On May 31st the Water Quality Team collected samples for our first seasonal water tests. When you see a RED box that means the numbers our out of normal range. This our second year reporting this way and the ARROWS show how the numbers changed from last year. Our Spring water quality, except for two areas, are in line with the standards. It looks as if some of the indicators in the main lake have risen since last year and Bingham’s E.Coli went up so we are watching that. Be assured that the Bingham E.Coli reading is well below the maximum of 235. Betts Ditch is what does all the filtering so with the high count of E.Coli again there, it drops substantially once the water makes it to the lakes. We did talk to an EGLE representative who wasn’t to alarmed and our water quality team is going to report these numbers to the local health department. The low dissolved oxygen reading at Betts Ditch shows that there is not enough oxygen to sustain fish life. We get that oxygen back in our lakes with the natural movement and air. This spring results and definitions are below:

pH is an indication of our lake's acid level. Neutral water, like distilled water, has a 7 pH level. Any measurement below 7 is considered acidic. Low pH levels affect fish spawning to the point of extinction. For humans, low pH levels increase the concentration of heavy metals like aluminum, zinc, and mercury.

When there are high E. coli counts there are three indicators in a lake to consider rain, large presence of waterfowl, and many people. Rain produces ground water that runs into the lake and carries with it E. coli. Bird feces contribute disease causing bacteria to the water. And, beach areas with many people swimming tend to have higher levels of E. coli.

Dissolved Oxygen Oxygen (O2) is undoubtedly the most important of the gases, since most aquatic organisms need it to survive. The solubility of oxygen and other gases depends on water temperature. The colder the water, the more gases it can hold. Boiling water removes all gases. Oxygen is produced whenever green plants grow. Plants use carbon dioxide and water to produce simple sugars and oxygen, using sunlight as the energy source.

Phosphorus promotes excessive aquatic plant growth. Phosphorus originates from a variety of sources, many of which are related to human activities. Major sources include human and animal wastes, soil erosion, detergents, septic systems and runoff from farmlands or lawns.

The Total Suspended Solids numbers relate to water clarity, especially the amount of algae present.

Nitrogen is second only to phosphorus as an important nutrient for plant and algae growth. Precipitation is usually the main nitrogen source for seepage and some drainage lakes. In most cases, however, the amount of nitrogen in lake water corresponds to local land use. Nitrogen may come from fertilizer and animal wastes on agricultural lands, human waste from sewage treatment plants or septic systems, and lawn fertilizers used on lakeshore property. Nitrogen may enter a lake from surface runoff or groundwater sources.