Tip of the Mitt Watershed Council

06/08/2026

🌿 Join us for PlayCleanGo Awareness Week! 🌿
June 6–13, 2026

Together, we protect the places we love. Whether you hike, bike, camp, paddle, fish, or explore the outdoors, we all have a role to play in preventing the spread of invasive species.

This year’s PlayCleanGo Awareness Week includes:
🎒 A free downloadable outreach toolkit
🎤 Live webinars featuring prevention experts and partners across North America
📸 A community photo contest
🌎 Stories, events, and resources to help inspire action

Help us spread the word by sharing the PlayCleanGo message in your community and making invasive species prevention part of every outdoor adventure.

✔ Download the toolkit
✔ Register for webinars
✔ Share your story
✔ Invite others to participate

Learn more at https://playcleango.org/take-action/playcleango-awareness-week/

06/03/2026

This spring marked the first-ever Students Experience Lake Michigan (SELM) program in Little Traverse Bay!

Over the past two days, hundreds of local 6th graders boarded the Harbor Princess and rotated through hands-on learning stations focused on fisheries, water quality, invasive species, watershed impacts, and Great Lakes stewardship. By connecting students directly to the waters of Lake Michigan, SELM helps build the next generation of informed and engaged water stewards.

Thank you to our community volunteers, the LTBB Odawa Natural Resources Department, and the Little Traverse Bay Ferry Co. for helping make this experience possible.

Thank you to the Great Lakes Fishery Trust for providing funding for this program.

05/27/2026

Wetlands play an important role in helping watersheds respond to heavy rain and changing water conditions.

Michigan is home to many different types of wetlands, from coastal marshes along the Great Lakes to forested swamps, wet meadows, and small inland bogs. While each wetland is unique, they all share a few important traits: water is present at or near the surface for at least part of the year, the soils develop under prolonged saturated conditions, and the plants growing there are specially adapted to life in saturated ground.

These natural systems act like storage areas for water across the landscape. During large rain events, wetlands absorb and temporarily hold water, slowly releasing it back into streams and groundwater over time. Wetlands connected to rivers and streams can also store floodwaters when water levels rise beyond the banks, helping reduce the speed and intensity of flooding downstream.

Wetlands also help stabilize shorelines and streambanks, reduce erosion, filter pollutants and sediment from runoff, recharge groundwater supplies, and provide critical habitat for fish and wildlife.

Healthy wetlands are an important part of resilient watersheds and communities. Protecting and restoring wetlands helps support cleaner water, healthier ecosystems, and stronger natural defenses against flooding and erosion.

Learn more about wetlands on our website: https://watershedcouncil.org/our-waters/wetlands/

05/21/2026

05/21/2026

Comprehensive water quality monitoring is underway in the Elk River Chain of Lakes Watershed!

Here is our Water Resources Manager, Carrie Coy, out on Six Mile Lake today collecting water quality data as part of our long-term monitoring program. Staff collect data on nine different parameters, including temperature, dissolved oxygen, pH, conductivity, clarity, total phosphorus, total nitrogen, nitrate-nitrogen, and chloride, at the surface, middle, and bottom of the water column in each water body.

For more than 20 years, this consistent monitoring has helped build a highly valuable database used to evaluate aquatic ecosystem health, identify trends over time, and better understand emerging water quality concerns across Northern Michigan watersheds.

05/18/2026

We had a great time birding along the Bear River this morning with Petoskey Audubon as part of our Healing the Bear Initiative!

Thank you to everyone who joined us to explore the river corridor, observe local bird species, and connect with the Bear River watershed.

Supported by the Petoskey-Harbor Springs Area Community Foundation’s Little Traverse Bay Restoration Fund, this event was part of a broader effort to connect people with the Bear River corridor and support ongoing restoration work through the Healing the Bear Initiative.

05/18/2026

The Cheboygan County Waterways Closure has been lifted. While conditions are improving, water levels throughout the county remain above normal and the public is urged to continue using extreme caution while boating and recreating on local waterways.

Recent flooding and storm activity have created hazardous conditions on many lakes, rivers, and channels. Debris such as logs, branches, docks, and other floating objects may still be present both above and below the water surface. The Cheboygan County Sheriff Office warns that high water conditions can create stronger currents, colder water temperatures, submerged hazards, and unpredictable navigation conditions.

Boaters are encouraged to reduce speed, especially in narrow channels, near shorelines, and in areas where navigational markers may be difficult to see due to elevated water levels. Operators should maintain a proper lookout at all times and be prepared for sudden obstacles in the water. Residents and visitors are also reminded to avoid creating excessive wakes, as shoreline erosion and property damage remain concerns in many impacted areas.

For your safety:

• Always wear a properly fitted life jacket.
• Keep a safe distance from debris and flooded shorelines.
• Avoid operating watercraft under the influence of alcohol.
• Carry a charged cell phone or marine radio in case of emergency.
• Respect private property, docks, and shoreline structures that may still be damaged from recent flooding.

The safety of our residents and visitors remains a priority as recovery efforts continue across Cheboygan County.