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Surface Water Workgroup

An EGLE staff person waist-deep in a stream with equipment on their back for eFishing

Surface Water Workgroup

Mission

 

To collect surface water and fish tissue samples to determine the need for fish consumption advisories, locate sources of PFAS contamination, and determine if source mitigation reduces PFAS levels in Michigan’s watersheds.

 

The Surface Water Workgroup consists of representatives from the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy’s (EGLE), Remediation and Redevelopment Division (RRD) and Water Resources Division (WRD) and representatives from Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS), Michigan Department of Natural Resource (MDNR), Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD), and the Michigan Department of Military and Veterans Affairs (MDVMA). 

Major accomplishments

2025

Surface water PFAS monitoring was conducted in Little Bay de Noc, St. Clair River, Boardman and Charlevoix Rivers, Betsie and Platte Rivers, Muskegon River, Grand River, River Raisin, and Thunder Bay River Watersheds. Across these eight watersheds, 702 surface water samples were collected for PFAS analysis. Across the state, 1,973 fish tissue samples, comprising 31 species of fish, were collected from 119 locations to examine PFAS in 68 water bodies. EGLE staff finished a new report assessing the impact of contaminants of mutual concern in Lake Huron, which evaluated persistent chemicals in prey fish consumed by the fish-eating birds of Michigan (EGLE Report # MI/EGLE/WRD-25/023).

2024

Surface water PFAS monitoring was conducted in the Clinton River, Huron River, Manistee River, Pere-Marquette and White Rivers, Flint River, and Grand River Watersheds. Across these six watersheds, 299 surface water samples were collected for PFAS analysis. The Fish Contaminant Monitoring Program collected 1,385 fish samples, from 32 species of fish, from 85 locations to examine PFAS in 63 water bodies.

  • Major accomplishments prior to 2024

    2023

    Surface water PFAS monitoring conducted in several watersheds: Lake St. Clair Shoreline, the Grand, Menominee, Pine, Red Cedar, and Tittabawassee Rivers. Derived human health surface water quality values for PFNA and PFHxS. A POCIS passive sampler study was conducted in Grass Lake. In fiscal year 2023, EGLE collected 504 samples from Michigan surface waters and 1,772 fish samples for PFAS analysis.

    2022

    Surface water PFAS monitoring conducted in several watersheds: Pere Marquette-White, Tahquamenon, Two-Hearted, Au Sable, Black River, Muskegon, and the Grand Rivers. POCIS study was conducted in Plaster Creek of the Grand River watershed. Derived human health/aquatic life surface water quality values for PFBS and updated the human health surface water quality value for PFOA. In fiscal year 2022, EGLE collected 523 samples from Michigan surface waters and 960 fish samples for PFAS analysis.

    2021

    Surface water PFAS monitoring conducted in the several watersheds: Keweenaw Waterway, Clinton, Shiawassee, Saginaw, Black (Gogebic County), Grand, Munuscong, Paw Paw, Macatawa, Rouge, Escanaba, Flint, Salmon-Trout, Sturgeon, Misery, Chocolay, and Tobacco Rivers. POCIS study was conducted in the Flint River. In fiscal year 2021, EGLE collected 723 samples from Michigan surface waters and 947 fish samples for PFAS analysis.

    2020

    Surface water PFAS monitoring surveys conducted in the Pigeon River, Shiawassee River, Mona Lake, Ecorse River, Frank and Poet Drain, Bear River (Pellston), Huron River, Portage Creek (Kalamazoo), and the Burt Lake watersheds. POCIS study was conducted in the Huron River. In fiscal year 2020, EGLE collected 617 samples from Michigan surface waters and 763 fish samples for PFAS analysis.

    2019

    Intensive surface water PFAS monitoring surveys were conducted in the Black (St. Clair County), Saginaw, Grand, and Thornapple Rivers watersheds, and additional sampling was conducted in 18 other watersheds. Statewide monitoring of PFAS concentrations at randomly selected locations began. In fiscal year 2019, EGLE collected 626 samples from Michigan surface waters and 911 fish samples for PFAS analysis. An approach for citizens and EGLE staff to report foam complaints electronically was developed (MiWaters Spill/Incident/Pollution form) to help guide future monitoring decisions. PFAS in lake ice collected from Van Etten Lake in 2019 and 2020 was investigated for PFAS after citizen complaints.

    2018

    Intensive surface water PFAS monitoring surveys were conducted in the River Raisin, Huron River, Kalamazoo River, Rogue River, and St. Joseph River watersheds, and additional sampling was conducted in 6 other watersheds. In fiscal year 2018, EGLE collected 232 samples from Michigan surface waters and 773 fish samples for PFAS analysis.

    2017

    Surface water PFAS monitoring continued in the Flint watershed, began in the Clinton River watershed, and additional sampling was conducted in 6 other watersheds. In fiscal year 2017, EGLE collected 40 samples from Michigan surface waters and 189 fish samples for PFAS analysis.

    2016

    Conducted an initial survey of PFAS in the Flint River watershed.

    2014

    Derived human health/aquatic life surface water quality values for PFOS.

    2012/2013

    Conducted initial statewide PFAS reconnaissance survey.

    2011

    Derived human health/aquatic life surface water quality values for PFOA.

MPART PFAS geographic information system preview

MPART PFAS Geographic Information System

PFAS surface water sampling and fish contaminant monitoring program results are available as datasets as part of the MPART GIS interactive map

A collage of staff posing with fish they caught, which will be tested for pfas Left to right: EGLE staff in the fish collection vessel; EGLE staff holding a large fish for sampling; EGLE staff collecting surface water sample with a pipette; fish laying out on a table for measurements before processing

Next Steps

  • Assess whether data are available to calculate concentrations of additional PFAS in surface water that are protective of aquatic life and human health.
  • Monitor PFAS trends within surface water through deployments of POCIS passive samplers.
  • Continue to collect fish from water bodies across the state for PFAS and legacy contaminant analyses.
  • Determine and prioritize fish and surface water sampling locations for upcoming sampling seasons. 
  • Continue to assess improvements and/or year-to-year differences in PFAS concentrations at several locations using a combination of fish collection, surface water grab sampling, and passive sampling techniques. 
EGLE staff displaying fish from sampling Left to right: fish on ice as part of the fish sample collection process; EGLE staff holding a single fish during collection; EGLE staff holding two fish during collection process

Reports

EGLE staff holding various parts of the fish sampling process Left to right: EGLE staff holding a fish on a boat during the collection process; a closeup of a crawfish held in a hand; EGLE staff holding a large fish while out collecting; EGLE staff pipetting surface water into test tubes during a collection event

Research/Studies

  • Assess toxicity of PFAS-contaminated sediments to aquatic benthic macroinvertebrates.  Final Report: Per- and Poly-fluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) Whole Sediment Toxicity.  The primary objective of this study was to determine if PFAS within sediment are toxic to benthic macroinvertebrates (e.g., insects living near or within sediments).  Whole sediment samples were collected from six PFAS-impacted and reference sites for toxicological testing.  Mortality was not observed in any of the samples. Sublethal impacts (significant reductions in growth and biomass) were observed at a subset of the PFAS-impacted locations. However, toxicological effects were not dose dependent or consistent in severity and could not be attributed to PFAS.
  • Assess potential for PFAS contaminated sediments to act as a source of PFAS to the aquatic food web and sustain elevated fish tissue PFOS concentrations.  Final Report: Per- and Poly-fluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) in Sediment - Sediment as a Source of PFAS to the Food Web.  The primary objective of this study was to determine whether sediment acts as a source of PFAS to aquatic food webs.  Surface water, sediment, macroinvertebrates, and fish were analyzed from Kent Lake and an upstream reference lake (Proud Lake).  The distribution of individual PFAS compounds within sediment and biological tissues suggest that sediment can act as a source of PFAS to invertebrates, forage fish, and predator fish.
  • Assess potential impacts of Contaminants of Mutual Concern (includes PFAS) to fish eating birds of Lake Huron and Lake Superior. These studies are being conducted in collaboration with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and several University partners. 
  • Continue to assess trends in surface water PFAS concentrations and PFAS contamination in the aquatic food web using passive samplers such as POCIS. Water quality samplers are placed in surface waters for four weeks to allow contaminants in the water to accumulate onto the sampling device. 
     
a collage of staff posing with a cage used in caged fish studies Left to right: EGLE staff holds a cage to be prepped for a fish cage study; EGLE staff post with the fish cage before positioning; EGLE staff check the fish cage

Workgroup site lead

Kevin Cox, CoxK12@Michigan.gov