DEQ grants improve water quality throughout state

Agency: Environmental Quality

For More Information                                Mike Alexander, 517-335-4189, alexanderm2@michigan.gov

                                                                  Brad Wurfel, 517-373-7917, wurfelb@michigan.gov 

DEQ grants improve water quality throughout state

The DEQ today awarded $250,000 in grants today that will help seven recipients around the state with projects to improve surface water quality.

Water Quality Monitoring Grants help universities, local governments and nonprofit organizations to monitor the quality of Michigan's waters. The following recipients were awarded support today.

• Western Michigan University was awarded $54,400 to evaluate the effectiveness of efforts to reduce phosphorus inputs to Kalamazoo County's Arcadia Creek. Several storm water and stream bank best management practices have been implemented in the past decade to reduce phosphorus inputs to the creek.
• Saginaw Valley State University was awarded $26,185 to explore why portions of the north branch of the Kawkawlin River do not meet Michigan Water Quality Standards for dissolved oxygen.  Understanding the cause(s) of the low dissolved oxygen may allow for corrective actions in the future.
• The Tip of the Mitt Watershed Council was awarded $30,000 to monitor water quality and sediment inputs to Lake Charlevoix from its tributaries.  The results of this comprehensive monitoring will help guide future efforts to reduce excessive nutrient and sediment inputs.
• Trout Unlimited National was awarded $30,000 for a pre-monitoring program in the Rogue River watershed. The data will provide future restoration projects with baseline information to determine the effectiveness of their efforts.
• The Ingham Conservation District was awarded $24,731 to conduct E. coli and sediment monitoring in the Red Cedar River, to evaluate current water quality conditions as well as identify potential sources of contamination.
• The Barry Conservation District was awarded $24,533 to perform E. coli monitoring of the Thornapple River and its tributaries. The monitoring will determine if elevated levels are present in the watershed, and if found will attempt to determine the probable E. coli sources.
• The Chippewa County Health Department was awarded $60,151 to conduct E. coli source tracking for Waiska Bay. The study will determine the source of the E. coli responsible for beach closings and advisories at Brimley State Park. 

Funding for these grants is made available through the Clean Michigan Initiative-Clean Water Fund. To learn more about or apply for water quality grants, go to michigan.gov/deq/0,4561,7-135-3313_3686_3728-87366--,00.html or contact Mike Alexander, Water Resources Division, DEQ, at 517-335-4189 or alexanderm2@michigan.gov.

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