CHOCOLAY TOWNSHIP, MI-- The Department of Natural Resources is drawing down water levels at Lake LeVasseur in Chocolay Township next month.
Officials are taking the action to perform minor dam repair and to simulate naturally occurring low water levels. DNR biologist Brian Roell says the lower levels allow for the regeneration and increased diversity of plants and insects and improved wildlife habitat.
Water levels will remain low through next summer. Refilling will begin in late August with a return to normal levels by late September.
The DNR is also partnering with the Keweenaw Bay Indian Community to cultivate wild rice in Lake LeVasseur. The rice plants provide food for geese, swans, moose and muskrats, hiding places for waterfowl chicks, and nesting habitat for other birds and invertebrates.
