Torch Lake -
Michigan's Longest Lake
Lets start with a little bit of Torch Lake history:
The name of the lake is not due to its shape, rather, is derived from translation from the Ojibwa name Was-wa-gon-ong meaning "Place of the Torches", referring to the practice of the local native American population who once used torches at night to attract fish for harvesting with spears and nets. For a time it was referred to by local European settlers as "Torch Light Lake", which eventually was shortened to its current name.
Now some info:
Torch Lake at 19 miles (31 km) long is Michigan's longest lake and at approximately 18,770 acres (76 km²) is Michigan's second largest lake. Within it are several townships including Torch Lake Township, Central Lake Township, Forest Home Township, Helena Township, and Milton Township and Clearwater Township in Kalkaska County. Several villages and hamlets lie along its shore, including Alden, Eastport, Clam River, and Torch Lake. The lake is about 17 miles (27 km) northeast of Traverse City and is separated by narrow strips of land from both Grand Traverse Bay on the northwest and Elk Lake at the southwest end . The lake is about two miles (3.2 km) wide and is centered at 44°59′00″N 85°18′30″W. It has a maximum depth of 285 feet (87 m)just off the east end of Campbell Rd. (Milton Twp.) and an average depth of 111 feet (34 m), making it Michigan's deepest inland lake. It is a popular lake for fishing, featuring lake trout, rock bass, yellow perch, smallmouth bass, muskellunge, Pike, ciscoes, brown trout, rainbow trout, and whitefish.
Now for the earth science Lesson:
Torch Lake is famous for it's sandbars!
Shoaling
When surface waves move towards shallow water, such as a beach, they slow down, their wave height increases and the distance between waves decreases. This behaviour is called shoaling, and the waves are said to shoal. The waves may or may not build to the point where they break, depending on how large they were with, and how steep the slope of the beach is. In particular, waves shoal as they pass over submerged sandbanks or reefs. This can be treacherous for boats and ships. It's good for surfers.
Shoaling can also diffract waves, so the waves change direction. For example, if waves pass over a sloping sandbank which is shallower at one end than the other, then the shoaling effect will result in the waves slowing more at the shallow end. Thus the wave fronts will refract, changing direction like light passing through a prism. Refraction also occurs as waves move towards a beach if the waves come in at an angle to the beach, or if the beach slopes more gradually at one end than the other.
Richness in nutrients of lakes...
Lakes can be also categorized on the basis of their richness in nutrients, which typically affect plant growth. Nutrient-poor lakes are said to be oligotrophic and are generally clear, having a low concentration of plant life. Mesotrophic lakes have good clarity and an average level of nutrients. Eutrophic lakes are enriched with nutrients, resulting in good plant growth and possible algal blooms. Hypertrophic lakes are bodies of water that have been excessively enriched with nutrients. These lakes typically have poor clarity and are subject to devastating algal blooms. Lakes typically reach this condition due to human activities, such as heavy use of fertilizers in the lake catchment area. Such lakes are of little use to humans and have a poor ecosystem due to decreased dissolved oxygen.
Logging Requirements :
1. Please Take a picture of you and your GPS at the posted coordinates. (optional)
2. Using the veiw of the lake from GZ and the info above about Shoaling answer this question: Do you think Shoaling occured in this lake? If so, Explain what evidence you have to back up you answer.
3. Using the info on Richness in nutrients in lakes and the veiw at GZ, Tell me what type on Lake is this. Oligotrophic, Mesotrophic, Eutrophic , or Hypertrophic?
4. Please send the answers for Questions 2 and 3 to me through my account page.
ENJOY!
