompany staff into the field to sample stormwater outlets and various beaches in Grand Traverse Bay
• Help staff run analysis work for detecting E.Coli in water samples
• Input data results into appropriate databases

Hours by task are subject to change

Commitment

•  The internship begins June 4, 2012. Ending date is flexible.
• Minimum commitment is 150 hours.
• Many weekend and evening hours required.
• Flexible schedule during the week.
• A stipend of $1,000 will be provided.

Qualifications

• Minimum age: 18 
• Schooling: must have completed at least one year of college
• Must have a valid driver’s license
• Experience: must have knowledge of invasive species and how they affect ecosystems
• Interests: natural sciences, environmental science, environmental education
• Knowledge:  Computer skills–Microsoft Office, GIS mapping and knowledge of GPS units a bonus; science—biology, fisheries, environmental science

Abilities

• to work well with people
• to express enthusiasm for the subject material
• to work as part of a team with professional staff, landowners, other interns and boaters
• to communicate effectively–written, verbal and computer skills
• to work in occasionally adverse outdoor conditions (rain, cold)
• to kayak and walk long distances
• MUST be able to approach and speak with members of the public

If interested, please send or email a cover letter and resume to:

Maureen McManus, Program Associate, mmcmanus@gtbay.org

Watershed Center, 13272 S. West Bay Shore Dr., Traverse City, MI 49684

T 231~935~1514 ext. 0; F 231~935-3829

All documents must be submitted by 5 p.m. Friday, February 24, 2012. 

The deadline has passed, and this position has been filled.  No more applications are being accepted. 

“We are very grateful to Signs Now for protecting our Up North water quality,” says Denise Baker, Advancement Director.  “And Signs Now gets two giant thumbs up for providing clients with the opportunity to recycle their signs and for its green printing process being zero-waste.”   

The team at Signs Now Traverse City, located at 741 Woodmere Ave., hopes this will encourage recycling while also giving back and helping in efforts to keep the region’s natural resources intact.  “I feel an obligation to help keep our area beautiful so our children and our children’s children can enjoy the natural resources that we are so blessed to have. I also strive to keep Signs Now on the cutting edge of technology by continuing to offer new and innovative products,” says Signs Now Owner Andrew Kohlmann. “On top of allowing us to offer green signage, this technology allows us to turn around products faster, as the prints are fully cured when removed from the printer. It also allows us to print on a variety of unusual materials such as uncoated fabrics and Tyvec.”

The recycling initiative comes on the heels of Signs Now 2010 purchase of the HP L25500 60” Large Format DesignJet printer, utilizing HP’s Latex Ink technology. Signs Now is the first in the area to acquire true green sign-making technology.

The L25500 produces stunning indoor quality prints with state-of-the-art outdoor durability.  However, unlike traditional solvent based ink technologies, the L25500 does this without producing any harmful levels of VOC’s or any hazardous air pollutants, providing Signs Now and its clients with odor-free printing and no need for external ventilation equipment.

Besides being odor-free, all prints come out of the L25500 dry and ready for immediate use, with no wait times for solvent outgassing or ink drying. This significantly speeds up production time. And, with the HP Planet Partners Program and HP Media Take Back Program, Signs Now will be able to recycle 100 percent of the waste generated by the printer, from print heads to empty ink cartridge!  In addition, Signs Now will now offer a 100 percent green solution with free recycling of other medias offered by HP, including large format banners and PVC-free wallpaper products for interior décor.

“Signs Now of Traverse City has made the right choice not only for their production needs, but for the environment and all of the businesses and consumers that will make sustainability an issue when choosing where to go for their sign and graphics needs” says John Stevens, Strategic Account Manager at Hewlett Packard.

The Signs Now Traverse City service base includes business solutions for outdoor and indoor signage, banners, window and vehicle graphics, exhibit and trade show graphics, ADA signage, dimensional letters, directional systems and other visual communications tools.  For more information about Signs Now, call 231~933~7446 or visit its website.

Shelters will use all-natural materials that are approved by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources.  If any shelters are placed in front of a waterfront owner’s property, written permission will be obtained before placing the structure.  Shelters will be installed in 15 to 25 feet of water.

You can download a brochure to learn more about the fish shelter project and how you can get involved.

This project is a collaboration between the Watershed Center, Three Lakes Association, Friends of Clam Lake,  Antrim Conservation District, Elk-Skegemog Lakes Association, Intermediate Lake Association and Tip of the Mitt Watershed Council.

Photo:  Stephanie Lockman shows off her record Muskie for Elk Lake.  Photo by Kyle Anderson.

The storm drain cap on the old system would often blow off during a rain, allowing runoff to flood the beach and flow right into West Bay. A brand new storm drain lid was installed and all the old piping was replaced so the lid no longer blows off during rain storms.

A new runoff filtration system will be installed in spring 2012 that will decrease the amount of bacteria and other pollutants entering the bay. “The goal of this project is to reduce beach closures at Bryant Park due to high E.Coli counts, and to also remove this beach from Michigan’s Impaired Waters list,” said Sarah U’Ren, Program Director.

• First Place~Trout Trinity by Christopher Morey
• Second Place~Sleeping Ducks by Jenny McKellar
• Third Place~Cass Underpass by Bridget Johnson

The winners, plus these photographers, appear in our 2012 calendar:

• Emily Beyer
• Terry Clark
• Cherie Correll
• John Gessner
• Craig Goodrich
• Debra Ott
• Dana Vannoy
• Robin Webb-Bransky

All the above-mentioned photographers, plus these, will be featured in the upcoming Art of the Watershed exhibit:

• Laura Burmeister
• Fred Keeslar
• Mark Lindsay

The opening reception is Thursday, December 1 from 5 to 8 p.m. at the Watershed Center office, 13272 S. West Bay Shore Dr. in Greilickville.  All photographers who entered the contest will have their photos displayed in a Power Point presentation at the opening reception. 

We’re the bright blue building on the bay, across the parking lot from the Children’s Museum.  RSVP Denise at dbaker@gtbay.org by Wednesday, November 30 if you can attend. 

Calendars will be on sale to give you a head start on purchasing holiday gifts!

The Sandersons have a naturalized back yard between their home and the water’s edge, which works as a giant buffer of sorts.  Their natural shoreline contains threatened pitcher’s thistle, Lake Huron tansy and Houghton’s goldenrod.  They live near Elk Rapids on East Bay. 

“We need natural vegetation to help purify the water,” Dick says.

Pitcher’s thistle and Houghton’s goldenrod grow nowhere else in the world but the Great Lakes shoreline.  Pitcher’s thistle grows in Michigan, Indiana, Wisconsin and Ontario, with most of it being in Michigan.  Houghton’s goldenrod grows primarily along the tip of the mitt and along the southeastern shore of the U.P. 

Dick’s love of the natural world and plants began as a child.  He grew up as a birder; his parents banded wild birds.  “I would look at every wild plant I could find,” he says. 

He and Pat have several naturalized gardens on their property.  They have purchased some of the plants, and others they have transplanted from the woods.  “Wild plants need little water and little fertilizer,” Dick says.

Dick and Pat’s two grandchildren, now in college, spent a lot of time on the property when they were growing up.  Dick says that when his grandson Andrew was five, he swore that his grandpa knew exactly which logs to turn over to find red-bellied salamanders.  “If you get out and walk and let them learn, they’re sponges,” Dick says about children exploring the natural world. 

The Sandersons love their copy of Guide to Great Lakes Coastal Plants by Ellen Elliott Weatherbee, published by University of Michigan press.  It details where specific plants grow and lists state-endangered species.

Photos by Dick Sanderson.   Top:  Houghton’s goldenrod.  Center and bottom:  pitcher’s thistle.