Skegemog Lake
Watershed: Elk River Watershed
Primary Inflows: Torch River
Primary Outflows: Elk Lake/River
Surface Area: 2766 acres
Shoreline: 15 miles
Maximum Depth: 29 feet
Public Access Sites: 11
Description:
Skegemog Lake is situated between Torch Lake and Elk Lake. It was formerly known as Round Lake. It is connected to Elk Lake via a 1/4 mile-wide, seven-foot deep narrows (called the Skegemog Narrows). Elk and Skegemog Lakes are at the same elevation.
The majority of the shoreline of Skegemog Lake is undeveloped. Public access sites include two MDNR boat launches, several road endings, Grand Traverse Regional Land Conservancy preserves, and the parcels that comprise the Skegemog Natural Area.
The wetland on the lake’s eastern end and around the mouth of the Torch River (known as the Skegemog Swamp) is one of the largest in the region.
The nearshore bottom sediments of Skegemog Lake are primarily sand (70%) followed by a mixture of rocks, gravel and sand (29%), with the rest (mostly in the eastern end) being soft muck or marl. The eastern end of the lake is shallow, and submerged logs and stumps are present quite a way offshore in places. The logs and stumps are from trees that once grew in a lakeside conifer swamp which were inundated by impoundment from the Elk Rapids dam.
About half of the nearshore shallows are vegetated with muskgrass (or Chara), sago pondweed, and other species, with the remainder being mostly unvegetated. Because of Skegemog Lake’s fairly clear waters and shallow depth, aquatic plants grow throughout much of the lake. The only named tributaries are the Torch River, Desmond Creek, and Barker Creek.
Fish species identified during various DNR surveys include walleye, bullhead, rock bass, large- and smallmouth bass, white sucker, yellow perch, bluegill, brown and rainbow trout, bullhead, channel catfish, northern pike, longnose gar, muskellunge, cisco, pumpkinseed, and rosyface and golden shiners.
Primary Inflows: Torch River
Primary Outflows: Elk Lake/River
Surface Area: 2766 acres
Shoreline: 15 miles
Maximum Depth: 29 feet
Public Access Sites: 11
Description:
Skegemog Lake is situated between Torch Lake and Elk Lake. It was formerly known as Round Lake. It is connected to Elk Lake via a 1/4 mile-wide, seven-foot deep narrows (called the Skegemog Narrows). Elk and Skegemog Lakes are at the same elevation.
The majority of the shoreline of Skegemog Lake is undeveloped. Public access sites include two MDNR boat launches, several road endings, Grand Traverse Regional Land Conservancy preserves, and the parcels that comprise the Skegemog Natural Area.
The wetland on the lake’s eastern end and around the mouth of the Torch River (known as the Skegemog Swamp) is one of the largest in the region.
The nearshore bottom sediments of Skegemog Lake are primarily sand (70%) followed by a mixture of rocks, gravel and sand (29%), with the rest (mostly in the eastern end) being soft muck or marl. The eastern end of the lake is shallow, and submerged logs and stumps are present quite a way offshore in places. The logs and stumps are from trees that once grew in a lakeside conifer swamp which were inundated by impoundment from the Elk Rapids dam.
About half of the nearshore shallows are vegetated with muskgrass (or Chara), sago pondweed, and other species, with the remainder being mostly unvegetated. Because of Skegemog Lake’s fairly clear waters and shallow depth, aquatic plants grow throughout much of the lake. The only named tributaries are the Torch River, Desmond Creek, and Barker Creek.
Fish species identified during various DNR surveys include walleye, bullhead, rock bass, large- and smallmouth bass, white sucker, yellow perch, bluegill, brown and rainbow trout, bullhead, channel catfish, northern pike, longnose gar, muskellunge, cisco, pumpkinseed, and rosyface and golden shiners.
Known Aquatic Invasive Species:
Zebra mussels
Monitoring and Research:
Black Lake is monitored through the Watershed Council’s Comprehensive Water Quality Monitoring (CWQM) Program and Volunteer Lake Monitoring (VLM) Program.
The Elk River Chain of Lakes Watershed Plan Implementation Team meets regularly and is working to protect the lakes in the Chain.
Reports and Studies:
2017 Sandbar Pollution Study*
Elk-Skegemog Lakes Profile (2011)
Elk-Skegemog Lakes Profile (2008)
Elk River Chain of Lakes Profile (2010)
Grand Traverse Bay Watershed Protection Plan (2005)
Fish of the Elk River Chain of Lakes (2001)
Eurasian Watermilfoil Survey on Elk-Skegemog Lakes and Torch River (1999)
Cladophora Survey of Elk-Skegemog Lakes (1988)
* Studies not conducted by Tip of the Mitt Watershed Council.
Zebra mussels
Monitoring and Research:
Black Lake is monitored through the Watershed Council’s Comprehensive Water Quality Monitoring (CWQM) Program and Volunteer Lake Monitoring (VLM) Program.
The Elk River Chain of Lakes Watershed Plan Implementation Team meets regularly and is working to protect the lakes in the Chain.
Reports and Studies:
2017 Sandbar Pollution Study*
Elk-Skegemog Lakes Profile (2011)
Elk-Skegemog Lakes Profile (2008)
Elk River Chain of Lakes Profile (2010)
Grand Traverse Bay Watershed Protection Plan (2005)
Fish of the Elk River Chain of Lakes (2001)
Eurasian Watermilfoil Survey on Elk-Skegemog Lakes and Torch River (1999)
Cladophora Survey of Elk-Skegemog Lakes (1988)
* Studies not conducted by Tip of the Mitt Watershed Council.
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Elk Skegemog Lakes Association
The mission of the Elk Skegemog Lakes Association (ESLA) is to do all things and take such actions as may be necessary or desirable to protect and preserve the environment of the area of the Elk-Skegemog watershed, including connecting lakes, streams and wetlands. |
Additional Resources:
See additional resources on our Aquavist page.
A wide variety of maps for this area are available online at the Michigan Natural Features Inventory (MNFI) Data Resources page.
See additional resources on our Aquavist page.
A wide variety of maps for this area are available online at the Michigan Natural Features Inventory (MNFI) Data Resources page.
