Monitoring Data Show Improvement in Area of Concern

Ann Arbor, MI — Past industrial activity on Muskegon Lake's shoreline earned it a place on the Area of Concern list. Now the lake is heavily used for sport and commercial fishing. Has the lake recovered from its past injuries?

To help answer this question, researchers at Grand Valley State University's Annis Water Resources Institute (AWRI) began monitoring ecological conditions in Muskegon Lake in 2003. The data they collected reveal a significant overall improvement in water quality over the last 30 years.

"We have seen dramatic declines in phosphorus and chlorophyll, and an increase in water transparency. These changes were probably brought on by wastewater diversion from the lake in the early 1970s," says Alan Steinman, AWRI director. "Muskegon Lake is still under pressure, though. Despite several successful restoration projects, the lake faces environmental challenges from invasive species, habitat loss, and contaminated sediments."

AWRI continues to monitor conditions in Muskegon Lake, with support from a community endowment fund and various Foundation grants. Their documentation of the lake's rehabilitation provides critical information for the AOC de-listing process.

Original Publication Information

Results of this study, "Current Status and Trends in Muskegon Lake, Michigan," are reported by Alan D. Steinman, Mary Ogdah, Richard Rediske, Carl R. Ruetz III, Bopaiah A. Biddanda and Lori Nemeth in the latest issue (Volume 34, No. 1, pp. 169-188) of the Journal of Great Lakes Research, published by the International Association for Great Lakes Research, 2008.

Contacts

For more information about the study, contact Alan Steinman, Annis Water Resources Institute, Grand Valley State University, Muskegon, MI 49441; steinmaa@gvsu.edu, (616) 331-3749.

For information about the Journal of Great Lakes Research, contact Marlene Evans, Editor, National Water Research Institute, 11 Innovation Boulevard, Saskatoon, SK, S7N 3H5, Canada; editor@iaglr.org; (608) 692-1076.

Links

Since 1967, IAGLR has served as the focal point for compiling and disseminating multidisciplinary knowledge on North America's Laurentian Great Lakes and other large lakes of the world and their watersheds. In part, IAGLR communicates this knowledge through publication of the Journal of Great Lakes Research, available to members in print and electronic form. A searchable archive of the journal is available online and includes the abstracts of articles from the journal's inception in 1975 through the most recent issue. In addition, complete articles are available to members who have signed up for an electronic subscription.