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AWRI Reviews Annis Water Resources Institute

4-1-1998

Water Resources Review - Spring 1998 Vol 11 No 1Annis Water Resources Institute

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Recommended CitationAnnis Water Resources Institute, "Water Resources Review - Spring 1998 Vol 11 No 1" (1998). AWRI Reviews. Paper 34.http://scholarworks.gvsu.edu/awri_reviews/34

RES OUR C ES

•WATER

Grand Valley State University • A.B. Annis Water Resources Institute • Spring 1998 • Volume 11, Number 1

Results Of White Lake Project Will HelpEvaluate Clean-Up Options

In This Issue...

Teachers Gather In Muskegon For ADay Of Aquatic Education .. .Page 2

Geographic Information System ToBe Used In Deer-Auto CollisionStudy ... Page 2

The Blueprint Gets A Roadmap...Page 3

Outreach Program Connects BusinessAnd Industry . ..Page 4

WRI Assists Ottawa County WithSolid Waste Management Plan ... Page 4

Making Lake Michigan Great Tour ToHappen This Summer. ..Page 5

WRI To Analyze Sediment SamplesFrom Grand River For Contamination.. .Page 6

Farmland Preservation. What Policy?.. .Page 6

Researchers from the Robert B.Annis Water Resources Insti­tute, the Great Lakes Environ­

mental Research Laboratory of theNational Oceanic and AtmosphericAdministration (NOAA) , the Univer­sity of Florida, and the University ofMichigan recently completed aninvestigation of sediment contamina­tion in White Lake (Muskegon Coun­ty). The project was funded by theU.S . EPA's Great Lakes National pro­gram Office and NOAA.

The International Joint Commissiondesignated White Lake an Area ofConcern (AOe) in 1985 because ofhistorical discharges of heavy metals

and organic chemicals . A tannerylocated on the southeastern shore dis­charged waste materials containingchromium, mercury, arsenic, and ani­mal hides into the lake. By using acombination of chemistry, stratigra­phy, toxicological evaluation, benthicmacroinvertebrate analysis, andradiodating, the project defined theecological effects and the nature andextent of sediment contamination inthe Tannery Bay area of easternWhite Lake .

The concentration of chromium inuncontaminated areas of White Lakeranged from 10-30 mg/kg . In con-

continued on page 3

Groundwater Education In MichiganProgram Continues ... Page 7

Research Associate From ChinaWorks With WRI To Examine NewWastewater Treatment Process .. .Page 7

And The Creek Goes On.. .Page 8

Gypsy Moth Suppression ProgramEnters Fourth Year... Page 8

Rain, Rain, Go Away.. .Page 9

WRI Addresses York Creek WatershedDegradation .. .Page 10

Outreach Education Program 1997Season Highlights . . .Page II

@Printed on recycled paper with soy inkU.S. EPA and GVSU researchers collect sediment samples using the EPA's RNMUDPUPPY.

Teachers Gather In Muskegon For A Day Of Aquatic Education

Geographic Information System To BeUsed In Deer-Auto Collision Study

Cool!," "neat" were some of thecomments when teachers per­formed a series of hands-on

lake stratification experiments at aWRI teacher workshop in February.The workshop was part of the Build­ing a Learning Community throughAquatic Education professionaldevelopment series -a year-longeffort funded by the MichiganDepartment of Education Dwight D.Eisenhower Higher Education Profes­sional Development Grant Program.

Over 70 teachers and GSVU teachercandidates convened at the MuskegonCounty Museum for a full day ofactivities. It was the first time thatthe users of the D.J. ANGUS andWG. JACKSON vessels were able tomeet as a group to network and shareideas.

As keynote speaker, Dr. Ronald Wardprovided a holistic framework forintegrating Great Lakes informationinto the curriculum. A lively hands­on science break-out session includ­ed water experiments during whichvessel instructor Gus Unseld assem­bled activities to illustrate lake strati­fication in dramatic ways. Themorning concluded with discussionson meeting state educational stan­dards through aquatic education.Teachers were introduced to the stan­dards alignment document preparedespecially for vessel trips. Vesselinstructor Bonnie Cowles shared herspecial expertise for curriculumissues at the elementary level.

During the lunch-time informationsharing session, Dr. Martin Hether­ington of the Michigan State Univer­sity Museum provided an update onthe GLOBE project. Schools in theGLOBE project all over the world

collect environmental data and shareit on the Internet.

Afternoon break-out sessions withWRI staff included dissolved oxygenwith Dr. Ron Ward and Ron Dykstra,advanced instrumentation with Dr.Rick Rediske, and plankton withRoger Tharp. The presentation ofKaren Lagerberg of Michigan SeaGrant answered many of theteacher's questions about exoticspecies and peaked their interest inteaching that topic.

The group assembled for a final ses­sion on using data from the vessels inthe classroom. Each teacher receiveda notebook of materials and a com­puter disk with 1997 water qualitydata from the D.J. ANGUS and theWG. JACKSON. A vessel home page

I n 1996, the state of Michigan hadthe dubious distinction of beingthe nation 's leader in deer-automo­

bile collisions with 68,233 reportedstatewide. Kent County led the statewith 2,223 deer-car accidents for thisperiod - part of an alarming upswingof 12,000 accidents throughoutMichigan since 1994.

White Water Associates, Inc., an eco­logical consulting firm, has beenawarded $50,000 from the MichiganState Police Office of Highway Safetyand Planning to fund the pilot study.In collaboration with White WaterAssociates, Inc., WRI Research Asso­ciate Kurt Thompson will develop thenecessary GIS data layers for the sub­ject area.

where teachers can acces s the vesselguide on-line and link to a multitudeof water-related Internet sites will beavailable soon.

The project will next focu s on inter­est areas such as stream monitoring,curriculum development, and "prac­tice cruises." Also, GVSU instru ctorswill be going to classrooms for pre­trip orientations.

In the fall, the teachers will be invit­ed for a post-season gathering toshare activities and projects their stu­dents were able to do related to waterthemes. WRI plans to continue thisseries of development opportunitiesnext year. For more information onthe aquatic education project, contactJanet Vail, 616/895-3048 orvailj @gvsu .edu.

Accident information from the Michi­gan Accident Location Index (MALI)for the years 1992-96 will be assem­bled into a GIS data layer so that it iscompatible with county informationof land use and cover, hydrology, andsurface transportation routes. The pro­ject researchers will use this data tolocate areas with high concentrationsof deer-car accidents and then testvarious methods designed to alleviatethe frequency of their occurrence.

For more information, contact KurtThompson at 616/895-3091 or atthompsok@gvsu.edu.

The Blueprint Gets A Roadmap

On April 7, 1994 west Michi­gan received the Metropoli­tan Development Blueprint

prepared by the Grand Valley MetroCouncil. This report, which took 18months to prepare, reflects a commu­nity-based desire to protect ourstrong economy, enhance our socialdiversity, and maintain our high qual­ity natural environment through man­aging future urban growth.

With input from more than a hundredcitizens, planners, and consultants,the Blueprint defines the need fortools and techniques that curb waste­ful use of land and thus limit theimpacts of urban sprawl.

Several things have happened sincethe Blueprint was first unveiled.Metro Council has organized a com­mittee to provide guidance in imple­menting the Blueprint. Organiza-

tions, such as the City/TownshipCooperation Committee, the NorthKent Townships Association, and theGreenways Council, have formed toencourage input from the communityand from local officials. WRI andMetro Council have hosted four con­secutive Growing Community Con­ferences with plans for a fifth at theAmway Grand Plaza on June 11th,1998. And, the Environment andDevelopment Committee of theGreater Grand Rapids Home BuildersAssociation has created a"Roadmap," which details the stepsnecessary to implement the Blueprint.

WRI and other community-basedorganizations have joined MetroCouncil in finding support for theRoadmap. The first major contribu­tion toward this cause came from theFrey Foundation in a $102,000 grantto Metro Council and WRI. The Frey

Foundation grant makes it possible tohire Myron Orfield, Minnesota staterepresentative and author of the booktitled, Metro Politics, A RegionalAgenda for Community and Stability.Orfield will conduct a Regional Dis­parities Study for the Grand Rapidsarea. WRI will incorporate the geo­graphic analysis prepared by Orfieldin its already extensive informationsystem prepared on behalf of MetroCouncil and its members.

For more information on the Blue­print or the Roadmap, contact JohnKoches at 616/895-3792 or atkochesj@gvsu.edu.

White Lake Project continued from front

trast, chromium concentrations in theLake's Tannery Bay ranged from2,000-4,000 mglkg. In White Lakeproper, researchers detected levelsexceeding 500 mglkg with a level837 mglkg found over 1.5 miles fromthe discharge area. The laboratorytoxicity evaluation of the TanneryBay surface sediments found six ofeight locations to be toxic toamphipods and two of eight locationsto be toxic to midges. Populations ofmidges that feed on detritus wereless abundant in Tannery Bay than inWhite Lake proper.

Chromium stratigraphy in the Tan­nery Bay region indicated that thetop 15-20 em of sediment were less

contaminated (2,000-4,000 mg/kg)than sediment located below 30 em(>5,000 mglkg). Radionuclideresults suggested that this surfacesediment layer was well mixed, how­ever, distinct from the deeper morehighly contaminated sediments.

The surface layer was followed by aregion (30-80 em) that containedchromium levels in excess of 20,000mg/kg. The lack of a decreasing gra­dient of chromium concentration inthe near surface zone sediments (0­20 em) suggested that the processesof mixing and resuspension continueto be active in Tannery Bay.

The Michigan Department of Environ­mental Quality (MDEQ) and the U.S.EPA will use the results of the projectto evaluate remediation options for thecontaminated sediment.

Copies of the report entitled Prelimi­nary Investigation Of The Extent AndEffects Of Sediment Contamination InWhite Lake Near The WhitehallLeather Tannery are currently avail­able and work is underway to make itavailable on the world wide web viaNOAA's web site .

For more information on the WhiteLake Project, contact Rick Rediskeat 616/895-3047 or atredisker@gvsu.edu.

Outreach Program Connects With Business And Industry

WRI Assists Ottawa CountyWith Solid Waste Management Plan

The Robert B. Annis Water Resources Institute (WRI) recent­ly entered into an agreement to assist Westshore Engineer­ing & Surveying, Inc. of Muskegon to update Ottawa Coun­

ty's Solid Waste Management Plan.

WRI will use its Geographic Information Systems (GIS) to accessup-to-date information on land use, demographics, and naturalresource information. The GIS will also provide creative tools fordata management such as map products. Contact Rod Denning at616/895-3793 or at denningr@gvsu.edu for more information.

The updated solid waste management system will consist of acomprehensive approach to managing Ottawa County's solidwastes and recoverable materials. The plan will describe solidwaste generators, transfer systems, and disposal areas and willcontain a program for resource conservation and recovery. Eachmajor step in updating the plan will require input from OttawaCounty and local officials and the general public.

For more inform ation on WR I' s out­reach program contact Janet Vail at616/895 -3048 or at vailj @gvsu.edu.

Pollution Prevention Programs, willresult in a report complete with casestudies based on on-site interviewswith a broad array of companies.Keith Fry of the Retired EngineersTechnical Assistance Foundationmanaged the on-site interview por­tion of the project. Preliminaryresults have been shared at the 4thAnnual Hazardous Waste Update inGrand Rapids, the Great LakesRegion al Pollution PreventionRoundtable in Chicago, and the Pol­lution Prevention Technical Assis­tance Gro up (TAG) organizationalmeeting in Lansing. A future issueof the Review will highlight the out­comes of this project.Progress contin ues on the Office of

Great Lakes Michigan Great LakesProtection Fund pollution preventiongrant. The project, OrganizationalFactors Associated with Successful

ics of computers and environmentalmanagement were well received bythe participants.

WRI's connection with A&WMAgoes beyond the local Chapter. WRIResearch Associate Janet Vail servesas an A&WMA education committeechair and works with A&WMA onthe teacher guides for air quality andfor nonpoint pollution. As part of herduties, she hosted John Thorner,Executive Director of the Internation­al Air and Waste Management Asso­ciation, on a visit to WRI and theGVSU campuses in January.

For the 4th Annual Hazardous WasteConference , WRI partnered with theWest Michig an Chapter of the Air &Waste Management Associati on(WM A&WMA) and the GrandRapids District Office of the Michi­gan Department of EnvironmentalQuality . This conference drew over120 participants to a half day eventat GVSU Eberhard Center. DaleDeKraker, a GVSU alumnus, was thekeynote speaker. This popular serieshelps to educate business and indus­try in proper management of haz­ardous waste. The EnvironmentalAssistance Division of the Depart­ment of Environmental Quality pro­vided pollution prevention informa­tion for the conference.

WRI was involved in the planning ofthe annual Spring Conference forWM A&WMA. John Byl of Warner,Norcross & Judd served as chair forthe conference which was held atGVSU Eberhard Center. Timely top-

WRI helped to plan a communityforum to discuss environmental priori­ties in Muskegon County. This eventwas co-sponsored by the Commun ityFoundation for Muskegon County,WRI, Muskegon Economic GrowthAlliance (MEGA) , Muskegon Conser­vation District, and the Lake Michi­gan Federation. As a forum panelist ,Janet Vail, Outreach Program Manag­er, spoke about air quality issues.Numerous environmental organiza­tions had displays at the forum .

T he WRI outreach programimpacts not only studentsthrough the vessel program,

but also environmental professionalsthrough presentations, partnerships,and grant-supported research .

Making Lake Michigan GreatTour To Happen This Summer

As part of the Making Lake Michigan Great tour, Chuck Vanderlaan (left in photo

above) will provide information on water issues for participants. Tours onboard

the research and education vessell'Y.G. JACKSON have become a very effective

way to convey important water quality issues.

Summer of 1998 will be a mem­orable time as the WG. JACK­SON makes its way around

Lake Michigan to spread the wordabout the U.S. Environmental Protec­tion Agency 's (U.S. EPA) LakewideManagement Plan for Lake Michi­gan. Funded by a challenge grant bythe SC Johnson Wax Fund, the tourwill provide hands-on experience inwater issues for the public aboard theWG. JACKSON. Cruises for studentsand the public, open houses, andcommunity forums will be available.

The Making Lake Mich igan Greattour will include August visits toRacine, Milwaukee, and the southernshore of Lake Michigan with possi­ble ports of call in Chicago, Indiana,and west Michigan. The W G.JACKSON will leave Muskegon andhead north to Traverse City andPetoskey for a week-long tour. TheJackson will be part of Bay Day inTraverse City. The Petoskey-HarborSprin gs Area Community Foundationand the Community Found ation forMuskegon County are key supportersof this project.

Making Lake Michigan Great is aproject in conjuction with the LakeMichi gan Forum. The Forum wasorganized to provide input frombroad interests around Lake Michi­gan into the development of the U.S.EPA Lakewide Management Plan. Adiverse stakeholder group, the Forumis comprised of representatives fromacademia, government, business,industry, and others. Grand ValleyState Univer sity Robert B. Anni s

Water Resources Institute (GVSU­WRI) is repre sented on the Forum byJanet Vail, GVSU-WRI ResearchAssociate who serves as co-chai r.The Forum's home page can beaccessed athttp://www.epa.gov/glnpollmf/

During the tour, researchers willunveil highlights from the LakeMichigan Mass Balance Study aswell as the Lake Michi gan Explorerinteractive software, available for thegeneral public. Relea se of scientificdata from the Lake Michigan MassBalance Study began in 1997. Thesedata will provide a wealth of infor­mation on how contaminants enter,

remain, or leave the Lake MichiganBasin. The information, if presentedproperly, could have a major effecton policymaking in the region withrespect to water quality.

Increased awareness and understand­ing of Lake Michigan issues leadingto positive actions are the paramountgoals of the project. Ma king LakeMichigan Great will help involvemore citizens in the protection andmanagement of one of our nationaltreasures, Lake Michigan.

For more information about the tourthis summer, contac t Janet Vail at616/895-3048 or at vailj@ gvsu.edu.

Farmland Preservation. What Policy?

WRI To AnalyzeSediment SamplesFrom Grand RiverFor Contamination

The Robert B. Annis WaterResources Institute (WRI)received a grant to investi­

gate the nature and extent of sedi­ment contamination in the lowerGrand River.

Using the U.S. EPA's researchvessel RIV MUDPUPPY, scien­tists collected 25 core samples inOctober 1997 from sedimentdeposition areas in the lowerGrand River. WRI will analyzethe samples for heavy metals,PCB congeners and semivolatileorganics, selected pesticides, andphysical parameters. Based onthese results, WRI will select sixlocations for sediment toxicityevaluation .

For northern Kent CountyTownships, the question "Whatpolicy?" does not have a one ­

size-preserves-all-farmland answer.Northern Kent County is the focus ofthe R. B. Annis Water ResourcesInstitute's (WRI) Farmland Preserva­tion Project. The Project is centeredon the interests of northern KentCounty townships organized as theNorth Kent Townships Association(NKTA) .

WRI's Farmland Preservation Projectbegan with data collection, datadevelopment, and distribution of thedata. WRI is investigating the use ofthis data/information in the develop­ment of township policies to protectfarmland. Townships currently havevarying land use regulations to pro­tect farmland . Effective preservationpolicy development should reflect theoverall goals of towns hip citizensand decision makers.

Those involved in the NKTA willsoon know more about the opinionsof Kent County agricultural produc­ers, those most affected by farmlandpolicy. WRI has partnered with KentCounty Michigan State UniversityExtension to produce a surveyaddressing farmland preservationissues. Other partners involved inthe development of the surveyinclude Kent County farmers , town­ship officials, and the Michigan FarmBureau. The purpose of the survey isto discern the opinions of agriculturallandowners/operators on farmlandpreservation to provide feedback topolicymakers. The feedback fromthis survey will help to answer thequestion, "What polic y?"

For more information about the Pro­ject, contact Christy Klinge at (616 )895-2527 or at klingec@gvsu.edu.More details about the FarmlandPreservation Project can also befound on the internet athttp ://www.wri .gvsu.edu.

The project team for the investi­gation includes the followingWRI staff members:

• Dr. Richard R. Rediske, Prin­cipal Investigator

• Dr. Min Qi, PCB/PesticideResidue Analysis

• Jeff Cooper, Sediment Toxi­cology

Four GVS U undergraduate stu­dents are also participating in theinvestigation as research assis ­tants .

For more information on theGrand River sediment researchproject, contact Rick Rediske at6 I6/895-3047 or atredisker@gvsu .edu.

Groundwater Education In Michigan Program Continues

Research Associate From China WorksWith WRI To Examine New WastewaterTreatment Process

A s previously reported, theR.B. Annis Water ResourcesInstitute (WRI) has joined

five other Regional Centers andMichigan State University in a year­long celebration of the many accom­plishments resulting from the W.K.Kellogg Foundation's GroundwaterEducation in Michigan Program(GEM). The GEM Program, whichbegan in 1988, has enjoyed tremen ­dous success across the state and isoften heralded as a model for infor­mation dissemination.

While support from the W.K. Kel­logg Foundation for GEM-relatedactivities will soon come to a close,the impact felt by this program willremain for years to come. Not onlyhas the GEM Program been success­ful at educating local officials, policymakers, and the general public aboutgroundwater concerns, it has alsoelevated those concerns to a newlevel of awareness, and the processemp loyed has itself received a greatdeal of attention.

The complimentary strengths of eachRegional Center has enable all ofthose involved to contribute more tothe issue of groundwater protectionthan we ever could have on our own.WRI was able to substantially accel­erate the growth and development ofthe Geographic Information Systems,given support from Michigan StateUniversity and other GEM Centers .We learned from each other, andlearned as much from our mistakesas we did from our successes.

Many problems of statewide signifi­cance, such as the issue of land use,might benefit from the approachtaken during the GEM Program.Whether GEM Regional Centersexpand their focus to include landuse and urban growth managementremains to be seen. One thing is cer­tain, the information compiled and

An international collaboratedresearch project is currentlyunderway in the Robert B.

Annis Water Resources Institute(WRI) analytical laboratory. Thispast January, research associate TongZhang from the EnvironmentalEngineering Department in the EastChina University of Science andTechnology (ECUST) arrived atGVSU to study the effectiveness ofHorseradish peroxidase (HRP)enzym e in removing cholorophenalsfrom wastewater. Tong is workin gwith WRI research associate Dr. MinQi on the project.

Experimental results indicate that theHRP technique is a very promisingcandidate in the replacement of oldmethods. HRP catalyses the oxida­tion of phenols in wastewater byhydrogen peroxide resulting in theforma tion of water insoluble poly­mers which can be separated bycoagulation and sedimentation. Eventhough current methods (solventextraction, microbial degradation,and adsorption) are effective, theysuffer from high cost, incomplete­ness of purification, and formation ofhazardous byproducts.

the technological tools developedduring the GEM Program will con­tinue to support anyone interested inthe effective management of our nat­ural resources.

Contact Kurt Thompson at 616/895­3091 or at thompsok@gvsu.edu formore information.

Visiting Research Associate Tong Zhang

The research team is in the processof collecting more data . Chemistryundergraduate Sharon Wilson willpresent their preliminary results inthe GVSU Student Scholarship Day.

For more information, contact MinQi at 616/895-2731 or atqim@gvsu.edu.

And The Creek Goes On

Although federal grant moneysupporting the Bear CreekWatershed Project will end on

June 30, 1998, the Robert B. AnnisWater Resources Institute (WRI) andthe Michigan Department of Environ­mental Quality (MDEQ) hope that theproject will continue beyond that datethrough local efforts.

The watershed project began in late1992 when local residents becameincreasingly concerned about thegrowing quantities of sediment andfecal coliform bacteria in the creek.Five years later these types of non­point source pollution still threatenthe high water quality in Bear Creek.

Project efforts have focused on educa­tional activities for watershed resi­dents. The project has demonstratedsome very innovative approaches towater quality education including the

annual outdoor Waterfest at TownsendPark, the touring environmental the­atrical troupe known as the BearCreek Players, the video mini-docu­mentary Muddy Waters...Clear Choic­es, the Indicator newsletter, and a 24­hour automated telephone line calledthe Hydrologic Education Line forPartners (HELP).

Watershed project staff have also con­ducted a sampling of Best Manage­ment Practices (BMPs) including live­stock exclusion fencing, stream bankstabilization, and the construction of asedimentation pond to help reduce theimpact of nonpoint source pollution.

The protection and preservat ion ofnatural resources, open spaces, andrural character is a priority in CannonTownship. One of the benefits of theBear Creek Watershed Project hasbeen more public participation and

attention focused on additional envi­ronmental issues within the township.Cannon Township 's efforts to protecttheir environment have acted as amodel for other townships looking forways to safeguard their naturalresources .

Building on the enthusiasm and suc­cess of the techniques used in BearCreek, WRI staff hope to repeat theseapproaches in other watershed pro­jects. For more information about theBear Creek Watershed Project, con­tact Barbara Scott at 616/895-3789 orat scottb@gvsu.edu.

Gypsy Moth Suppression Program Enters Fourth Year

The WRI Information ServicesCente r will orice again be apart of Michigan 's gypsy moth

suppression program. Eight Michi ­gan counties - Kent, Jackson,Lenawee , Living ston , Mani stee,Newaygo , Osceola and Washtenaw-are currently contracting digitizingservices with the WRI InformationServices Cente r to enable aerial pes­ticide treatment of approximately20,000 infested acres. InformationServices Center technicians willreceive base maps from the county' sgypsy moth coordinators throughoutFebruary and March . These maps

delineate the gypsy moth infestationareas in each of the eight counties.The areas will then be digiti zed andconverted into geographically accu­rate spray blocks, using a geographicinformation system (GIS). Theresultant digital spray block files willthen be use by the aerial applicator'snavigational equipment to guide theaircraft directly to the infested areafor pesticide treatment.

The Michigan Department of Agri ­culture allows the counties to applyBacillus thuringiensis , a naturaloccurring soil bacteria, as a pesticide

to suppress the gypsy moth defo lia­tion. Aerial spraying of the partic i­pating counties usually takes placetoward the end of May, when thewarm spring weather induces thegypsy moth egg masses to hatch.

For more information on the GypsyMoth Suppression Program, contactKurt Thompson at 616/895-3091 orat thompsok@gvsu.edu.

Rain, Rain, Go Away

Stormwater - we seldom noticeit. Only when it floods ourstreet or basement do we give

it much thought. However, stormwa­ter has a huge impact on our arealakes and streams.

Because of the importance ofstormwater management, the RobertB. Annis Water Resources Institute(WRI) and project partner Fishbeck,Thompson, Carr & Huber recentlycompleted a report titled "Stormwa­ter Management Planning and PolicyRecommendations for Kent County,Michigan" and a companionbrochure for the general public "rain,rain, go away... A Summary Report."

"The social implications resulting from an increase in

impervious surface area over the years are far-reaching.

Impervious surface area devoted to car habitat - like parking

lots and roads - has grown by 50% since World War II. Each

person generates one-half acre of impervious area. For every

car manufactured, ten parking spaces are created."

Tom ScheuJer, Center for Watershed Protection

The documents were prepared for theMetropolitan Water and Sewer Plan­ning Agency - an organization ofthe Grand Valley Metropolitan Coun­cil , Kent County Drain Commission­er and the City of Grand Rapids.

The need for flood prevention andcontrol to protect existing buildingsand infrastructure has historicallydetermined stormwater managementpolicy. While this policy is surelyrelevant, officials should consider agoal-oriented, natural resource man­agement program that includes waterquality, recreation potential, aesthet­ics, and wildlife habitat issues. Man­aging stormwater on a watershedbasis will go a long way in helpingto expand the current stormwatermanagement focus.

The second part of the project beganwith the development of a Stormwa­ter Management Decision SupportSystem (DSS). WRI developed thesystem around the ArcView" geo­graphic information system to pro-

vide County officials and others witha tool specifically designed toenhance planning and decision-mak­ing processes. Included in the DSSare data layers that depict land useand cover conditions, watershedboundaries, impervious surfaces, anderodable soils .

The Kent County and Grand RapidsCommunity Development Depart­ments funded the project with anentitlement grant from the UnitedStates Department of Housing and

Urban Development, CommunityDevelopment Block Grant Program.

For more information about thereport and brochure, contact JohnKoches at 616/895-3792 or atkochesj @gvsu.edu.

For more information about theStormwater Management DSS con­tact Rod Denning at 616/895-3793 orat denningr@gvsu.edu.

WRI Addresses York Creek Watershed Degradation

WRI manages the York CreekWatershed Project througha partnership with Alpine

Township and the Michigan Depart­ment of Environmental Quality(MDEQ) . The York Creek watershedis situated around the intersection ofAlpine Avenue and Four Mile Road innorthwestern Kent County. Since theproject's inception in 1993, WRI staffhave identified stormwater runoff (i.e.rain or melted snow that is pipeddirectly to a local stream) as the majorcontributing factor to the demise ofYork Creek and its tributaries. TheYork Creek system housed a viablecoldwater trout population just tenyears ago. Today, only pollution-tol­erant fish inhabit its waters.

WRI staff and Project partners haveinitiated measures to address thedegradation of York Creek. Of great­est importance is the institution of aregional stormwater management sys­tem within the watershed boundaries.This system includes the installationand/or improvement of stormwaterdetention basins, plus the develop­ment of stormwater managementordinances for Alpine Township . Inaddition, WRI staff have developed aDecision Support System to assist thetownship in managing its residentialand commercial growth .

The York Creek Watershed Project'soriginal goal was the restoration ofthe stream 's historic coldwater troutfishery. WRI staff have since revisedproject goals to focus on controllingthe degradation of stream conditions.Given the continuing pace of urban­ization in the watershed, trout fisheryrestoration is a long-term goal.

The change from rural to urban landuse tends to dramatically affectcreeks and streams. Urban pollutantslike gasoline, oil, antifreeze, lawnfertilizers, septic effluent, and soileroded from construction sites allimpact stream conditions. These pol­lutants are often directly washed intostreams via stormwater sewers. Eachtime it rains, stormwater surges intonatural waterways, scouring bankswhile sweeping hazardous materialsoff parking lots and into the watercolumn. This scenario continues toplague York Creek and threatens thestream's future .

The headwaters of York Creek mayhold promise for stream improve­ments and protection. Land use inthe headwaters region has stayed rel­atively stable over the past five years ,remaining mostly agricultural andlarge-lot residential. In addition, thisstretch of York Creek is buffered bywell-vegetated banks that serve totrap sediment and other pollutantsfrom entering the stream.

Land development, however, is slatedto occur on a large scale in this part

The York Creek Watershed

Project continues to drive home

the point that proactive and

informed land use planning at

the local level is the best way to

insure the protection of our

natural resources.

of the watershed. WRI staff hope towork with Alpine Township officialsand local landowners to implementadmini strative and scientific methodsto protect this portion of York Creek.Protective measures might includespecial zoning practices, the installa­tion of in-stream habitat improve­ment structures, and the enhance­ment of native vegetation along thestreambanks.

The York Creek Watershed Projectcontinues to drive home the point thatproactive and informed land use plan­ning at the local level is the best wayto insure the protection of our naturalresources. Attempting to retrofitdamaged surface water systems istremendously difficult and enormous­ly expensive . Perhaps the challengesinherent to the York Creek WatershedProject will spur municipalities inother area watersheds to develop nat­ural resource agendas before their sit­uation becomes an emergency.

For more information on the YorkCreek Watershed, contact FrankWash at 616/895-3277 or atwashf@gvsu.edu.

Outreach Education Program 1997 Season Highlights

1997 marked the first full seasonfor the WG. JACKSON, whichserved more than 3,200 partici­

pants in 148 events. This popularitydid not, however, detract from that ofthe D.J. ANGUS, which hosted morethan 3,000 participants in 150 eventsduring 1997.

High points during the seasonincluded the WG. JACKSON's trip tothe Petoskey-Harbor Springs area,funded by the Petoskey-HarborSprings Area Community Founda­tion. Events held during the four-dayvisit included cruises and docksidetours for Petoskey and Littlefieldarea schools as well as a workshopfor teachers from Harbor Springs.

The visit ended with an open houseco-hosted by the Foundation.

1997 also marked the 30th annualvisit to Grand Valley by the D.J.ANGUS-Scientech EducationalFoundation, led by Foundation mem­ber Robert B. Annis. Eighteen Indi­anpolis Regional Science Fairawardees spent a weekend learningabout science onboard the D.J.ANGUS and in WRI's facilities . Uni­versity representatives presented Mr.Annis and the Foundation a Certifi ­cate of Recognition for their years ofsupporting science education andsponsoring WRI internships.

A new dimension for the WaterResources Outreach Education Pro-

Participants In The Program

gram was the assigning of two scienceinstructors to share duties on eachcruise. The instructors - retired K-12teachers - bring years of classroomexperience to the vessels. Two otherinnovations added include a computer­ized database of water quality obtainedfrom cruises and a new teacher's guide- both of which will soon be avail­able on the World Wide Web.

Planning for the 1998 season beganlast fall. The preliminary schedulespromise another busy season for bothvessels, their crews, and instructors.

For more information, call WRI at616/895-3749.

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