Do Your Part to Protect Hutchins Lake
"A true conservationist is a man who knows that the world is not given by his fathers, but borrowed from his children.”
John James Audubon
Live in Harmony at the Water's Edge
“Michigan’s inland lakes support a wealth of plants and animals, many of which depend upon the nearshore and shoreline areas at some point during their lives. But according to the Environmental Protection Agency’s National Lakes Assessment, 40% of Michigan's inland lakes have poor lakeshore habitat. Learn more about the importance of healthy lakeshores and what you can do to protect and restore them for the benefit of the lakes you love.”
- Tip of the Mitt Watershed Council
Lake Friendly Landscaping
According to the National Lakes Assessment, loss of lakeshore habitat is the biggest threat to the overall health of Michigan’s inland lakes.
The Michigan Natural Shoreline Partnership states that natural vegetation helps keep a lake healthy by protecting the shoreline from erosion, providing homes, food, and refuge for fish and wildlife, and filtering pollutants from runoff.
These lake friendly landscaping tips add beauty to your property and protect the health of Hutchins Lake:
Maximize Vegetation on a Naturally Sloped Shoreline
Consider Lake Friendly Alternatives to Seawalls
Minimize the Use of Fertilizers, Pesticides, and Herbicides
Plant Native Vegetation on 75% or More of Your Property
Minimize Impervious Surfaces
Do Your Part. Be SepticSmart.
Keeping your septic system in good working order is one of the best things you can do to help maintain the quality of our lake water. Have your septic tank pumped out by a licensed operator every two or three years. For answers to septic system concerns, contact the Allegan County Health Department.
The SepticSmart program provides a wealth of online resources to facilitate an understanding on how to properly care for and use your septic system, how simple septic maintenance can save you money and protect your property value, and why maintaining your septic system can protect your family’s health and the environment.
SepticSmart Quick Tips
Watch this video to learn more on the importance of properly using and maintaining their septic system, such as how a septic system works, what not to put down the drain, the importance of getting your well water tested, and more.
Get Your Permits
Outdoor Burning
269-686-5222
Putting in a Permanent Dock
517-373-9244
Adding or Removing Soil to or from the Lake
269-673-5411
Constructing a Seawall
517-373-9244
All Building/Construction
800-626-5964
Observe No Wake Zones
In order to protect its fragile shoreline, the channel is a wake-free zone. Buoys by the public boat ramp mark the no wake zone for safety and to protect the shoreline. Thank you for your cooperation.
Explore More Conservation Resources
Explore 3rd party conservation, ecology, and government organizations.
Photo by Mark Bugnaski Photography
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© 2023 Hutchins Lake Improvement Association
