LAKE - June 2024

EDITORIAL

From the Publisher

Publisher David Hohendorf provides some introductory background on the group that has brought LAKE magazine to those living on the lakefronts of Oakland County.

9

Dams of Oakland

Officials with the Oakland County Water Resources Commissioner office have 91 dams under their control, but there are other government units also responsible for the safety of the dams in the county. Oakland officials did an overall review in recent years and here is what they found.

15

Landscaping shorelines

Often overlooked is the proper landscaping at the edge of waterfront property. Here’s some information on what works best as you near the water.

20-21

View from above

An aerial view of Lake Orion.

23

Managing inland lakes

State lawmakers as early as 1966 saw the value of providing protection and improvements to inland lakes with the creation of the Inland Lake Improvement Act which allows for local improvement boards to manage projects for local lakes. Here’s how Oakland County lake residents have put this to work for local waterways. 34 Lake levels

The latest lake levels as measured by the office of the Oakland County Water Resources Commissioner.

F R O M T H E P U B L I S H E R

You now hold in your hands the premiere issue of LAKE magazine that has been direct mailed to over 17,000 lakefront homes in Oakland County as the 2024 summer season approaches

The people who brought LAKE magazine to market are members of the Downtown Publications group with offices in the downtown area of Bir mingham star ting in 2010 Our team has been producing Downtown Newsmagazine, a monthly publication that has become the dominant news and adver tising source for the Bir mingham-Bloomfield area of Oakland County, which you can view online in flipbook for mat at downtownpublications com

LAKE magazine is an effor t on our par t to infor m those living on the lakefronts in Oakland about the valuable asset these lakes are for us all It is this view of the lakes that allows us to be passionate when it comes to providing editorial content for our readers, which is reflected in the recognition and awards we have received from our professional peers over the years when judged on quality of content for coverage of environmental and general issues, along with design of the publications we produce

Many of the names you see on the masthead in this issue of LAKE magazine have been par t of the publishing and jour nalism world in Oakland and metro Detroit for decades Some of us had worked together on past publishing projects so we understand what it takes to provide a product for residents and adver tisers

I felt confident months ago when I was considering launching LAKE magazine that we had the right team members, the right publishing philosophy and the understanding of life in an area of the state with the most inland lakes – bar none We also bring to bear an appreciation for the impor tance of the hundreds of lakes in this area in ter ms of what they mean for those living on the water ways of Oakland and the overall value to the county itself

On a personal note, I have lived on three lakes in Oakland since the 1970s – Union Lake in the West Bloomfield- Commerce area; Long Lake in Commerce; and most recently on the White Lake Township side of White Lake I have been involved both as a local resident and a jour nalist in environmental issues most of my adult life – whether open space preser vation issues; covering toxic waste contamination of the headwaters that feed most of the lakes we see here in Oakland; to the health of the many lakes that make this county unique, for example

As a result, what you will find in the early issues of

Each issue will also be featuring an aerial view of one of Oakland’s inland lakes, thanks to an ar rangement we have with the Aerial Graphics fir m from Lansing, which for 20 years has been providing aerial photography ser vices and has amassed an archive of over 1,000 photos of Michigan lakes

Readers will also be able to find the lake levels for those Oakland water ways that are under control of Oakland County Water Resources Commissioner Jim Nash

Regular features will also include the Metro Intelligencer restaurant news and gossip column and a quick-take or sampling of broader environmental issues cur rently in the headlines captured in our Threatened Planet column

We are also welcoming feedback from the community, on either general issues of concer n or feedback on what we are doing, so my personal email is listed below

As we are going to press with this June issue of LAKE, we are also putting the final touches on our website for the magazine which you can view at lakemagazine media

Lastly, our thanks go to the many adver tisers you will note in this issue who helped us bring LAKE magazine into your homes

David Hohendor f Publisher DavidHohendor

f@DowntownPublications com

a

Publisher David Hohendorf

News editor Lisa Brody

News staff/CoNtributors

Hillary Brody Anchill | Dana Casadei | Tracy Donohue | Kevin Elliott | Stacy Gittleman | Austen Hohendorf Grace Lovins | Jeanine Matlow | Gigi Nichols | Susan Peck | Carla Schwartz

advertisiNg direCtor

David Hohendorf

advertisiNg sales

Pat Collins

graPhiCs/it MaNager

Chris Grammer

offiCe 970 E Maple Road / Ste. 3, Birmingham MI 48009 248.792.6464

MailiNg PO Box 1630 Birmingham MI 48012-1630

doWNtoWNPUBLIcAtIoNSGoALS/MISSIoN

The personnel at Downtown Publications bring a special commitment to the publishing effort. Our mission dictates that we strive to provide a solid news and advertising product that local residents look forward to reading. Our goal is to build a community of informed citizens through the efforts of our passionate team. We are innovators producing products that go well beyond what others offer.

dIStrIBUtIoN/SUBScrIPtIoNS

LAKE magazine is mailed monthly at no charge to over 17,000 lakefront homes in Oakland County.

For those not receiving a free mail copy, paid subscriptions are available. To secure a paid subscription, go to our website (lakemagazine.media) and click on “subscriptions” in the top index and place your order or scan the QR Code here.

INcoMING/rEAdErFEEdBAcK

We welcome feedback on both our publication and general issues of concern. Opinions can be sent via e-mail to news@downtownpublications.com or mailed to Downtown Publications, PO Box 1630 Birmingham MI 48012-1630. If you are using the mail option, you must include a phone number for verification purposes.

A lake dam failure in nor ther n Michigan in 2020 forced the evacuation of 10,000 people and over $200 million in damages. It also prompted Oakland County officials to take an inventor y of some 91 dams under its control, plus a review of others not under county control. Here’s what they found.

DAMS

HOW SAFE ARE OAKLAND COUNTY’S

BY KEVIN ELLIOTT

The saying “out of sight, out of mind” tends to be the public’s prevailing thought on water infrastr ucture, such as water and sewer pipes, stor mwater drainage and managing our many waterbodies until it’s not.

“ Water infrastr ucture is kind of an invisible thing, until there’s a problem,” said Oakland County Water Resources Commissioner Jim Nash. “ We have pipes in the ground, and people don’t know they are there until we have a sink hole A lot of water facilities just aren’t visible to people. If they don’t see it, they don’t know it’s there ”

When considering the issue of dam safety, ignoring problems long enough can result in catastrophe

On May 19, 2020, the Edenville Dam failed in Midland, Michigan, af ter several days of historic rainfall, causing the easter n side of the dam to collapse and send billions of gallons of water downstream The flood caused the Tittabawasee River to crest at over 35 feet, over flowing the Sanford Dam, 10 miles downstream More than 10,000 people were evacuated from their homes, with the damage estimated to be over $200 million

Investigators with the Federal Energy Regulator y Commission (FERC) repor ted in 2022 the cause of the failure was “foreseeable and preventable and resulted from multiple er rors committed over nearly a centur y ” They found the dam was improperly designed and constr ucted, resulting in built-in flaws from the star t Ultimately, they said, loose sands inside the por tion of the dam became saturated with water, leading to the liquefaction and sudden loss of strength While the use of sand was a deviation from constr uction specifications, as well as steep slopes downstream that violated safety requirements, neither flaws were repor ted

Built in 1924, the 54-foot Edenville Dam was constr ucted for hydroelectric power and flood control At the time of its failure, the dam was owned by Boyce Hydro Power, which had its license to

produce power ter minated in 2018 by the FERC In its ter mination, the regulator y commission cited that “the dam may not have the ability to pass enough water if a severe flood hits ” The Michigan Depar tment of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy (EGLE) subsequently took oversight, noting the dam was sound At the time, EGLE’s Dam Safety Unit had two people to cover the entire state

“At the time Edenville happened, we had two people in the unit,” said Mitchell Thelen, an environmental engineer with EGLE

Thelen, who is developing assessment systems and training in Lansing, said EGLE has since added more engineers to the unit and is improving systems to gather better infor mation He previously was responsible for inspections in southeast Michigan, including Oakland County

“ We now have seven people, and will soon have eight,” he said about staffing at the unit “ We have a lot going on We are improving drastically how we do things, and the fr uits of that are in the process and getting there We are definitely going in the right direction ”

Thelen said the unit is tracking more inspections and updating infor mation in the state’s database The amount of infor mation being put into the state’s database is improving, as well, with conditions of each component of the dam Fur ther, the state is tracking and updating hydraulic calculations based on rainfall data using a Probable Maximum Precipitation (PMP) study and evaluation tools to better predict impacts of rain events

“Just with advancements in computer capabilities, we want to update our rainfall data and get better rainfall probabilities and rainfall data, and use that to assess the risk for each dam,” he said “A lot of the watershed boundaries were computed with topology data, so we are updating those maps to help us quantif y that so when there’s an emergency we know the velocity and depth of flow ”

Dam failures in Midland also sounded a wake-up call in Oakland County, where the county ’ s board of commissioners in June of 2020 requested the Oakland County Water Resources Commissioner ’ s (WRC) office compile regular repor ts of all dams in the county ever y two years The WRC already provides repor ts of 35 dams it owns or operates, as required by state law The resolution expands inspections to those outside of the WRC ’ s legal requirement

“It’s been something that’s kind of been overlooked and cer tainly we need to know where we ’ re at with these situations,” for mer Oakland County Commissioner Eileen Kowall (R-White Lake), said in 2020 when introducing the resolution “None of us

wants to see remotely what happened in Midland to happen here ”

Nash said the repor t, which was issued in November of 2020, came on the heels of the failures in Midland

“In 2020, af ter the dams broke in Midland, ever yone wanted us to look at their dams because they didn’t want that happening here,” Nash said “ The commission asked us to look at the dams here Midland was a ver y large dam We don’t have anything here that large that could fail in that way Some of our lake level str uctures aren’t actual dams, they are more like pumps that pull water to control the lake levels ”

The Edenville Dam stood 54-feet tall, just 10 miles upstream from the Sanford Dam, which is 36-feet tall and stores about 15,000 acre feet The dams are nearly the same age as Pontiac Lake Dam in White Lake, one of Oakland County ’ s largest dams, which stands 21 feet tall and stores some 7,400 acre feet

There are 54 lakes in Oakland County with established lake levels that fall under the responsibility of the WRC The depar tment operates and maintains 36 lake level control str uctures, or dams, and eight lake level augmentation pumps In some cases, levels for multiple lakes can be controlled with one pump or str ucture The lakes the WRC has responsibility for include: Bunny Run; Bush; Cass; Cedar; Cedar Island; Cemeter y & Dollar; Clear; Commerce Cr ystal; Dawson Mill Pond; Duck; Fox; Greens; Huff; Indianwood; Lakeville; Long (Commerce); Long (Oxford); Loon; Lotus; Louise; Lower Straits; Maceday: Mickelson; Middle Straits; Mohawk; Oakland; Orchard; Otter; Oxbow; Pontiac; Schoolhouse; Scott; Silver; Squaw; Sylvan; Tan; Tipsico; Lester; Union; Upper Silver; Upper Straits; Van Nor man; Walled & Shawood; Watkins; Wame-gah; White; Williams; Woodhull; and Wor mer The WRC ’ s repor t also included data from 60 other dams regulated by other entities, as well as 46 unregulated dams

Following direction from the Oakland County Board of Commissioners, the WRC issued its first repor t in November 2020 Ryan Woloszyk, a civil engineer with the WRC who heads up the dam inspection effor ts, said an update was given to the board of commissioners, with the next repor t expected in 2025 The latest full version of the study available was released in 2020

“Af ter reviewing and compiling the available data, it can be said that the majority of dams in Oakland County are characterized as being in fair or better condition,” the WRC stated in its repor t “Even among those that didn’t meet this threshold, there were not str uctures identified that appear to pose an immediate or significant threat to the environment or downstream proper ty owners ”

Nash said the WRC repor t rates dams by their

condition assessment and their hazard classification, with condition relating to the likeliness of a failure, and hazard classification the extent of damage expected Condition assessments are assigned in accordance with four categories: Satisfactor y, fair, poor, or unsatisfactor y An “unsatisfactor y ” assessment means the dam is considered unsafe; a poor assessment means remedial action is necessar y; fair assessments include minor deficiencies; and satisfactor y may require maintenance Hazard classifications are based on the amount of damage and/or loss of life downstream in the event of a failure, ranging from significant to low hazard

Dam failures likely to result in no loss of life or to have minor impacts are considered “low ” hazard potential Dam failures that could result in loss of life and significant impacts have “significant” hazard potential, and those expected to result in the worst damage and loss of life are rated “high” hazard potential

“ We rate two things: the likeliness and consequence of failure,” WRC Commissioner Nash said “Small things are low -hazard, like they would cause some water to flow into a wooded area Larger things, like knocking down houses, would be high hazard That’s how we rate them ”

Overall, 71 of the 91 regulated dams in the county are classified as low -hazard potential, with 21 dams having significant or high hazard classifications

Oakland County dams with high-hazard potential are: Clarkston Dam; Lake Louise Dam; Oxbow Dam; Pontiac Lake Dam; Wildwood Lake Dam; Lake Neva Dam; Heron Dam

Oakland County dams with a significant hazard rating are: Clintonville; Loon Lake Dam; Ford Dam #3; Holly Dam; Lake Orion Dam; Quar ton Dam; Water ford Multi-Lakes Level Control; Winkler Pond Dam; Lake Sher wood Dam; Endicott Lake Dam; Davisburg Trout Pond; Wolverine Lake Dam; Wau-Me- Gah Lake Dam

The WRC repor t found 17 of the county ’ s 21 “high” and “significant” hazard dams are in satisfactor y condition, with Pontiac Lake Dam, Heron Lake Dam and Wolverine Lake Dam rated at “fair ” conditions One “high” hazard dam in Oakland County – Holly Dam – is rated in poor condition Three “low hazard” dams –Vhay Lake Dam, Haven Hill Lake Dam and Erity Dam –were rated in poor condition Overall, 48 of the 91 regulated dams were found to be in “satisfactor y condition ”

When inspecting dams, engineers look at both obvious and subtle signs of deterioration, such as cracking or damaged concrete along spillways and abutments, EGLE’s Thelen said

“For ear then dams, the main concer n is seepage, ” Thelen said “As they get older, the str uctural stability

goes down We don’t like to see a lot of vegetation growing Engineers may be looking for rodent bur rows and wet spots on the downstream side of the embankment All ear then dams have seepage, but when it changes or shif ts it becomes a concer n Like, if we see a sinkhole, that’s a sign With concrete, the main things we look for are big str uctural cracks, misalignment where concrete walls may slope if the foundation gives way and they star t to tip Concrete is slower to deteriorate, so you have more war ning Once an ear then dam star ts failing, things can progress rapidly

“Most of the problems, as was in Edenville, involve known issues Usually the limiting factor is money to pay for it, and who is going to pay for it,” Thelen noted

Owned and located in the Village of Holly, the Holly Dam was built in 1840, with the last inspection done in 2017 That repor t found the deterioration of the dam’s principal spillway could be a threat to the stability of the dam, with several cracks and spalling in the concrete While not a direct threat to the operation or stability of the dam, the powerhouse was subject to vandalism The dam has the lowest condition rating of “ poor, ” with a “high” hazard potential

The Haven Hill Dam, in White Lake Township, is owned by the Michigan Depar tment of Natural Resources (DNR), and was last inspected in 2015 The dam, which has noted deterioration along the concrete spillway and abutment walls, is in poor condition It has a low hazard rating

Vhay Lake Dam, in Bloomfield Hills, is owned by the Vhay Lake Proper ty Owner ’ s Association While the dam has a low hazard rating, the WRC noted the dam is in poor condition, with a 2017 repor t noting its spillway is in poor condition and capable of handling only half of the 100-year flow discharge for which it was designed Damaged concrete and exposed rebar need repair, as do upstream wing walls and, with seepage noted downstream

The Erir ty Dam, in Beverly Hills, has east and west sections, with the easter n section owned by the Village of Beverly Hills The owner of the wester n section is unknown, according to for mer Michigan Depar tment of Environmental Quality records, which had inspected the dam between 1992 and 2012 The latest inspection repor t is from 2012, which noted then spillway was in poor condition, with trees growing along the abutments and concrete damage throughout

The WRC ’ s repor t reviewed whether inspection repor ts were conducted for each dam, as well as whether Emergency Action Plans are in place in the case of failure, and when those plans were last updated if they do exist All dams with “high” or “significant” hazard ratings are required to have an Emergency

Action Plan in place, with all in compliance, according to the WRC ’ s findings

Dams with no repor ts or past due repor ts and high or significant hazard ratings include: Clarkston Dam (high hazard), last inspected August, 3, 2011; Lake Orion Dam (significant hazard), last inspected July 29, 2016; Winkler Pond Dam (significant), last inspected Sept 9, 2016; Endicott Lake Dam (significant) last inspected April 15, 2008

The WRC found nine regulated dams with no inspections completed As a cour tesy, WRC staff per for med visual inspections of all nine dams and found at least three to be in need of significant repairs The Petrauskas Pond Dam was in poor condition with a failing outlet; the Second Lake Dam and Araho Dam were also in poor condition The other six dams without inspection repor ts are Spring Lake Dam; Renchik Dam; Lower Hatcher y Dams; Tull Lake Dam; Troy Lake Estates Dam; and Pebble Creek Detention Basin Dam; While the WRC said all nine of the dams are rated low hazard, it’s impor tant inspections are done and they be put on a regular inspection schedule

Other dams have overdue inspection repor ts For example, the Cranbrook Lake Dam, which is owned by Cranbrook Educational Community in Bloomfield Hills, houses a low hazard dam rated in fair condition; however, the findings are based on inspection documents last conducted in 1996 The dam, according to the inspection findings, lacked adequate spillway capacity to pass peak flood flows, and had a weakened embankment and spillway abutment walls from overgrown tree roots Similar issues were noted in a 2000 inspection repor t of Pettibone Pond Dam in Milford, where the last inspection repor t was done in 2000

Woloszyk, the engineer with the WRC, said some smaller, unregulated dams, are sometimes unnoticed by proper ty owners until the WRC or another entity reaches out to them In some cases, the WRC works to take ownership of the dam so repairs or removal may be done The Clarkston Dam, he said, is being transfer red to the WRC with the help of a state grant program

“It was built by Henr y Ford, and is quite old,” Woloszyk said “It was intended to be par t of a network of dams he was building to power his plants outside of urbanized areas in Detroit The outlet r uns under a building and a new outlet is required It’s really common that someone buys a proper ty with a dam on it Another we are taking ownership is at Vhay Lake The same thing happened: the new owners thought it was a water feature, and now they are responsible for this ”

As dams receive more attention, more resources have been made available in the for m of grants In May of 2023, EGLE announced $15 3 million in Dam Risk

Reduction Grant Program funds, including $106,000 to the Village of Clarkston at the Clarkston Mill Pond Dam, and $530,000 to the Michigan Depar tment of Natural Resources for work at the Heron Dam in Holly The Clarkston project involves a study to replace a new water control str ucture In Holly, the funds will help design and per for m repairs to the outlet, inlet and gate str ucture to keep the dam safe and functioning The project addresses seepage and embankment stability concer ns that have been present for several years

Despite the extra attention, work and funding being done to address dam safety in Michigan, the fr uits of the state’s labor are still developing While funding has increased, the state has long str uggled with supplying adequate dollars for the program

In 2009, the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) published a Repor t Card on Infrastr ucture that included grades for each state’s dams At the time, Michigan received a “D,” with the age of the state’s dams a major contributor Of the state’s 2,600 dams, about twothirds are older than their typical design life, with over 80 percent being over 50 years old At the time, Michigan was still clawing its way out of recession and slashing budgets Just four years earlier, for mer Gover nor Jennifer Granholm had proposed cutting $350,000 from the dam safety program, essentially ending it The funding was later restored in the budget cycle, and the for mer DEQ reorganized as EGLE under the cur rent gover nor

The ASCE upgraded Michigan’s grade to a C - in 2018, and again in 2023 gave it the same C - grade

“Michigan’s dam safety program budget was increased af ter dam failures at Edenville and Sanford in 2020, but new resources are needed to improve the overall condition of dams across the state,” the 2023 repor t stated “ The Michigan 21st Centur y Infrastr ucture Commission Repor t cited a need for $225 million over the next 20 years to manage aging dams

EGLE maintains an online inventor y of about 2,600 dams, with about two -thirds being older than 50 years Michigan has 97 high-hazard potential dams regulated by the state

“ There have been programmatic improvements since the 2018 ASCE Michigan Repor t Card, but little improvement in the overall condition of dams,” the repor t stated “Slow but steady rate of removal of dams since the 2018 repor t card has eliminated some high hazard dams and restored biodiversity benefits from water flow The general condition of Michigan’s dams in the EGLE Dam Inventor y remain relatively the same, war ranting the same grade as the 2018 grade of C -

“It is anticipated that the frequency of future inspections, monitoring/sur veillance scope, capacity and per mitting requirements will all be strengthened to reduce risk However, the combined rate of dam removals/repairs (about 25 total per year) is not keeping pace with the aging nor are dams in elevated hazard state being quickly addressed ”

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SHORELINES LANDSCAPING AT THE WATERS EDGE

BY DIXIE SANDBORN

There has been a flood of infor mation in recent years about shorelines, erosion, erosion control, habitats along shorelines and shoreline ecosystems For homeowners living along shorelines of inland lakes, it’s impor tant to understand how to enhance their shoreline proper ty while tr ying to minimize the effect on the shoreline ecosystems

First, what is an ecosystem? An ecosystem is a

natural unit consisting of all plant, animal and microorganism (biotic or living) factors in a given area, functioning together with all the physical (abiotic or nonliving) factors of the environment

In researching this topic of shoreline ecosystems, the publication Shoreline Alterations: Natural Buffers and Lakescaping by the Minnesota Depar tment of Natural Resources states, “A natural shoreline is a complex ecosystem that sustains fish and wildlife

and protects the entire lake Native vegetation along the shore acts as a buffer zone, intercepting nutrients and reducing r un off, erosion, and sedimentation Aquatic plants provide food and shelter for ducks, songbirds, and other animals while reducing problems caused by Canada geese and bur rowing muskrats Plants growing in and near the water are critical for wildlife and fish habitat and a healthy lakeshore Tall plants like bulr ush, lake sedge and cattail can reduce the energy wave action to minimize erosion and help maintain water quality ”

There is a wealth of infor mation available to homeowners living along lakeshores

Many of these fact sheets, books and ar ticles address the thousands of lakes in Michigan, Minnesota and Wisconsin These three states have the most lakes in the lower 48 within their states’ borders due to glacial action

In Michigan alone, there are approximately 11,000 inland lakes with a sur face area of more than five acres, with nearly 3,500 lakes with over 25 acres in size Of these lakes, 730 of them are designated as public access lakes It is vitally impor tant for lakeshore proper ty owners to care for the lakeshores to help maintain a good balance between the natural habitats and the recreational uses of the lakes It is equally impor tant for the recreational users to be vigilant with the use of the lakes and lakeshores as they enjoy fishing, boating, swimming and other activities on, in or near the water ’ s edge

According to the 2007 National Lake Assessment conducted by the U S Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), “Poor lake shore habitat is the biggest problem in the nation’s lakes ” The results of this study repor t on lakes that are more than 10 acres in size and at least a meter deep There were 1,028 lakes tested, including 50 Michigan lakes The findings of the repor t state that inland lakes across the nation need better care The inter relationships of many physical, chemical and biological factors were evaluated for each lake

A healthy lake needs to meet cer tain criteria Healthy lakes exhibit these traits:

• Not overloaded with nutrients

• Safe for recreation

• Has aquatic habitat that supplies food, cover and spawning areas

• Has natural shoreline plants to suppor t a variety of wildlife

Habitat is defined as a place where species get what they need to sur vive food, water, cover and a place to raise their young Habitats along a natural lakeshore suppor t a variety of wildlife species in the

water and the adjacent land These ecosystems are diverse and each has its own personality Each lakeshore proper ty has its own ecosystem People have control over some actions that effect the ecosystem in how the land is managed, yet people have no control over cer tain factors like the amount of rain or snow a lake receives

Why is habitat so impor tant for Michigan lakes? Michigan lakes suppor t 24 species of amphibians, 25 species of reptiles, 87 species of birds and 19 species of mammals, according to a study by O’Neal et al in 2006 Also, there are 65 species of Michigan-native fish, 18 of which are identified as species of greatest conser vation need in the Michigan Wildlife Action Plan They ’ re also suppor ted by critical habitat found in the littoral and nearby areas, according to a study by Eagle et al in 2005

A lake’s ecosystem also includes its watershed an area of land that drains to a common point The number one thing to remember about a watershed is whatever we do on the land affects water quality Fer tilizers, pet wastes, gas, oil and other contaminants may enter the lake through r unoff The water r uns off the land has a great effect on the quality of the lake water Managing r unoff and practices to lessen contaminants is impor tant There is no new water We must be vigilant in protecting our water and lakeshores

Keeping your shoreline healthy is vital to the overall health of the lake One of the biggest factors in the health of the shoreline is the plants that live on the land along the shoreline, as well as the submerged plants that live near the shoreline

Plants on the shoreline or submerged in the water close to the shoreline are a problem for most lakeshore proper ty owners Unfor tunately, most proper ty owners want to remove all native vegetation and maintain a nicely manicured lawn, as well as add sand for a beach adjacent to the lake area for swimming and boating The balance is educating proper ty owners to lear n about the vital role these plants play in the overall health of the lake With the knowledge they gain, they will be able to make better decisions on how many plants to remove and how to still enjoy the recreational benefits of their lake

Natural vegetation on the lakeshore enhances fish and wildlife habitat Once established they are low maintenance and add to the beauty of our lakeshores A major function of vegetation along a lakeshore is to filter pollutants from r unoff thus protecting water quality Native plants accomplish

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this by utilizing their deep root systems securing soil for filtration and stabilizing soil against erosion

It is not only the plant life right next to the shoreline, but the plant life fur ther from the shoreline that deter mines the health of the lake A lakes ecosystem has plant communities that are divided into three distinct plant zones Each of these zones plays a critical role in the health of the lake These zones are:

• Upland zone These plants are associated with dr y soil, many times on slopes sur rounding the lake

• Wetland zone These plants can withstand flooding or consistently wet soils as well as long periods of dr yness

• Aquatic zone This area is in the lake and has four subgroups, depending on the plant str ucture

There are also four types of aquatic plants that are critical to the lake’s health All four groups of plants are found in the littoral zone of the lake The littoral zone is the shallow and war mer par t of the lake This zone allows enough sunlight to penetrate the water to promote good plant growth Because of the plant growth, there is an abundance of wildlife and fish in this area The four types of plants in the littoral zone are:

• Algae, which have no tr ue roots, stems or leaves and range in size from tiny, one-celled organisms to large, multi-celled, plant-like organisms

• Submerged plants, which have stems and leaves that grow entirely under water, although some may also have floating leaves

• Floating-leaf plants, which are rooted in the lake bottom, but their leaves and flowers float on the water sur face Water lilies are a well-known example

• Emergent plants, which are rooted in the lake bottom, but their leaves and stems extend out of the water Examples are cattails and bulr ushes

A helpful resource for identif ying and reducing shoreline erosion for proper ty owners is Understanding, Living With, and Controlling Shoreline Erosion a Guidebook for Shoreline Proper ty Owners by the Watershed Council However, the easiest way to spot erosion and its possible causes is to walk along the shoreline or take a boat ride close to the shoreline When looking for erosion, you will be able to identif y if the erosion is naturally caused, human caused, sitespecific (only on your proper ty) or widespread Some possible causes of erosion:

• Overland r unoff This is water that flows over the ground instead of soaking into the ground Runoff is a result of natural and human activities Runoff

car ries soil par ticles and other pollutants, such as fer tilizers, pet wastes, oil, etc into the lake This

r unoff may originate a long distance from the lake

• Groundwater seepage and springs Ground water seepage is a natural condition where the water table meets the land sur face These areas have characteristics of a wet spot, a wet layer in a steep bank or a flow of water

• Removing vegetation Erosion problems simply occur due to removing shoreline vegetation The roots of plants hold the shoreline in place

• Waves Natural or man-made waves are the most common cause of shoreline erosion Proper ty on the windward side of the lake has the greatest impact

• Ice action As temperatures rise in the spring, ice is pushed up onto the shoreline; this impacts the bank and causes it to move back, creating an ice ridge Ice ridges actually protect the shoreline from fur ther ice damage and should not be removed

Here is a quick list of the most noticeable signs of trouble:

• Large areas of bare soil along the shore, especially on a steep bank

• Large or small gullies by overland r unoff along the shoreline

• Frequent landslides or excessive bank slumping

• Noticeable recession of the shoreline over a period of time

• Leaning or downed trees with exposed roots on the shoreline

• Large patches of unusually cloudy (turbid) water near a lakeshore, especially during periods of high water

Wave and ice erosion is hard to predict Ice damage changes from year to year The size of waves are largely dependent on two factors: wind speed and lake fetch Fetch is the distance the wind can travel over water before meeting the land

There is an online erosion calculator that can be used to find what the wave energy is at a par ticular site To use the calculator, you need to use a lake map that shows the topography of the bottom of the lake Many Michigan inland lake topography maps are available on the Michigan Depar tment of Natural Resources site

Wave energy should be calculated before any shoreline erosion control project begins This will give you infor mation on the how to select the best erosion control method for your par ticular project

(The infor mation is this ar ticle first appeared as a give-par t series by Dixie Sandbor n who is par t of the Michigan State University Extension Ser vice )

Lake Orion

Lake Orion is a medium- sized inland lake, with area of 506 acres. It has a maximum depth of 80 feet and an average depth of 16 feet. The lake is located within the Village of Lake Orion and Orion Township. It is the eighth largest lake by area in Oakland County. Considered a warmwater lake with coolwater species in it, it's historically been known to produce good numbers of bluegill and largemouth bass.

© Aerial Graphics

LAKE BOARDS: MANAGING INLAND WATERWAYS

BY GRACE LOVINS

From the crashing waves of Lake Superior to the currents of Lake Saint Clair, if Michiganders value anything, it’s the lakes surrounding us. Home to over 11,000 of them, these lakes hold significant value for Michigan’s natural beauty, economy and recreation.

According to Michigan Sea Grant, the coastal counties of the Great Lakes states produced 21 percent of the gross domestic product in the Great Lakes region between 2009 and 2018. The same study also showed that the national parks and lakeshore located in these coastal counties attracted roughly 6.5 million visitors in 2018 alone.

It’s not just the Great Lakes, though, that give Michigan its status as an attractive destination for tourism, recreation and jobs Outside of the Great Lakes, Michigan has more than 11,000 inland lakes and 3,000 miles of water trails, according to the Michigan Depar tment of Natural Resources (DNR)

These water ways provide drinking water and water for ir rigation, boost proper ty values of residences located on and around the shores, and are a tourist destination They also provide “blue space ” “Blue space ” – seas, rivers, lakes and urban water features – has been shown to reduce stress levels over time, as repor ted by The Guardian, among other health benefits for people with chronic illnesses

Michigan is home to the largest number of freshwater lakes more than any other state in the nation, according to the Michigan DNR, with Oakland County having the largest concentration of inland lakes of any other county in the state

Oakland County has 1,400 located within its county borders These lakes provide various recreational oppor tunities like fishing, kayaking or canoeing, and beautiful scener y

To point out the obvious, there’s more to lakes than just the benefits they have for the people that live around them Lakes are an impor tant ecosystem, the locations of impor tant habitats and resources for fish, aquatic life and other wildlife, noted the U S Geological Sur vey The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) stated that Michigan’s lakes suppor t more than 3,500 species of plants and animals

Like many ecosystems though, lakes have seen an increase in threats to their health stemming from invasive species, habitat destr uction, pollution and climate change, according to NOAA

reduced water quality as well as impacts to native fisheries Development also reduced natural shoreline habitat which is cr ucial for many native animal species ”

ifferent lakes face different issues depending on geography in the state, the size of the lake and the amount of human activity around it, among other influences Oakland County ’ s lakes are no exception

Eric Diesing, with Oakland County Parks and Recreation, explained that human development is one of the major threats around the county ’ s lakes

“Increased development leads to increased r unoff during precipitation events This r unoff car ries har mful materials from our lawns, roads, driveways and other sur faces directly into adjacent sur face waters,” Diesing said “ This can lead to pollution and

unoff from development isn’t the only factor at play here Diesing explained that shoreline development can negatively affect the habitat availability for wildlife and the quality of the water itself As an example, seawalls, said Diesing, that are designed to protect shorelines from erosion can also lead to habitat degradation and flanking of wave energy, which can cause erosion of neighboring proper ties

“Shoreline development also removes sources of large wood material for the lakes,” said Diesing “Large wood is an impor tant habitat component for fish, which use it for cover, forage and breeding habitat ”

On top of the threats posed by increased shoreline development, Diesing and Bindu Bhakta, natural resource educator with the Michigan State University Extension Ser vice in Oakland County, explained that invasive species are another major threat to the county ’ s aquatic life and can be costly and difficult to remove

So, what can we do to ensure our lakes are able to thrive? That’s where Michigan’s Inland Lake Improvement Act comes into play Passed in 1966 and later codified in 1994 through Michigan’s Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Act, Public Act 451, or the Inland Lake Improvement Act, allows for the for mation of lake improvement boards, according to the Progressive Companies (Progressive AE) water resource group, headed by Paul Hausler who has three decades of experience working with lake boards and local communities on water quality issues

A lake improvement board brings local citizens, municipalities and county gover nments together to manage a specific lake The law allows lake boards to take on a broad range of projects, including those on a watershed, according to the Michigan Chapter of the Nor th American Lake Management Society

Oakland County cur rently has 48 lake improvement boards established to address issues like aquatic weed control and nuisance control Lake improvement boards typically take on projects like dredging, augmentation wells, beach management and boat launches, said Jim Nash,

Oakland County Water Resources Commissioner

These lake improvement boards consist of two representatives from the local community; one representative from the Oakland County Board of Commissioners; one representative from the Oakland County Water Resources Commissioner ’ s Office and one riparian representative who is a resident that lives on the lake, said Nash

reducing the risk of E coli and a host of other things,” Woodward said

Once a lake improvement board is established, one of its first tasks, said Nash, is the creation of a special assessment district and the assessment methodology used to create the district The assessment covers the cost of the projects the lake board intends to implement “All funds raised through the special assessment must be used on identified approved projects,” he said

he county representatives are appointed by the county board of commissioners, said Dave Woodward, chair of the Oakland County Board of Commissioners The county commissioner who sits on the board is appointed at the star t of the ter m Generally, the commissioner that represents the district where the lake is located sits on the lake improvement board, he said

Resident representative appointments come from the lake boards themselves, said Woodward Proper ty owners interested in ser ving on the board fill out an application and the board nominates and votes on the appointee

Both public and private inland lakes can have a lake improvement board, but it must be established by proper ty owners or through a local gover nment, as explained by Progressive Companies’ water resources group

A public inland lake board may be established if two -thirds of the proper ty owners bordering the lake petition for it or by the motion of a local gover nment On a private lake, however, a board can only be established through a petition from the proper ty owners

Nash stated that lake improvement boards are “considered a fully functioning separate minigover nment” with the specific task of implementing lake improvement projects once it is established

These boards have their own budget funded through the for mation of a special assessment district, hold public meetings throughout the year to discuss projects and the board’s budget, record meeting minutes and commission repor ts, similar to what the public would see from a board of commissioners or other public boards

“At a high level, these lake boards are tasked with insuring water quality, developing and figuring out how to fund all lake improvements, and that’s ever ything from testing and mitigating erosion, public health and safety issues as it relates to

When a lake board is for med, typically residents have a specific project in mind they want to pursue or are already implementing on their own on the lake, said Nash The board relies on the residents of the lake for projects they wish to be implemented

If residents want to implement a new project, they can bring up the concer n with the lake improvement board, which would investigate the issue Depending on the scope of the project, it may either be placed on the budget for the next hearing of practicality and hearing of assessment, according to Nash

Nash said that when a project is a little more complicated or costly, the board may ask for a petition from the residents to star t the process or a resolution from the community That petition would be put in motion, an engineering repor t will be prepared for the project and a hearing of practicality would be scheduled

The hearing of practicality requires a public notice period during which residents would be infor med of the hearing through mail and newspaper postings If a resolution from the board states that the project is practical, it will also be printed in a local newspaper, said Nash Next comes the public hearing of assessment, which also requires a public notice period

ash also explained that Par t 309 of the Lake Improvement Act provides clear guidance that any project under taken by a lake improvement board must benefit the lake as a whole, but it doesn’t outline specific individual projects that can be under taken

Generally, boards take on projects like weed management – this could include general lake health monitoring – as well as goose egg roundup, lake ecological sur vey and fish stocking, Nash said Each project requires an engineering repor t in order to be implemented

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In lake management, monitoring is a key task, and most lake improvement boards take this on, according to Woodward

“Monitoring is an impor tant component of lake management We need to know what conditions are like in the lake in order to make infor med decisions on how to properly manage the waterbody,” said Oakland County Parks and Recreation’s Diesing

Monitoring can consist of keeping an eye on aquatic plants, algae and aquatic life Lon Nordeen, board secretar y for the Michigan Lakes and Streams Association, noted in his work for the association that lake boards can focus on a variety of monitoring and management techniques: algae analysis and treatment; invasive species analysis and monitoring clean boats and washing programs; shoreline analysis; and resident education

Of the multiple techniques out there for monitoring lake health, Diesing said one of the most impor tant is the collection of water samples to test water quality and record data

“ Water quality data is cr ucial to understanding the quality of the lake We can begin to identif y what impacts we are having on the lake by identif ying if there are par ticular water quality issues occur ring,” he said “For example, high nutrients may be a symptom of increased r unoff, while high water temperatures may be a result of a reduced canopy cover from shoreline development ”

Lower Long Lake has had exemplar y water quality, which Vlasic noted comes directly from the work the board does Har vesting weeds allows pools of fer tilizer built up from r unoff to be removed from the lake as the weeds use the fer tilizer to grow The water quality testing ensures residents and wildlife are safe from bacteria and other pollutants that can be found in deteriorating lakes

Water quality repor ts and other studies are available on most of the county ’ s lake improvement board websites

ike Vlasic, a resident of Bloomfield Township and the riparian representative on the Lower Long Lake improvement board, recalled that the Lower Long Lake board has been monitoring the lake’s health and water quality for over 30 years

“Lower Long Lake has really great water quality, and it has for a long time We think that’s directly accountable to the fact that: a) we test the water quality twice a year ever y year and have for many years; b) we har vest the weeds out of the lake as opposed to using chemicals in the lake and that has a really beneficial effect on the water quality of the lake,” Vlasic said Vlasic said the lake has seen several benefits from the activities of the board The Lower Long Lake improvement board is responsible for water quality testing, weed har vesting and maintaining the boat launch for the homeowners Other lake boards may be responsible for things like dams or geese poop management

ccording to Vlasic, he has seen this work as not only having a positive impact on the homeowners but the wildlife population as well “ The wildlife in Lower Long Lake is ver y diverse and by any measure for a lake that’s in a ver y developed area, ” he pointed out

The work from lake improvement boards not only affects the lake itself, but it has significant overlap with economic development, planning and public health, said Oakland County Commission Chair Woodward

“From an economic development point of view, our lakes are par t of our ecosystem and economic landscape That is, it’s impor tant to proper ty values, it’s impor tant in placemaking, so the intersection from an environmental sustainability and conser vation and economic development really go hand in hand there,” said Woodward

The county has several par tnerships that help lake improvement boards maintain the lakes their responsible for

Oakland County Parks and Recreation, which is under the Oakland County Board of Commissioners, par tners with CISMA, the Oakland County Cooperative Invasive Species Management Area, that spends a lot of time combatting invasive species They help identif y invasive species and develop a plan to mitigate them, Woodward said

They are also transitioning back to a pre- COVID par tnership with the Michigan Lake Corps, that relies heavily on volunteers from various lake improvement boards, said Woodward

“ We’re working with a whole bunch of volunteers to take water samples that the state of Michigan then tests, and that data is so impor tant because it’s the trend line over time, like chlorophyl content, presence of other gases in the water that impacts the clarity, the health of the lake and other things,” he said

Aside from data and testing, lake boards and lake residents can get a feel for the health of a lake and success

of management strategies based on visuals

“Signs of a functioning lake ecosystem include a thriving fish population, healthy aquatic plant communities, little or no invasive species and water quality that meets state standards for sur face waters,” said Bhakta, educator with the MSU Extension Ser vice in Oakland County

Of course, lake management does not come without challenges Diesing of Oakland County Parks and Recreation, and Bhakta explained that the most challenging aspect of lake management is managing development around the lake as well as changing the nar rative on aquatic vegetation

“Native vegetation in the water is impor tant for fish and other organisms The presence of aquatic vegetation is not a sign of poor lake quality, but rather a sign of a function ecosystem,” said Diesing

Vlasic noted that one of the biggest challenges he has seen through his time on the board of Lower Long Lake is a misconception of what humans can control about the lake

“A lake is an ecosystem that we don’t control and, to be honest, in this day and age, people don’t think about it like that,” he said “People are wor ried about water quality, but they don’t necessarily understand what the means Sometimes they ’ll think of the lake, if it’s cloudy, it’s the water quality Well, that can be from just the weather or something else ”

Lake management strategies are proven to help address the needs of a lake to maintain and improve lake health and preser ve the ecosystem, and local lake improvement boards have a heavy hand in ensuring lakes’ residents enjoy are healthy for both the aquatic life, wildlife and residents

With the numerous par tnerships and large number of established lake boards, Oakland County seems to be leading the way when it comes to lake conser vation and management Woodward attributes par t of this to the county having the largest concentration of lakes, but the county ’ s environmental goals and the overarching impact on economic development and public health are also a factor

Effor ts of lake boards span beyond just conser ving the overall health of a specific lake The ideas and methods used to preser ve a lake’s health are widely researched strategies that can be employed in several different types of lakes, according to the Fondriest Environmental Lear ning Center, a full-ser vice environmental monitoring company based in the Great Lakes Getting residents involved and invested in the health of lake can have a significant impact in maintaining a quality waterbody available to residents, aquatic species and wildlife

“I think that the lake boards can be ver y positive for the environment and for the users of the lake,” said Vlasic “I just think that like so much of local gover nment, you need to be involved and pay attention and it can be great It’s been great for Lower Long Lake to have this board ”

LAKE BOARDS IN OAKLAND

Addison Township

Lakeville Lake

Bloomfield Township

Forest Lake

Gilbert Lake

Island Lake

Lower Long Lake

Meadow Lake

Orange Lake

Upper Long Lake

Wabeek Lake

Brandon Township

Lake Louise

Highland Township

Charlick Lake

Duck Lake

Gourd Lake

Highland Lake

Kellogg Lake

Murray Lake

Taggett Lake

Tomahawk Lake

White Lake

Woodruff Lake

Independence Twp.

Clarkston Mill Ponds

Van Norman Lake

Walters Lake

Novi

Walled Lake

Oakland Township

Cranberry Lake

Orion Township

Indianwood Lake

Rose Township

Tipsico Lake

Springfield Township Big Lake

Dixie Lake

Eliza Lake

Susin Lake

Waumegah Lake

Troy Lake Charnwood

Walled Lake

Walled Lake

Waterford Township

Eagle Lake

Huntoon Lake

Lake Oakland

Pontiac Lake

Rainbow Lake

Scott Lake

Van Norman Lake

Watkins Lake

Williams Lake

White Lake Township

Cedar Island Lake (Stopke Bay)

Grass Lake

Lake Neva

Lake Ona

Round Lake

T H R E AT E N E D P L A N E T

Threatened Planet is a newsletter of curated information gleaned from over 30 print and online news sources where reliable information is provided on the health of the environment and the efforts to remedy problems facing the planet We constantly monitor a diverse list of sources – the major daily newspapers in the country and in Europe, a variety of scientific journals and government websites, along with newsletters from environmental groups, as well as a wideranging list of other reliable print and online news outlets For those concerned about the environment, we do the legwork by aggregating relevant information from a wide swath of sources and attempt to offer links mostly to those sources not restricted by a paywall Those interested can sign up for the newsletter at ThreatenedPlanet com

Research and composition of the Threatened Planet newsletter is the work of Austen Hohendorf

Three Michigan infrastr ucture projects were awarded over $50 million in grants from the U S Depar tment of Transpor tation to protect against climate-change fueled by extreme weather (Rachel Frazin/The Hill)

New study reveals that just 57 oil, gas and cement producers account for 80 percent of carbon emissions in the last decade (Andrew Freedman/Axios)

The Environmental Protection Agency announced new r ules to reduce toxic pollution from chemical plants linked to cancer (Matthew Daly/The Associated Press)

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration scientists found “impor tant” greenhouse gases reached record highs last year (Cristen Hemingway Jaynes/EcoWatch)

Europe’s top human rights cour t r uled Switzerland violated human rights by failing to do enough to stop climate change in landmark case (Gloria Dickie, Kate Abnett, Christian Levaux/Reuters) ▾

Major retail brands say that they have the solution to the explosion of plastic waste, but critics doubt the new recycling plants will deliver to reach environmental goals (Hiroko Tabuchi/The New York Times)

In an industr y first, the EPA announced limits on “forever chemicals” in drinking water (Lisa Friedman/The New York Times) ▾

Electric vehicles are helping reduce down carbon emissions in Califor nia’s Bay Area (Tony Briscoe/The Los Angeles Times)

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Renewable energy accounts for 22 percent of the nations electricity as solar and wind energy fuel the staggering growth according to a new repor t (Syris Valentine/Grist)

Downtown Newsmagazine looks at how Gover nor Whitmer’s new FY25 budget proposal will help address methane “super emitter” landfills across Michigan (Stacy Gittleman/Downtown Newsmagazine)

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A large majority of Americans think the U.S. needs to take steps to address climate change according to a new CBS poll (Jennifer De Pinto, Anthony Salvanto, Fred Back us/CBS News)

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Wayne County ranks as one of the most polluted U.S. counties for ozone and par ticle pollution in American Lung Association’s 25 annual “State of the Air ” air quality repor t (Alejandra Bor unda/NPR)

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Consumer Repor ts study shows nearly 20 percent of commonly sold produce and vegetables contain unsafe levels of pesticides (Sandee LaMotte/CNN)

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The Environmental Protection Agency introduced strict new regulations for coal-bur ning power plants to cut or capture climate pollution by 2032 (Lisa Friedman, Coral Davenpor t/The New York Times)

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A new repor t finds streams that supply drinking water are in danger following a Supreme Cour t decision that rolled back federal wetland safeguards from the Clean Water Act (Julia Jacobo/ABC News)

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Researchers say environmental damage from climate events could cost people one-fif th of their income over the next 25 years (John Timmer/Ars Technica)

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Only 56 companies are responsible for over half of global plastic pollution with Coca- Cola and PepsiCo topping the list (Shannon Osaka/The Washington Post)

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The U S National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration says coral reefs across the world suffered the four th global bleaching event from climate change war ming the oceans sur face waters (Gloria Dickie, Alison Withers/Reuters)

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The Climate Desk team at The New York Times launched “Ask NYT Climate” to explore how climate intersects with ever yday life and answer reader submitted climate questions (Somini Sengupta/The New York Times)

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Then there’s this…

Mother Nature, the musician A new initiative called Sounds Right credits “NATURE” as an ar tist on music platfor ms and directs a por tion of streaming royalties for songs that use nature sounds to fund conser vation effor ts (Kristin Toussaint/Fast Company)

Metro Intelligencer is a monthly column devoted to news stories, tidbits and gossip items about what's happening on the restaurant scene in the metro Detroit area Metro Intelligencer is reported/ created each month by Gigi Nichols who can be reached at GigiNichols@DowntownPublications com with news items or tips, on or off the record.

Sweet spot opens

The Hudson Café has opened in Troy, joining a plethora of eateries that have opened along Big Beaver Road It’s the third location for the restaurant – joining the original Hudson Cafe in downtown Detroit and the Nor thville Township location which opened in 2023 The café is famous for its over-the-top breakfast offerings such as the S’More French Toast, which is coated with graham crackers and stuffed with marshmallow and Nutella, and topped with chocolate chips and chocolate glaze, and the Oreo Pancakes topped with cream cheese frosting There are plenty of healthy options to choose from for breakfast as well, like the smashed avocado toast on multigrain bread topped with guacamole and ser ved with fr uit and a choice of eggs For lunch, there’s the classic Hudson Salad, a nod to the eater y ’ s namesake, featuring smoked ham & turkey, romaine hear ts, gherkin pickles, green olives, and Swiss cheese tossed with Hudson’s signature dressing For this project, Hudson Café owner Tom Teknos par tnered with Cor tney Bogorad and Elyse Elwood Teknos said the location in Troy made good business sense since they of ten ask customers where they are from, and Troy was a central location Inside, the restaurant seats 70 people The constr uction was handled by Bir mingham-based Windy City Constr uction and the interior, which seats about 70, was designed by Olon Creative in St Clair Shores Hudson Café is open daily for breakfast and lunch Reser vations are available at all Hudson Café locations on Open Table 700 W Big Beaver Road, Troy hudson-cafe com

Celebrity chef collaboration in Detroit

Bloomfield Hills-based Cicero Hospitality Group has opened, Adelina, a collaboration between renowned celebrity chef Fabio Viviani and two celebrated local chefs, Gabriel Botezan and Marco Dalla Fontana, promising a vibrant fusion of Italian-Mediter ranean flavors Since moving to the U S in 2005, Viviani, a chef, restaurateur, TV host and bestselling cookbook author, has opened more than three dozen restaurants, bars and event venues, and his hospitality group ser ves over 10 million meals each year across all his awardwinning concepts “I, along with the entire Fabio Viviani Hospitality team, could not be more excited about the opening of Adelina,” said Viviani “ This menu is tr uly special: a per fect blend of signature Italian dishes rooted in tradition and moder n Mediter ranean fare There is nothing else like this in Downtown Detroit, and I can’t wait for people to experience it ” Designed in collaboration with NORR Architecture, Adelina’s 4,000-square-foot space accommodates 88 seats in the main dining room, 22 at the bar and 20 in the lounge Design features include a glass mosaic bar, featuring Mediter ranean-style polished glass mosaic tiles An outdoor patio will be added this spring, which will accommodate an additional 40 guests “ This

project represents the culmination of our team’s vision to bring a unique experience to Detroit,” said Randy Dickow, managing par tner and food and beverage director for Cicero Hospitality Group “Downtown Detroit is now fir mly established as a vibrant culinar y hub, and we are proud to debut Adelina ” 1040 Woodward Avenue, Detroit adelinadetroit com

Fourth Street Café to open in Royal Oak

Col’s Place was a favorite in Madison Heights for over 20 years The eater y closed in October of 2023, but now the owners have announced that they will open a new venture, Four th Street Café, in the for mer home of Inn Season’s Café in Royal Oak A grand opening is planned for August 2024 The restaurant announced their plans on Facebook in a letter to their followers which reads: “Introducing the Four th Street Restaurant! We’re making a strong comeback, preser ving the beloved past with our mor ning br unch and transfor ming into an evening bistro with a slightly tweaked menu to cater to ever yone ’ s taste palate And for those not feeling hungr y, wor r y not – we ’ ve got a fantastic bar for you to hang out! We’ve kept this under wraps as the jour ney from designs to plans to menu naming has been a meticulous process But here we are, making significant progress Mark your calendars because we ’ re aiming to welcome our first clients by mid-August 2024 Stay tuned for sof t open testing dates where you can be among the first to experience the magic!” 550 E Four th Street, Royal Oak

Detroit’s most intimate room

Just off Woodward Avenue is an unador ned alleyway that will soon lead to Saksey ’s, which owners are claiming as “Detroit’s most intimate room ” This new cocktail lounge is named af ter the Detroit bar owned and operated by Dan Gilber t’s father in the 1970’s Saksey ’ s will be in the lower level of Gilly ’s Clubhouse & Roof top, the spor ts bar that was the vision of Nick Gilber t, who passed away from neurofibromatosis in May 2023 Saksey ’ s is the vision of Josh Lang’s 7OH2 Hospitality The cozy, contemporar y room boasts nostalgic reference points as guests are transpor ted back in time through a bespoke alleyway entrance The interior is designed by Jennifer Gilber t’s Detroit-based POPHOUSE and features lacquered woods, adventurous patter ns and refined lighting The exclusive dining area and bar have only eight tables and 55 seats, creating an intimate environment “Saksey ’ s is designed to provide an experience that connects people,” Lang said “I want guests to come in, tr y a little of ever ything on the menu, sit back and spend time with the people they love Intimacy is a product of those you share it with This room is built for intimate moments ” The cocktail menu is created by Eric Hobbie, who was named Las Vegas’s Most Intriguing Mixologist in 2019, and has won multiple national cocktail competitions The food menu features sharable plates conceived by 7OH2 Executive Chef Adrian Estrada Saksey ’ s is slated to open to the public in Spring 2024 1550 Woodward Avenue, Detroit sakseysdetroit com

Their steaks are sexy

Sexy Steak, Detroit’s newest Italian steakhouse, is now open on the first and second floors of the historic Grand Ar my of the Republic (GAR) Building, with a new private event space, Castle Hall, also opening on the third and four th floors of the building The restaurant is the latest concept from Prime Concepts Detroit, which also operates Aurora Italiana, NARA Sushi & Hibachi Lounge, Prime29 Steakhouse, PAO Detroit, and Tribu Mediter ranean at the Wabeek Club in Bloomfield Hills Sexy Steak features a traditional Italian steakhouse menu with moder n influences as well as an oyster bar, all created by the Prime Concepts Detroit culinar y team, with fresh pasta, veal and seafood dishes that include lobster scampi, dover sole and, of course, USDA prime steaks A highlight of the dining room is a Himalayan salt-lined case that showcases premium cuts of beef, which guests can per use and then personally select their cut In addition to a 4,000-square-foot main floor dining room that seats 120 guests, the restaurant offers a second floor, 3,000-square-foot dining and lounge space, The Centurion Room, with seating for up to 100 guests, with an additional 12-seat bar “Guests will have their senses ignited from the moment they walk in –from the sculptures they see, the music they hear, the aromas they smell, and the flavors they taste,” said Stolion Liti, managing par tner and director of operations for Prime Concepts Detroit “ We look for ward to sharing many memorable evenings with metro -Detroiters for years to come ” Designed in par tnership with Royal Oak-based Ar t Har rison Interiors and the Barbat Holdings development team, much of the building’s rich historical elements were maintained, such as all of the original windows, staircase details and tile flooring at the entrance, while also restoring all wood flooring and exposing original brick walls in the event spaces 1942 Grand River Avenue, Detroit sexysteakdetroit.com

James Beard Award semifinalists

In Januar y, The James Beard Foundation’s committee announced its 2024 Restaurant and Chef Awards semifinalists The 2024 Restaurant and Chef semifinalists are recognized across 22 categories The Foundation’s committee named the following finalists from the state of Michigan: Outstanding Restaurateur – Hamissi Mamba and Nadia Nijimbere of Baobab Fare, Detroit; Outstanding Restaurant –Selden Standard, Detroit; Emerging Chef – Rock y Coronado of Nepantla, Detroit; Best New Restaurant – Alpino, Detroit; Outstanding Baker y – Shatila Baker y, Dearbor n; Outstanding Hospitality – AlTayeb Restaurant, Dearbor n; Outstanding Wine and Other Beverages – Folk, Detroit and Ann Arbor; Best Chef, Great Lakes includes five area semifinalists including: Doug Hewitt, Freya, Detroit; Ji Hye Kim, Miss Kim, Ann Arbor; Dan Klenotic, Bellflower, Ypsilanti; Hajime Sato, Sozai, Clawson; and John Yelinek, Ladder 4 Wine Bar, Detroit In early April, the list was honed down to just two finalists from Michigan: Hamissi Mamba and Nadia Nijimbere of Baobab Fare, for Outstanding Restaurateur and Hajime Sato of Sozai, for Best Chef, Great Lakes The winners will be celebrated at an award ceremony on Monday, June 10, 2024, at the Lyric Opera of Chicago jamesbeard.org

WATER RESOURCES

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Angelus(E)950.25-0.09950.00N/A0.25 Bevins(J)911.31-0.14910.40909.900.91 Big1017.340.071017.301016.700.04

Crystal(J)(G)916.50-0.82917.50917.00-1.00

DawsonMillPond(J)(F)928.550.13928.60927.25-0.05 Duck(J)1016.82-0.131016.631016.130.19 Fox(J)930.52-0.03930.00929.500.52

HuronRiver(E)1.83-0.131.08N/A0.75 Indianwood(J)992.86-0.23992.62992.120.24 Lakeville(J)952.300.00952.30951.800.00 Long(CommerceTwp.)(J)933.100.00933.00932.500.10 Loon(WML)(J)(C)(B)949.80-0.38949.30948.800.50 Louise-Huff(J)(H)962.15-0.04962.27961.77-0.12 Middle&LowerStraits(J)931.00-0.05930.70930.400.30 Mohawk(WML)(J)(C)(B)950.08-0.25949.30948.800.78 Oakland-Woodhull(J)957.80-0.25957.50957.000.30 Orchard(J)930.970.00930.50930.200.47

Oxbow(J)942.67-0.28942.75942.00-0.08

OxfordMulti(J)(A)1017.62-0.351017.801017.48-0.18 Pontiac(J)963.49-0.26962.83962.160.66 Schoolhouse(WML)(J)(C)(B)950.17-0.07949.30948.800.87 Scott951.57-0.02951.00N/A0.57

Sylvan-Otter(J)(F)928.45-0.23928.60927.25-0.15 Tipsico(J)1015.33-0.131015.391015.25-0.06 Union(J)927.34-0.11927.07926.660.27

We’ve lived in the Lakes Area for over 35 Years! Real Estate is our passion not a part time hobby! We are Full Time, Professional Realtors with over 47 years of successful results. Whether you’re Buying or Selling, put our expertise to work for you!

STEVE Realtor

JANET Realtor

LAKE LIVING AT ITS FINEST!

LIFE IS BETTER AT THE LAKE!

Wonderfully updated waterfront home situated on a beautifully landscaped (double) lot with custom inlaid paver stone walkways, tiered patios, charming picket fencing with a trellis, repit, waterfront deck/dock, seawall and 89 feet of shoreline. is custom contemporary o ers over 3,100 SF of living space, 3 Bedrooms, 3 Baths, Dining Room with vaulted ceiling and skylight, Great Room featuring a replace and door-wall opening to the patio. e Family Room includes vaulted ceiling and stone replace. Snack-bar Kitchen features stylish subway tile backsplash, SS appliances and pantry. A 2-story Flex Room features a stunning wall of windows facing the waterfront. First oor Owner’s Suite includes a private Bath and custom walk-in closet, 2nd oor Bedroom Suite includes a cathedral ceiling with skylights, walk-in closet and open rail overlook providing gorgeous lake views.

LONG LAKE

Perfectly located on a quiet bay, this spectacular contemporary o ers a nicely landscaped lot with a large paver stone patio, composite deck, seawall, and dock. e home’s unique design is the epitome of an open concept and a ton of windows, capture the essence of lake living! Over 3,900 SF of living space includes 4 Bedrooms, 4 full Baths, Great Room & Dining with hardwood ooring, Granite Kitchen & Nook with French door leading to the deck. e LL Walk-out includes a Family Room with replace, Rec Room with French door to patio, Bedroom/Den, full Bath, Laundry Room and Workshop. 1st Floor Bedroom Suite with Bath plus a 2nd oor Owner’s Suite includes a walk-in closet, large Bath, Sitting Room with replace and door to balcony!

BUILD YOUR DREAM WATERFRONT HOME!

is beautiful (.56 acre) riverfront lot o ers 102’ of shoreline on pristine Huron River! Plus, you’ll enjoy access to Twin Lakes Village parks, playground, beach and boat launch on Tull Lake! Tucked away deep in the sub provides a quiet peaceful setting. e large (over a half acre) lot o ers walk-out/ daylight basement potential. Water, Sewer, and utilities are at the street.

YOUR PRIVATE OASIS!

PONTIAC LAKE TULL LAKE

4611 Ravinewood Dr., Commerce Twp MLS#20240019954 $839,900

3 Bed, 3.1 Baths. Over 3100 Sq. Ft. of living space including walkout w/ lake views! Primary suite w/views of lake!

348 Beverly Island Dr., Waterford MLS#20240024067 $670,000.00

4 Bed, 3.1 Baths. Over 2500 SQ. FT. of living space. Located on a quiet bay on Otter/Sylvan Lake. Open floor plan w/ 1st floor primary suite & serene lake views.

3176 Pikewood Ct., Commerce Twp.

MLS#20230054219 $700,000

3 Bed, 3.1 Baths. 3 car attached garage. Over 4000 Sq. Ft. of living space including sprawling finished walkout! Stunning views on this Lakefront Ranch in Lake Sherwood!

5111 Surfwood Dr., Commerce Twp MLS# 20240025659 $820,000

3 Bed, 2.1 Baths. 1684 Sq. Ft. w/ additional 1192 Sq. Ft. in the beautiful finished walkout! Outstanding lakefront Ranch w/ Spectacular views!

1248 Edenbrook Dr., Wixom

MLS#20230105898 $649,900

4 Bed, 4.1 Baths. 3378 SQ. FT. w/ additional 1817 sq. footage in the incredible finished walkout! 2.5 car garage. Meticulously maintained home w/ classic and open layout!

4713 Surfwood Dr., Commerce Twp.

MLS#20230063957 $1,100,000

4 Bed, 3 Baths. 3770 SQ. FT. of luxury! 1st floor primary suite, large chef's kitchen w/large island, spacious sunroom and outdoor deck w/ outstanding lake views!

4977 Wavewood Dr., Commerce Twp. MLS#20240025892 $850,000

5 Bed, 2.1 Baths. Over 2300 Sq. Ft. of living space. On the bay just a few minutes from main lake! 1st. FL. master w/ many updates!

1761 Hidden Valley Dr., Milford

MLS#20240009140 $625,000

3 Bed, 3.1 Baths. 2521 SQ. FT. with additional 1927 SQ. FT. in the meticulously maintained finished walkout! 3 car garage. Large 1st FL primary suite w/ wall of windows, window seat & WIC!

4792 Driftwood Dr., Commerce Twp

MLS#20230030522 $1,390,000

4 Bed, 3.1 Baths. Over 4000 Sq. Ft. including spectacular walkout! Open chef's kitchen with spectacular views of lake!

Sleek and Spacious

Discover the MasterCraft NXT24

The NXT24 stands as the pinnacle of wake boat performance, boasting the best wakes and waves thanks to SurfStar technology. As the largest model in the NXT series, it comfortably accommodates 16 passengers, ensuring no one misses out. Find yours at Action Water Sports of Fenton or online at actionwater.com