West MI Water Stewardship
Michiganders are blessed with the rewards and responsibilities of stewarding the largest unfrozen freshwater system on the planet. In the Social Science Lab, we assist area watershed and conservation organizations in their efforts to assess people's knowledge about threats to water quality, as well as their use of property management practices that protect our water resources.
This work employs undergraduate research assistants, providing hands-on training in data management and applied statistics for GVSU students from a variety of fields. These students make invaluable contributions to our work through lending their creativity, expertise, and elbow grease.
You can read more about our work below. For questions or copies of reports, please contact Amanda Buday at [email protected] or (616) 331-3137.
Social Science Lab surveys, 2020-2022.
Crockery Creek Speaks
Launched in Summer 2022, this survey gathered input from agricultural landowners and rural residents in the Crockery Creek watershed about their experiences living in the area, managing water on their properties, and documented concerns landowners have about local water quality. This study was conducted for the Ottawa Conservation District and will guide their technical and educational efforts as they administer a grant to support water quality best management practices in the watershed. We took a fun detour to work with the Ravenna HS FFA Rural Tech class. Review our project update by clicking on the watershed map at right.
Meet the Research Team
Amanda Buday (PhD) is Project Coordinator for the Social Science Lab and lives in Muskegon Co. with her husband, Luke, and their horses, Jerry, Van, and Patchy.
Sarah Bowman is the Watershed Technician for the Ottawa Conservation District.
Research Assistants include Rylie Dorman, Whitehall native, 2022 graduate of the GVSU Biology Dept., and project support specialist for Ottawa Co. Parks and Recreation; Alexis Phillips, Bulldogs class of 2019 and GVSU Exercise Science major; and Grant Winenger, 2019 graduate of Plainwell High School and GVSU Environmental Studies major.
My Muskegon Lake Survey
This project evaluates Muskegon residents’ uses of and relationship with Muskegon Lake through a survey of a random sample of residents in the City of Muskegon, Michigan. The purpose of this study is to learn about residents’ preferences for features at public access areas on the lake, assess residents’ perceptions of water quality and knowledge of current restoration efforts, and identify what keeps people from visiting Muskegon Lake or participating in shoreline stewardship activities.
My White Lake Survey
This Student Summer Scholars Project, conducted by Rylie Dorman (BS in Natural Resources Management) uses data from a survey of residents in the White Lake Area to understand how people’s relationship to a lake with an industrial legacy is affected by participation in the Great Lakes Area of Concern (AOC) restoration process. Following delisting of White Lake as an AOC in 2014, this study explores whether people’s relationship with their environment can recover after severe contamination.
Macatawa Watershed Residential/Agricultural Survey
This project evaluates knowledge and implementation of best management practices for improving water quality in the Macatawa Watershed through mail surveys of residents living in the watershed. The survey assesses stakeholder attitudes and knowledge about water quality, use of best management practices, and engagement with Project Clarity.
Pigeon River Watershed Resident Survey
This project assesses knowledge about water quality and sources of pollution among residents in the Pigeon River Watershed. The survey also evaluates use of best management practices for protecting water quality and interest in participating in future cost share programs offered by the Ottawa Conservation District.
