EGLE Surveys Selected Lower Grand River Watershed Streams

EGLE released their report, “Biological and Sediment Chemistry Surveys of Selected Lower Grand River Watershed Streams,” in July 2022. The objectives of this study were to:

1. Evaluate the attainment status of the Other Indigenous Aquatic Life and Wildlife (OIALW) designated use.

2. Identify and investigate effects of nonpoint sources of pollution.

3. Satisfy monitoring requests submitted by internal and external customers.

4. Support Water Quality-Based Effluent Limit development for National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permits.

The 35 stations sampled had scores ranging from poor to excellent, with 5 having poor macroinvertebrate community scores and 4 having poor fish community scores. Mill Creek and Sand Creek were identified as the most impacted. As explained in the Lower Grand River Watershed Management Plan, the combination of impervious surfaces covering highly permeable soils and agriculture dominating less permeable soils, high amounts of precipitation runoff and erosion are observed throughout the watershed (LGROW, 2011). These impacts were evident by the amount of sedimentation, bank erosion, and lack of habitat diversity at the majority of the sites that were sampled in this report. Sites that received excellent scores in either macroinvertebrates, habitat, or fish community included Prairie Creek, Egypt Creek, unnamed tributary to Lloyd’s Bayou, Indian Mill Creek, and a section of the Grand River. We still have work to do, but this report helps us measure the success of our collective work in the watershed. You can read the entire report here.