Framework for classification of Michigan lakes

Statewide management of inland lakes is a daunting but necessary task.  For example, Michigan has over 10,000 inland lakes greater than 5 acres, and information about all of these lakes is needed to develop statewide wildlife action plans, assist with forest certification, design lake sampling programs, manage fish populations, and prioritize the protection, restoration and enhancement of fish habitat.  We developed a framework for classifying inland lakes that allows us to characterize all inland lakes using information from several spatial scales, ranging from local to landscape.  Our database of lake attributes includes information describing the lake (including in-lake data), the direct catchment, the catchment of tributaries, and lake position in the surface-water network.  For both direct and tributary catchments, which have been delineated for all inland lakes in the state, we have summarized information on climate, geology, land use and soil texture and permeability.  We have compiled in-lake information on lake area, shape, fetch, latitude/longitude, elevation, depth, chemistry, and fish.  For certain important variables, such as temperature, depth and water chemistry, we are developing models to estimate values for lakes without measured values.  We will show how this framework allows multiple lake classifications to be developed for a variety of lake assessment and management needs.