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GVSU LAND USE GRANT PROJECTS

The grant projects listed here are currently being conducted, or have been completed, by Grand Valley State University faculty and/or staff. The projects relate to at least one of the ten programmatic thrusts identified on the home page of this website.

Influence of nonpoint source (NPS) pollution in the lower Muskegon River
Alan Steinman, Ph.D. (steinmaa@gvsu.edu)
Don Uzarski, Ph.D.
(uzarskid@gvsu.edu)
Bopi Biddanda, Ph.D.
(biddandb@gvsu.edu)
Funding: United States Department of Education, $198,000
Description: Nonpoint source (NPS) pollution currently is the largest source of water quality impairment in the United States. NPS pollution occurs when the water runs over land or through the ground and picks up diffuse pollutants (nutrients, road salt, sediments), which are then transported into rivers, lakes, and ground water. NPS pollution is widespread and associated with numerous activities, including agriculture, forestry, grazing, septic systems, recreational boating, urban runoff, and construction.
In this study, scientists at AWRI are conducting an experimental investigation that stimulates NPS contributing events in the lower Muskegon River watershed. This project is aimed at better understanding the impacts of NPS pollution on lower trophic levels, which form the base of the food web that ultimately supports fisheries in the region. A unique aspect of the research is the comparison of how the different trophic levels (i.e., bacteria, algea, and macroinvertabrates) respond to NPS pollution among different habitats (river, wetland, and lake) and during different seasons. This multi-habitat approach will give us new insight on how NPS pollution impacts different biological communities living in different environments and how these impacts change seasonally.

 

Influence of internal phosophorus loading in Spring Lake
Alan Steinman, Ph.D. (steinmaa@gvsu.edu)
Rick Rediske, Ph.D.
(redisker@gvsu.edu)
Funding: Spring Lake - Lake Board, $90,000
Description: The goal of this study is to determine the importance of sediment phosphorus (P) in stimulating algal blooms in Spring Lake, and the effectiveness of alum in reducing the release of P from the sediments.
Spring Lake is hypereuthropic and impacted by high phosphorus levels. The excessive phosphorus and other nutrients cause algal blooms, which degrade the recreational and ecological health of the lake. Historically, field measurements of phosphorus concentration in watersheds have concentrated on the "external" loading of phosphorus (from tributaries, runoff, and groundwater). Phosphorus being released by the sediments at the bottom of a waterbody, or "internal" loading, has recieved less attention. However, in highly eutrophic lakes such as Spring Lake, internal loading can account for a substantial amount of the total phosphorus load.
The application of a chemical, such as alum (aluminum sulfate), can limit internal loading by binding the phosphorus to the sediments. Alum was applied to Spring Lake in late 2005. Our present study will assess the effectiveness of the alum application by comparing new data to previous studies conducted in 2003 and 2004. Sediment cores will be collected from four sites in Spring Lake and incubated/sampled for a month under aerobic and anaerobic conditions to determine internal P loading rates. After the completion of the internal loading measurements, sediment cores will be fractionated to assess the amount of P bound to Fe/Al and Ca/Mg in the sediments. Macroinvertebrates will also be identified and counted, to determine if the alum has influenced their abundance and community composition.

 

Grandwalk
Description: To view description of this project, click here

 

Assessment of riparian habitat restoration in the Manistee River Watershed
Eric Snyder, Ph.D.
(snydeeri@gvsu.edu)
Funding: United States Environmental Protection Agency, Description: Tribal Wildlife Grant, $104,000 (original amount); $64,000 (subsequent award from Little River Band of Ottawa Indians for an additional year). Excess addition of fine sediments to streams can severely degrade stream ecosystem integrit by negatively impacting algal, macroinvertebrate and fish communities. The overall goal of this project was to conduct biological, chemical and physical monitoring of river restoration techniques by coordinating efforts with the Manistee River Watershed Initiative. This initiative provided funding for the restoration of road-stream crossings, stream-bank stabalizations, and access site improvements - all identified as sources of fine sediment. Monitoring of substrate macroinvertebrates, and fish are ongoing. Preliminary results indicate that substrate has improved via a reduction in fine sediment and an increase in coarse substrate more amenable to algal and microinvertebrate colonization, and fish spawning. In addition, there have been shifts in the macroinvertebrate community post-restoration, suggesting an improvement although further analyses are pending. The major differences in the fish community have been observed at those locations where upstream migration was previously impeded. Ongoing and long-term monitoring will be necessary to document fish responses. Overall, we seem to be picking up a restoration signal first in the substrate, followed by the invertebrates, with the fish community response taking longer to emerge. This project highlights the importance of long-term monitoring especially given that the success and/or failure of the vast majority of stream restoration projects are undocumented.

 

Venture Forward
Nancy Boese (boesen@gvsu.edu)
Funding: Grand Rapids Community Foundation, $15,000; Edward Lowe Foundation, $7,500
Description: Collaborators on the project include Neighborhood Business Alliance, LocalFirst, YMCA, Salvation Army, and Founder's Bank Trust. The goal of Venture Forward was to work with 30 businesses in the City of Grand Rapids to help them achieve financial stability and find opportunities for growth while strengthening the neighborhood business areas. This is being achieved through business leadership training, peer-to-peer learning with other business owners, and a review of their current business practices.
Supporting local businesses and helping them achieve sustainability directly affects the entire community. Studies indicate locally-owned businesses have a larger impact upon the community's multiplier effect than non-local businesses. Locally-owned businesses tend to spend more money locally, utilize local service providers, be more socially connected and vested in the community, and hire their employees (including managers) from the local labor pool. The goal of the collaboration is to increase the financial and organizational sustainability of local businesses. The result will be increased sales for local businesses, increased ability to provide jobs, and increased assurances businesses will be retained.
Currently, 30 businesses are meeting weekly to review their businesses, research their industry, and develop action plans for where the business needs to be in three years. On May 4th and 5th, the group traveled to the Edward Lowe Foundation, Big Rock Valley, in Cassopolis, Michigan for a leadership retreat. Each business owner participated in activities designed to explore his/her leadership style and impact on their community.

 

Muskegon Sustainability Project
Description: To view description of this project, click here.

 
       

 

 

 

 

Last updated: August 29, 2007
Copyright © 2006 GVSU Land Policy Initiative

GVSU Land Policy Initiative  
E-mail: jelierr@gvsu.edu  
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Grand Rapids, MI 49504  
Phone: (616) 331-6578
 

 
August 29, 2007January 3, 2008January 3, 2008