Description:
Larks Lake is important not just because of the recreational activities it provides; it is also a large source of water to the Pleasantview Swamp. At 6,544 acres, the Pleasantview Swamp is one of the largest uninterrupted wetlands in northern Lower Michigan. Because it is at the headwaters of the West Branch of the Maple River, the swamp is extremely important for protecting the water quality of this renowned trout stream. The Pleasantview Swamp also provides habitat for a magnificent variety of plant and animal life, including bobcats, black bear, otters, bald eagles, and osprey.
In 2006 the Larks Lake Watershed Management Plan was written, with funding from the Petoskey-Harbor Springs Area Community Foundation and the Ann K. Irish Charitable Fund. The Plan provides a background of the Watershed, along with recommendations to protect the water quality of Larks Lake.
Monitoring and Research:
Larks Lake is monitored every three years through the Watershed Council’s Comprehensive Water Quality Monitoring (CWQM) Program for dissolved oxygen, specific conductivity, pH, nitrate-nitrogen, total nitrogen, total phosphorus, and chloride levels.
Water transparency, chlorophyll-a, and water temperature are also monitored in Larks Lake each summer by volunteers as part of the Watershed Council’s Volunteer Lake Monitoring (VLM) Program.
This lake is monitored through the Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians Surface Water Quality Protection Program (SWQPP).
Additional Resources:
See additional resources on our Aquavist page.
A wide variety of maps for this area are available online at the Michigan Natural Features Inventory (MNFI) Data Resources page.
Title | Categories | Link | hf:doc_categories |
---|---|---|---|
2022 Larks Lake Watershed Management Plan | EGLE/EPA Approved Watershed Management Plans, Larks Lake, Larks Lake Watershed | watershed-plan-approved larks-lake larks-lake-watershed inland-lakes watersheds | |
2022 Larks Lake Shoreline Survey | Larks Lake, Shoreline Surveys | larks-lake shoreline-surveys inland-lakes | |
2020 Larks Lake Aquatic Survey | Aquatic Plant Surveys, Larks Lake | aquatic-plant-surveys larks-lake inland-lakes | |
2018 Burt Lake Watershed Management Plan | Burt Lake, Burt Lake Additional Docs, Burt Lake Watershed, Crooked Lake, Douglas Lake, EGLE/EPA Approved Watershed Management Plans, Huffman Lake, Lancaster Lake, Larks Lake, Mud Lake, Munro Lake, Pickerel Lake, Round Lake, Spring Lake, Thumb Lake, Wildwood Lake | burt burt-lake-additional-docs burt-lake-watershed crooked-lake douglas-lake watershed-plan-approved huffman-lake lancaster-lake larks-lake mud-lake munro-lake pickerel-lake round-lake spring-lake thumb-lake wildwood-lake inland-lakes watersheds | |
2010 Small Gem Lakes Profile | Bass Lake, Birch Lake, Deer Lake, Huffman Lake, Larks Lake, Long Lake, Marion Lake, Nowland Lake, Silver Lake, Susan Lake, Thumb Lake, Twin Lake, Wildwood Lake | bass-lake birch-lake deer-lake huffman-lake larks-lake long-lake marion-lake nowland-lake silver-lake susan-lake thumb-lake twin-lake wildwood-lake inland-lakes |
Welcome to the 2022 Shoreline Survey of Larks Lake. First, find your unique ID on the upper right corner of the shoreline survey letter mailed to your property. Next, enter your unique ID in the box on the left under “Unique ID number–Type in your unique ID.”
Tip of the Mitt Watershed Council conducted a 2022 Shoreline Survey of Larks Lake with funding from the Larks Lake Association. The Watershed Council circumnavigated the entire Larks Lake shoreline on kayaks to document signs of nutrient pollution (algal growth), habitat loss, and shoreline erosion.