Protecting the Great Lakes: Non-point source pollution

by: jcherry

Fri Aug 08, 2008 at 10:06:19 AM EDT

Non-point source pollution is a major contributor to the sediment load that is annually deposited in the Great Lakes.  It can carry with it nutrients and pollutants that can drastically alter the ecosystem of the Lakes and its watersheds.  Elimination of non-point source pollution has been a major focus of the State's Soil Conservation Districts.  While the Districts work extensively with the agricultural community to instill good soil management practices, not all non-source pollution originates with agricultural activity.

Tuesday's stop in Christmas, Michigan was a case in point.  Christmas is the location of Kolbus Motor Sports Park-a racetrack for motocross competition.  The racing oval sits on a 27 acre site.  When the track was constructed, it was stripped of vegetation and top soil.  The spring melt-off collects in the depression of the oval and then ultimately drains off site into the headwaters of Gangeau Creek, then into Furnace Lake and finally Lake Superior.  Each spring the residents along the shore of Furnace Lake see their waters turn orange and a clear soil plume in Lake Superior is visible from the air.

I delivered a $50,000 check to the Alger Soil Conservation District as one of the installments on the $326,000 Clean Michigan Initiative Fund grant.  The grant and local match helped fund the remediation of the park.  Additionally, the District has received another $100,000 grant from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation Great Lakes Restoration Initiative.  The NFWF grant will assist the District in operating an Alger County Watershed Restoration Education Project.  Joining me for the check presentation was Senator Mike Prusi, Representative Steve Lindberg, Danita Rask, the Alger County Conservation District Executive Director, and Elizabeth Coyne, the District's Watershed Manager.

Since the remediation has been constructed, residents at Furnace Lake already report the end of the orange tinting of their waters.  The end of soil deposition in the wetlands adjacent to the park is also obvious.  These are the first signs of a healthier ecosystem.  Unfortunately, when you think of the thousands of sites in the State and region that still remain unaddressed, you can only imagine how enormous the challenge that lies ahead of us really is.  However, the source of optimism that gives us hope is the environmental consciousness that our Soil Conservation Districts are cultivating among our State's residents.  Thank you to the Alger County Soil Conservation District and so many others in the State who make our soil conservation efforts bear fruit.