Assessing local and landscape patterns of residential shoreline development in Michigan lakes

Abstract

We evaluated relationships between residential development intensity and littoral zone habitat and disturbance characteristics in 332 Michigan lakes 4 ha and larger. We also developed a landscape-based model to estimate lakeshore status in more than 6500 unsampled lakes. Residential development had strong negative effects on large woody debris and strong positive effects on shoreline armoring and docks at both local and whole-lake scales. Lakes having greater cumulative residential development showed greater littoral zone impacts at local scales. Littoral habitats were more heavily impacted in larger lakes and in lakes in southern Michigan. Results of our predictive modeling identified the following as important predictors of residential shoreline development: the amount of urban land use, public ownership, and wetlands in a 100 m buffer around a lake as well as distance to major population centers. Statewide estimates of shoreline development showed that in southern Michigan only 8% of lakes were undeveloped and that 23% had low and 69% had high development intensity. In contrast, 30% of northern Michigan lakes were undeveloped and 48% had low and only 22% had high development intensity. Land planning policy and lake management should consider cumulative effects of lakeshore development as well as the effects of region and lake type. Our study provides the basis for developing regional strategies to protect, restore, and manage lake ecosystems.