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Saginaw Bay Area

Saginaw River and Bay Area of Concern (AOC)

The Saginaw River and Bay AOC, located in the east central portion of Michigan’s Lower Peninsula, is a southwestern extension of Lake Huron. Contamination of this AOC includes industrial, municipal and stormwater discharges and agricultural runoff. This has led to the Saginaw River and Bay to be contaminated with dioxins, furans, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), heavy metals and excessive nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphorus.

Cover of the Eat Safe Fish GuideView the fish consumption guidelines for this waterbody in the Southeast Eat Safe Fish Guide.

Saginaw Bay is easy to access and has a high likelihood of catching fish, which designates it as a Family Friendly Fishing Waters location by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR).The rules and regulations for this waterbody can be found in the DNR Fishing Guide.

Additional Resources

Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS)

Eat Safe Fish from Areas of Concern (factsheet)

Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE)

Saginaw River and Bay Area of Concern

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

Saginaw River and Bay Area of Concern