How Newburgh Lake Has Changed

• Contaminated sediments have been removed.
• The impoundment has been deepened to improve recreational opportunities.
• Contaminated fish have been eliminated and new, more desirable fish will be planted over the next three years to establish a high quality, recreational game fish population.
• Spawning beds have been established by the placement of gravel to encourage natural reproduction of stocked fish and to minimize habitat which encourages carp and sucker reproduction.
• Establishment of a diverse wetland plant ecosystem at key locations along the shoreline and in other shallow water zones.  This will assist in the development of stocked fish and increase overall productivity and ecological diversity of the lake.  As these plants become established, a wider variety of terrestrial, avian, and aquatic animals will find food and shelter in and around them.
• The appearance and ecology of Newburgh Lake during the first and second years after dredging will be significantly different than the long-term ecology.  The following is a summary of what may be expected to occur:

Year 1 - 1999

• The water is likely to become turbid during refilling and remain turbid until ice cover is established.
• Increased growth and establishment of planted wetlands.
• The beginning signs of both aquatic and emergent plants from existing seeds sources.  These plants will be most visible in shallow water areas.  Areas over 6' to 8' are likely to remain as open water due to limited light penetration.
• Fish stocks should increase in size and weight by approximately 30%.
• Some fish spawning will occur in the first spring to provide increased fish numbers.
• Carp will have entered the impoundment from upstream of Wilcox Dam.
• There is likely to be a large number of frogs and insects produced until fish numbers increase sufficiently to reduce them.  This could attract a large number of birds such as herons and swallows that feed on frogs and insects.
• There is a very strong likelihood that there will be significant visible floating algae blooms during the summer.  This will continue until there are sufficient wetland and aquatic plants to uptake the available nutrients and there are sufficient numbers of fish to consume both phyto and zooplankton.   These algae blooms may appear and disappear several times during the summer.
• Some of the drowned terrestrial vegetation may become detached and float to the surface causing temporary wind rows along the shoreline.   (This drowned vegetation is a key source of food for the stocked fish and should not be removed prior to refilling the impoundment.)
• Newburgh Lake will be stocked with:
  - 50 gallons of fathead minnows
  - 10,000 blue gills
  - 4,000 largemouth bass
  - 3,000 catfish
  - 1,000 walleye
• Nankin Lake will be stocked with:
  - 5 gallons of fathead minnows
  - 1,000 blue gills
  - 200 largemouth bass
  - 100 catfish

Year 2 - 2000

• Water clarity should improve.
• Some of the stocked fish will have increased to catchable size, in particular, the blue gills.  (PCB testing will need to be completed before the fish advisory can be lifted.)
• As wetlands and aquatic plants establish, water clarity will improve pending the carp populations remain low and sediment from upstream sources is controlled.
• Algae blooms should become less frequent and smaller, depending on nutrient loading, summer temperature, and re-establishment of aquatic and werland plants.
• Turtles, frogs, and other amphibians should begin to establish permanent normal and stable populations.
• Newburgh Lake will be stocked with an additional:
  - 50 gallons of fathead minnows
  - 10,000 blue gills
  - 4,000 largemouth bass
  - 3,000 catfish
  - 4,000 northern pike
  - 300 crappie
  - 100 pumpkin seed sunfish
• Nankin Lake will be stocked with an additional:
  - 200 largemouth bass
  - 50 northern pike

Year 3 - 2001

• Water clarity will probably be as good as it will get.   (Until upstream control measures are enacted.)
• Newburgh Lake will be stocked with an additional:
  - 3,000 catfish
  - 2,000 northern pike
  

Newburgh Lake Photo Library

Please address all comments and suggestions about the contents of this Web page to rougeweb@co.wayne.mi.us.

The Rouge River National Wet Weather Demonstration Project is funded, in part, by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Grants #XP995743-01, -02, -03, -04, -05, -06, -08 and C-264000-01.