Will maximize potential of volunteer monitoring groups
Great Lakes Commission selected to help implement Michigan Clean Water Corps

Ann Arbor, Mich. -- The Great Lakes Commission has been selected by the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality to assist in establishing the Michigan Clean Water Corps, a statewide initiative to more fully realize the potential of volunteer water monitoring activities.

Created through an executive order by Gov. Jennifer Granholm, the Michigan Clean Water Corps (MCWC) will assist the Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ) in collecting and sharing water quality data for use in water resources management and protection programs, at both the state and local level.

“Michigan’s water is not only one of our most prominent attributes, it is undoubtedly among the state’s most valuable resources,” said Lt. Gov. John Cherry, a member of the state’s delegation to the Great Lakes Commission. “It is within the state’s best interest to enable the citizens to keep the water clean and beautiful for many future generations to enjoy, and that will be the primary mission of the Clean Water Corps.”

Building upon existing volunteer water monitoring programs established by the MDEQ, the Clean Water Corps will educate Michigan residents about water quality issues and promote citizen participation in protecting the state’s water resources. The Commission is partnering with the Huron River Watershed Council to develop, implement and administer the program, under the direction of MDEQ and with the advice of a steering committee MDEQ has established for the project.

“Many volunteer groups are already monitoring Michigan rivers, streams and lakes at various levels of effort and they represent a tremendous underutilized resource for assessing water quality in Michigan,” said Steven Chester, director of the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality. “The MCWC will assist established programs in reaching their potential and expanding the use and access of their data.”

The Commission and the Huron River Watershed Council will solicit, organize and train volunteers around the state to participate in water quality monitoring activities. The MCWC will provide training for stream and lake monitoring; disseminate methods for accurate data collection; implement effective quality assurance practices; facilitate data reporting and information sharing; and provide a forum for communication and support among volunteer monitoring groups in Michigan.

“This initiative is an excellent example of the ‘value added’ work the Great Lakes Commission can bring to a member state and to the region as a whole,” said Dr. Mike Donahue, Commission president/CEO. “It’s about building partnerships, applying technical expertise and, most importantly, making a difference in the environmental quality and sustainable use of this great resource.”

The program is funded at $679,600 through August 2007 and may be extended for additional years.

Members of the MDEQ steering committee are:

• Pearl Bonnell, operations director, Michigan Lake and Stream Associations, Inc.
• Robert Burns, Detroit riverkeeper, Friends of the Detroit River
• Elwin Cole, Macomb County Health Department retiree
• Jane Herbert, district water quality agent, Michigan State University Extension
• Kevin Cronk, monitoring and research coordinator, Tip of the Mitt Watershed Council
• Dr. Joan Martin, co-director, Adopt-A-Stream Program, Huron River Watershed Council
• Marilyn Shy, executive director, Michigan Association of Conservation Districts

The MCWC will complement the Commission’s ongoing work in developing web-based monitoring databases, facilitating monitoring initiatives and coordinating various monitoring organizations. The project also offers the potential of serving as the basis for a volunteer monitoring network coordinated across the entire Great Lakes basin.

The Great Lakes Commission, chaired by Thomas Huntley (Minn.), is a nonpartisan, binational compact agency established under state and U.S. federal law and dedicated to promoting a strong economy, healthy environment and high quality of life for the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence region and its residents. The Commission consists of state legislators, agency officials, and governors' appointees from its eight member states. Associate membership for Ontario and Québec was established through the signing of a "Declaration of Partnership." The Commission maintains a formal Observer program involving U.S. and Canadian federal agencies, tribal authorities, binational agencies and other regional interests. The Commission offices are located in Ann Arbor, Michigan.