March 26, 2008

The Department of Environmental Quality, Department of Natural Resources, and the Partnership for the Saginaw Bay Watershed will be hosting a presentation on National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration research projects related to phosphorus inputs to Saginaw Bay on April 4, at 7:00 pm at the Bay City State Recreation Area Visitors Center.

Dr. Juli Dyble, a Research Biologist with the NOAA Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory in Ann Arbor, will discuss a series of research projects related to phosphorus input to Saginaw Bay and the subsequent effects on water quality, the ecosystem, and human health. Updates on these projects will be presented along with the plans for upcoming sampling and research.

Dr. Dyble's presentation initiates a series of discussions that will occur over the next few months on phosphorus impacts on Saginaw Bay and approaches to reduce these impacts, a priority issue identified through the Saginaw Bay Coastal Initiative.

Details of the Saginaw Bay Coastal Initiative and additional information are available online at http://www.michigan.gov.deq
under "Issues to Watch."

Editor's note: DEQ news releases are available on the department's Internet home page at www.michigan.gov/deq.

"Protecting Michigan's Environment, Ensuring Michigan's Future"