ComparePlan

Comparison of Michigan Department of Natural Resources' Plan for a concrete boat launch on the east end of Deer Lake and the Citizens to Save Deer Lake Coalition's Alternative Plan.

MDNR's Plan
Citizens to Save Deer Lake Coalition's Alternative Plan

Large white pines, sugar maple, and other trees growing on top of sand bank at proposed MDNR launch site.

Launch site proposed by Alternative Plan near south end of MDOT Park. No large trees would have to be cut; no sand bank would have to be excavated; no wetland and lake bottom would have to be dredged.

1. Access road will have to be constructed through climax forest resulting in the loss of dozens, perhaps hundreds, of trees in excess of 100 years of age, including large white pines (Michigan's State Tree).

1. Access road would be from south end of MDOT parking lot at south end of park. Less than a dozen mature trees would have to be removed. There is a gentle slope from the parking lot to the lake that would require little grading, and would require a small amount of gravel to provide hardness to the surface.

2. Parking lot will be constructed with 10 spaces to accommodate vehicles pulling trailers resulting in loss of significant portion of climax forest.

2. No new parking lot necessary. Current MDOT parking area at south end of the park will be accommodate vehicles with boat trailers without interfering with the park's use by persons utilizing the swimming beach and picnic area.

3. Toilets will be constructed.

3. Newly constructed toilets available for use in MDOT park.

4. Sand bank, approximately 10 feet above lake level will be bulldozed to accommodate boat ramp. In addition to 775 cubic yards of earth to be dredged from the wetland and lake, there will be an additional 800 cubic yards of earth excavated to build a ramp from the edge of the wetland 100 feet and 18 feet wide back into the forest.

4. There is no high sand bank above Deer Lake at site of Alternative Plan. A small amount of grading and application of gravel will provide sufficient access to the lake for the great majority of boaters.

5. A wetland will be dredged to accommodate concrete boat ramp. Dredging will extend 160 feet from the shoreline across the wetland to the water's edge, up to 65 feet wide and 2-2.5 feet deep.

5. No dredging will be necessary and no concrete ramp will be constructed. There is no wetland between the shoreline and the water's edge at Alternative Plan site. There is sufficient depth of water within a few feet of the present shoreline to launch 12 and 14 foot fishing boats.

6. The proposed DNR boat ramp will provide access to unlimited numbers of jet skis, speed boats, and fishing boats with gasoline powered motors resulting in significantly increased amounts of water pollution, danger to swimmers at the MDOT beach, and destruction of the peace and tranquility of Deer Lake.

6. The Alternative Plan calls for a ban on all gasoline powered motors on Deer Lake. Electric motors would be allowed. If the public is not willing to accept a ban on motors an alternative would be to limit the size of gasoline motors to 15 hp.

7. Implementation of the DNR plan will result in significant loss of forest and wetland habitat. Welfare of merlins (Falco columbarius), which nest at the east end of Deer Lake, will be jeopardized by the loss of forest habitat, particularly large white pine trees. The merlin is listed as a Threatened species in Michigan. It is the responsibility of the MDNR to protect their habitat.

Rare and "conservative" plants will be destroyed from dredging.

7. Habitat loss is reduced to a few trees to construct access road (approximately 100 feet) from current MDOT parking area to water's edge. The Alternative Plan calls for conservation of pond, forest, wetland, and lake habitat with natural history interpretative trail on east end of Deer Lake.

8. Construction of access road and parking lot will diminish the recreational value of the east end of Deer Lake. Many citizens currently utilize the area for hiking, biking, crosscountry skiing, snowshoeing, nature study, birdwatching, and snowmobiling,

8. Boat launch at alternative site will not interfere with current uses of east end of Deer Lake.

9. Cost of construction will be tens of thousands of dollars.

9. Cost of construction will be a few thousand dollars. For example, the grading could easily be done in a ten hour day. At $60/hour, that's $600. Plus $500 worth of gravel. The launch could be constructed for about $1200.

10. Upkeep will be costly. Lake will have to be dredged regularly because of erosion which will result from wave action from the prevailing west wind.

10. Very little to no upkeep costs in addition to regular MDOT park maintenance.

11. No indication in current plan for handicapped accessible fishing dock and platform.

11. Citizens to Save Deer Lake Coalition recommends handicapped accessible small wooden dock and fishing platform next to access site.

MDNR's Plan	Citizens to Save Deer Lake Coalition's Alternative Plan
Large white pines, sugar maple, and other trees growing on top of sand bank at proposed MDNR launch site.	Launch site proposed by Alternative Plan near south end of MDOT Park. No large trees would have to be cut; no sand bank would have to be excavated; no wetland and lake bottom would have to be dredged.
1. Access road will have to be constructed through climax forest resulting in the loss of dozens, perhaps hundreds, of trees in excess of 100 years of age, including large white pines (Michigan's State Tree).	1. Access road would be from south end of MDOT parking lot at south end of park. Less than a dozen mature trees would have to be removed. There is a gentle slope from the parking lot to the lake that would require little grading, and would require a small amount of gravel to provide hardness to the surface.
2. Parking lot will be constructed with 10 spaces to accommodate vehicles pulling trailers resulting in loss of significant portion of climax forest.	2. No new parking lot necessary. Current MDOT parking area at south end of the park will be accommodate vehicles with boat trailers without interfering with the park's use by persons utilizing the swimming beach and picnic area.
3. Toilets will be constructed.	3. Newly constructed toilets available for use in MDOT park.
4. Sand bank, approximately 10 feet above lake level will be bulldozed to accommodate boat ramp. In addition to 775 cubic yards of earth to be dredged from the wetland and lake, there will be an additional 800 cubic yards of earth excavated to build a ramp from the edge of the wetland 100 feet and 18 feet wide back into the forest.	4. There is no high sand bank above Deer Lake at site of Alternative Plan. A small amount of grading and application of gravel will provide sufficient access to the lake for the great majority of boaters.
5. A wetland will be dredged to accommodate concrete boat ramp. Dredging will extend 160 feet from the shoreline across the wetland to the water's edge, up to 65 feet wide and 2-2.5 feet deep.	5. No dredging will be necessary and no concrete ramp will be constructed. There is no wetland between the shoreline and the water's edge at Alternative Plan site. There is sufficient depth of water within a few feet of the present shoreline to launch 12 and 14 foot fishing boats.
6. The proposed DNR boat ramp will provide access to unlimited numbers of jet skis, speed boats, and fishing boats with gasoline powered motors resulting in significantly increased amounts of water pollution, danger to swimmers at the MDOT beach, and destruction of the peace and tranquility of Deer Lake.	6. The Alternative Plan calls for a ban on all gasoline powered motors on Deer Lake. Electric motors would be allowed. If the public is not willing to accept a ban on motors an alternative would be to limit the size of gasoline motors to 15 hp.
7. Implementation of the DNR plan will result in significant loss of forest and wetland habitat. Welfare of merlins (Falco columbarius), which nest at the east end of Deer Lake, will be jeopardized by the loss of forest habitat, particularly large white pine trees. The merlin is listed as a Threatened species in Michigan. It is the responsibility of the MDNR to protect their habitat. Rare and "conservative" plants will be destroyed from dredging.	7. Habitat loss is reduced to a few trees to construct access road (approximately 100 feet) from current MDOT parking area to water's edge. The Alternative Plan calls for conservation of pond, forest, wetland, and lake habitat with natural history interpretative trail on east end of Deer Lake.
8. Construction of access road and parking lot will diminish the recreational value of the east end of Deer Lake. Many citizens currently utilize the area for hiking, biking, crosscountry skiing, snowshoeing, nature study, birdwatching, and snowmobiling,	8. Boat launch at alternative site will not interfere with current uses of east end of Deer Lake.
9. Cost of construction will be tens of thousands of dollars.	9. Cost of construction will be a few thousand dollars. For example, the grading could easily be done in a ten hour day. At $60/hour, that's $600. Plus $500 worth of gravel. The launch could be constructed for about $1200.
10. Upkeep will be costly. Lake will have to be dredged regularly because of erosion which will result from wave action from the prevailing west wind.	10. Very little to no upkeep costs in addition to regular MDOT park maintenance.
11. No indication in current plan for handicapped accessible fishing dock and platform.	11. Citizens to Save Deer Lake Coalition recommends handicapped accessible small wooden dock and fishing platform next to access site.