MACOMB COUNTY – Macomb County officials are launching a new pilot project this fall to remove problematic “muck” from Lake St. Clair and explore how to better manage the issue in the future.
Approximately $800,000 in state funding has been earmarked for the three-year project, which will include the removal of M. wollei from three Lake St. Clair shorelines: Veterans Memorial Park in St. Clair Shores, Campau Bay (on South River Road near the mouth of the Clinton River) in Harrison Township, and Hidden Cove Condominiums marina, south of the Clinton River Spillway in Harrison Township.
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M. wollei (Microseira wollei) is a type of blue-green algae that typically grows on lake or riverbeds and can form thick muck that spreads and can span large areas. Sometimes found floating on the surface or washed up on shore, the algae can appear fibrous and dense — with an unpleasant smell — and is typically dark green or black in color.
Officials say the sites, which includes a combination of public and private land, were selected because of the limited wave action observed there compared to other sections of shoreline.
“The muck covering the shoreline of Lake St. Clair has been far more than an eyesore — it has disrupted the lives of residents, hurt small businesses and damaged one of our region’s greatest natural resources,” said state Sen. Kevin Hertel (D-St. Clair Shores), who helped secure state funding for the project. “But because leaders here in Macomb County had the political courage to work together, we were able to secure some of the resources needed to turn years of research into real action, tackling the muck problem head-on and beginning the work of restoring our waterfront.”
Officials selected two contractors — Dean Marine & Excavating and Sediment Lakes Aquatic Management — to lead the removal efforts, with work expected to begin some time in September pending the approval of state and federal environmental permits.
The county plans to utilize different removal techniques in the pilot project to study and compare how long it takes wind and waves to redeposit offshore algae to the shore, as well as its potential for regrowth or migration after removal.
Based on cost figures received from dredging contractors that responded to a request for proposals, the removal of muck from 10 shoreline locations identified as having the most significant M. wollei mats would have cost more than $3.3 million, the county reported.
Still, Macomb County Public Works Commissioner Candice S. Miller says while the pilot project is an important first step toward remediation, it’s not a “one-and-done solution.”
“The muck problem is a state and federal issue, and long-term financial commitment will be necessary from the state and/or federal government to protect this wonderful resource,” Miller said in a news release.