Environmental Services

Little Traverse Bay

Little Traverse Bay is the fourth largest bay of Lake Michigan. Little Traverse Bay.

Watershed includes Bay Harbor Lake (a flooded quarry adjacent to Lake Michigan), Bear River, Hay Marsh Creek, Spring Brook, Tannery Creek, and Five Mile Creek. Cities within the Little Traverse Bay are Charlevoix, Petoskey, and Harbor Springs.

LTBB citizens have been dependent on the bay historically and presently. Historically, the bay was used for agriculture, potable water, transportation, hunting, ceremonial/cultural use, trapping, and fishing purposes. The bay has served as a site for purposes such as a water to be crossed in the Annual Jiimaan celebration acknowledging our ancestor’s migratory routes, traditional weddings, and ceremonies. The shoreline of Little Traverse Bay was a common burial ground for Odawa People who have passed.

The State of Michigan stocked 20,000 Brown Trout in Little Traverse Bay during the reporting period. The Tribe stocked 89,819 lake herring over the same period in Harbor Springs and Petoskey. Other fish found in Little Traverse Bay include but are not limited to: salmon, rainbow trout, whitefish, lake trout, bass and perch

LTB1 is located just north of the Petoskey waterfront and LTB2 is located west of the Petoskey State Park.

Tribal Uses and Attainment

Little Traverse Bay does not have designated uses, however it will be assessed for PCR (May through October), SCR, PWS, TCC, IAL, WLS, CDW, NAV, COM, IND, AGR, TCC, SUB, and OTR.