The Environmental Protection Agency, in cooperation with the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality, has awarded a $268,356 grant to Grand Valley State University's Robert B. Annis Water Resources Institute to begin work on the Muskegon River Watershed Project. The grant was matched with $86,423 from local sources for a total project budget of $354,779.
This grant will allow the Water Resources Institute to gather data, conduct analysis, initiate a program of public information and education, and create a watershed management plan for the Muskegon River Watershed, explains John Koches, senior program manager for GVSU's Water Resources Institute.
Partners in the project include the Community Foundation for Muskegon County, the Fremont Area Foundation, Conservation Districts within the Watershed, West Michigan Shoreline Regional Development Commission, and Westshore Consulting.
The project began June 1, 2000 and will run until May 31, 2002. The results from this planning phase will be used in an application for continued support of water quality study and improvement.
The Muskegon River Watershed contains significant sport fishery ranked among the best in Michigan. The fishery is worth an estimated $5 million a year.
We will establish the Muskegon River Watershed as an area of quality and in the process develop a plan of action that will insure its long-term health, says Koches.
The Robert B. Annis Water Resources Institute serves as a lead agency in researching water quality, watershed management, and related environmental concerns.
The Institute will participate in outreach to ensure that decision-makers from government, business, and industry are equipped with the best knowledge available and provide public education to a variety of audiences.
We are responsible for day to day project management and the comprehensive assessment of the Muskegon River Watershed, explains Koches.
The Annis Water Resources Institute has been involved in the development of several Watershed Management Plans including those prepared for Crockery Creek Watershed, Brooks Creek Watershed, Pigeon River Watershed, Pentwater River Watershed, York Creek Watershed, and the Bear Creek Watershed.
