Environ Monit Assess DOI 10.1007/s10661-010-1381-z An environmental assessment of a small shallow lake (Little Black Lake, MI) threatened by urbanization Alan D. Steinman · Mary E. Ogdahl · Carl R. Ruetz III Received: 7 August 2009 / Accepted: 11 February 2010 © Springer Science+Business Media B.V. 2010 Abstract A limnological survey was conducted of Little Black Lake, MI, and its tributaries during summer 2007. This small, shallow lake is located in a rapidly developing area of west Michigan. As such, our analytical approach and recommen- dations can serve as a model for other similar systems threatened by urbanization. Soluble reac- tive phosphorus and nitrate concentrations in both the inflows to (during baseflow) and Little Black Lake itself were low (≤0.007 and ≤270 mg/L, respectively). Nutrient concentrations increased during stormflow conditions, although the mag- nitude of the increase depended on the nutrient and sampling location. Macrophyte growth was extensive throughout most parts of the lake, with Chara and Potamogeton spp. present in most sites; based on the coefficient of conservatism, plant composition was indicative of good water quality conditions. Chlorophyll a concentration averaged 1.7 μg/L in Little Black Lake, with cryptophytes and cyanobacteria being the most dominant mem- bers (by biovolume) of the phytoplankton com- munity. The fish community in Little Black Lake A. D. Steinman (B ) · M. E. Ogdahl · C. R. Ruetz III Annis Water Resources Institute, Grand Valley State University, 740 West Shoreline Drive, Muskegon, MI 49441, USA e-mail: steinmaa@gvsu.edu was dominated by bluegill (Lepomis macrochirus) and pumpkinseed (L. gibbosus), with no invasive species observed. Overall, abiotic and biotic con- ditions indicate that Little Black Lake is in good ecological health despite increasing pressures of urbanization in its watershed. To maintain this status, it is recommended that the local munici- palities develop a comprehensive watershed man- agement plan and implement best management practices to limit nonpoint source pollutant load- ing to Little Black Lake. Keywords Eutrophication · Michigan · Water quality · Fish · Macrophytes · Phytoplankton Introduction Land use change is one of the major environ- mental challenges with respect to maintaining or improving water quality. Urbanization is well known to change the hydrologic regime of streams (Paul and Meyer 2001; Allan 2004), as increased runoff from impervious surfaces and stormwater conveyance can increase the magnitude and fre- quency of storm flows. This, in turn, increases nu- trient, sediment, and pollutant transport, changes thermal regimes, erodes stream beds, and dis- places benthic organisms (Roy et al. 2005; Walsh et al. 2005; Chadwick et al. 2006; Brown et al. 2009). Lakes also can be affected by urbanization