Federal funds released for Michigan study

Nearly $350,000 from the 2005 federal transportation bill has been released to scientists at GVSU’s Robert B. Annis Water Resources Institute in Muskegon to help further work begun in earlier studies of toxic sediments.

Toxic sediments from industrial activities in the previous century are moving downstream from Muskegon County’s Little Black Creek into Mona Lake, which connects directly to Lake Michigan. The $346,800 appropriation will build upon AWRI studies that have determined that one of the major reasons for sediment movement is water run-off from the highly concentrated road network in this region.

“Although we know that stormwater run-off from the highly concentrated road network is resulting in environmental degradation in the creek basin, it is not known which areas are most responsible for these impacts and the degree to which the stormwater run-off is toxic,” said AWRI Director Al Steinman, principal investigator for the new study. “I am grateful to Rep. Hoekstra, who helped direct the funding for this project to AWRI.”

Water moves quickly off these impervious surfaces and enters either directly from surface run-off or collects first through storm drains and then enters Little Black Creek. The erosive force of this run-off scours the sediments from the streambed, transports them in the water column, and redeposits them further downstream.

"It is encouraging to see that the long-anticipated study has been
authorized to proceed," said U.S. Rep. Pete Hoekstra, R-Holland. "It will
help local authorities to better understand the role of the local road
network in transporting contaminants that contributed to an environmental
and human health risk in Little Black Creek."

Steinman said the new study includes eight major tasks that will determine the extent of environmental impairment caused by road-induced runoff, and the associated industrial activities in the basin, so that the appropriate restoration and remediation activities can be implemented.