Watershed Sub-Basins

The two principal river systems of the Grand Traverse Bay Watershed are the Boardman River and the Elk River-Chain of Lakes. The Elk River delivers 60% of the surface flow to the Bay, and the Boardman delivers 30%. The remaining 10% of surface water flow to Grand Traverse Bay comes from other small tributaries draining directly to the Bay.

The watershed may be broken up into nine distinctive major drainage basins: Elk River Chain of Lakes, Boardman River, Mitchell Creek, Acme Creek, Ptobego Creek, Yuba Creek, East Bay shoreline and tributaries, West Bay shoreline and tributaries, and the Old Mission Peninsula.