Michigan has often been referred to as a “water wonderland” among many other nicknames and slogans. Our family recently took a trip to Traverse City and surrounding areas in 2018 and had a great time exploring sand dunes, swimming in Lake Michigan, rock hunting for Petoskey stones and eating at many fun restaurants near the Leelanau Peninsula. But, how wonderful is the water in the Great Lakes state of Michigan?
Lake Michigan is the third largest of the Great Lakes and touches 4 states including Michigan, Indiana, Wisconsin, and Illinois. The lake is home to a wide range of birds, fish and habitats in addition to many large ports and nearly 12 million people living along its shores.
During our visit I was struck by how clear the water was, how blue it seemed on a sunny day, and remarked to my family how pristine the lake must be. I found out that looks can be deceiving and, while appealing, the clarity comes at significant cost to wildlife. The clarity is caused loss of phytoplankton that have been consumed by invasive mussel species, including quagga and zebra mussel species. These invasive species came to the lake on large ships that arrived from the ocean after having traveled around the world. These species are not the only invasive animal species that have arrived to the great lakes but they are often cited as the worst. Loss of phytoplankton leads to less zooplankton which then decimates the small fish population and the food chain collapses. With a clearer lake, there has been a sharp decline in nearly all fish species in Lake Michigan.
I loved my visit to Michigan and I hope to visit many more times in the future. But, I have learned the importance of phytoplankton in our food chain and the negative impact that global commerce with ocean going freighter and invasive species have left on the Great Lakes.