Tip of the Mitt Watershed Council

7 North Region
EducationEnvironmentWildlife and Animals
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Tip of the Mitt Watershed Council

Environmental Stewardship: Animals, Conservation – land use, Water Quality
426 Bay St, Petoskey, MI 49770
Phone (231) 347 - 1181
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Our mission

To protect our lakes, streams, wetlands, and groundwater through respected advocacy, innovative education, technically sound water quality monitoring, thorough research, and restoration actions.
Opportunities

Volunteer Lake Monitoring Program

Presently, volunteers monitor 35 lakes spread throughout Antrim, Charlevoix, Cheboygan, Emmet, and Montmorency Counties. The objectives of the program are to collect baseline data, characterize lake ecosystems, identify specific water quality problems, determine water quality trends, and, most importantly, inform and educate the public regarding water quality issues and aquatic ecology. Volunteer lake monitors are often the first people to get their boats in the water in the spring. Starting in May or early June, they start their weekly visits to the deepest part of the lake to perform water quality monitoring activities.
  • Weekly
  • Teens, 55+, Adults, Child with Adult
  • Individuals, Groups (2-10)
  • Outdoor
  • Formal
  • Weekdays, Weekends

Watershed Action Volunteer Experience (WAVE)

WAVE provides technical and financial support for groups demonstrating the importance of water resource stewardship at the local level. Create a group of friends, family, coworkers, or anyone and focus on your neighborhood river/lake or explore somewhere new. Protect or enhance water quality, water conservation, or habitat and include education.
  • Occasional, Weekly, Monthly
  • Teens, 55+, Adults
  • Groups (2-10), Groups (10+)
  • Indoor, Outdoor
  • Formal
  • Weekdays, Weekends

Watershed Advisory Committees

We strive to develop cooperative relationships that advance water quality and nurture Northern Michigan’s local economy. With input from local, regional and state sources – such as governments, nonprofits, funders, program participants and residents – the Watershed Council is able to address the needs of the communities we serve.
  • Occasional, Monthly
  • 21+, 55+, Adults
  • Individuals
  • Indoor, Outdoor
  • Formal
  • Weekdays, Evenings, Weekends

Avian Botulism Monitoring

Botulism has been identified as a problem for fish and birds in Lakes Ontario, Erie, and Michigan. Remove dead birds and fish immediately, to prevent the spread of botulism, as the bacteria in the carcasses can serve as the source of outbreaks for months. Please review the guidelines on our website for handling carcasses and monitoring your beach area.
  • Occasional
  • 55+, Adults
  • Individuals
  • Outdoor
  • Formal
  • Weekdays, Weekends

Volunteer Stream Monitoring Program

Do streams potentially impact the water quality of the lakes that they flow into? Should they be monitored? We at the Watershed Council think so and have thus, embarked upon a new voyage up into the streams that feed into our pristine lakes, with volunteer crews willing and ready to monitor in unfamiliar, yet ecologically critical waters. Volunteer teams monitor the water quality of wadeable streams two times a year, during the spring (May) and fall (September). Teams consist of 3 or more volunteers, including a team leader, team collector and at least one picker. Prior to the outdoor field data collection volunteers receive specialized training. Following the field activities, volunteers and experts gather for an indoor identification session.
  • Occasional
  • Teens, 55+, Adults, Child with Adult
  • Individuals, Groups (2-10)
  • Outdoor
  • Formal
  • Weekdays, Weekends
How you help

Northern Michigan’s rivers, lakes, Great Lakes, wetlands, and groundwater need all the help they can get to remain the vital resources that we know and love. If you’re interested in a hands-on approach to water resource protection, then the Tip of the Mitt Watershed Council is the place for you!
About us

The Tip of the Mitt Watershed Council speaks for Northern Michigan’s waters. Tip of the Mitt Watershed Council’s service area includes the water resources in Antrim, Charlevoix, Cheboygan, and Emmet Counties. We are dedicated to preserving the heritage of Northern Michigan – a tradition built around our magnificent waters. We work to maintain the environmental integrity and economic and aesthetic values of the Great Lakes, inland lakes, rivers and streams, wetlands, and groundwater. We achieve our mission by empowering others and we believe in the capacity to make a positive difference. We work locally, regionally, and throughout the Great Lakes Basin to achieve our goals.