The study will be led by Al Steinman, director of Grand Valley's Annis Water Resources Institute, located in Muskegon. A team of scientists from AWRI spent the day aboard the Mucksucker, a pontoon research vessel, launched from the Montague Municipal Boat Launch to collect sediment cores from throughout White Lake, take water quality data and bring the sediment cores back to their labs for further study.
"Studies are currently underway in White Lake to look at the importance of external sources of phosphorus, but we do not know if internal sources of phosphorus, such as the sediments, are affecting water quality," said Steinman. "We've conducted previous studies on internal phosphorus loading in Mona Lake and Spring Lake, and found that the sediments were a major source of nutrients to the water column, and contributed to algal bloom formation. We need to know if a similar phenomenon is occurring in White Lake."
The sediment cores were placed in special tubes and transported to AWRI labs where they will be observed over the following three weeks. The amount of phosphorus that diffuses out will be measured and results will determine if further action should be recommended.
"I am happy that Grand Valley is able to help complete this very important study of one of our most cherished resources," said Rep. David Farhat, R-Fruitport. "Through their research, I am confident that the expertise Grand Valley brings to the table will yield results in determining the source of the nutrient loading. This effort would not have been possible without the hard work of GVSU President Mark Murray and Director Al Steinman. My special thanks go out to both of them."
