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Division Street Outfall

Muskegon Lake Area of Concern
Division Street Outfall is a very big piece of the restoration of Muskegon Lake....
It's a big victory for Muskegon, it's a big victory for West Michigan, and it's a big victory for the Great Lakes.

- Cam Davis, Great Lakes Advisor to the EPA Administrator, 2012

The sediment cleanup at the Division Street Outfall is complete!

The sediment cleanup on Muskegon Lake near Division Street Outfall is complete! A Great Lakes Legacy Act (GLLA) project in 2011 removed 43,000 cubic yards of contaminated sediment. An extensive sand cover was placed to further contain any residual contamination, limit the potential for direct contact with aquatic life, and provide a habitat-friendly growing medium for bottom-dwelling benthic critters and plants.

The environmental cleanup work at Division Street Outfall is part of a larger effort to revitalize the Muskegon Lake Area of Concern. Local investment in the land adjacent to the remediated area is already taking place. Rotary Park was constructed and primarily funded through private, local donors. It features a handicap-accessible playground, fishing bridge, and kayak launch.

Location

The GLLA cleanup of Muskegon Lake took place at the Division Street Outfall near the Hartshorn Marina and Heritage Landing. Workers mechanically dredged contaminated sediment and placed a six to 12-inch sand cover over 60 acres of lake bottom, including the dredge area. 
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Sand cover and dredge area location
The Division Street Outfall cleanup site is located in Muskegon, MI  on the eastern end of Muskegon Lake. The site is located within the Muskegon Lake Area of Concern.
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This map created by WMSRDC shows all the Muskegon Lake Area of Concern projects, including Division Street Outfall.

Cleanup Process

 Sediment remediated: 43,000 cubic yards
Contaminants: mercury, oil and grease, PAHs
Method: Mechanical dredging and sand cover
When: 2011-2012
Partners: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and Michigan Department of Environmental Quality
Cost: $10.8 million
Notes: Dredged sediment was transported to Ottawa County Farms Landfill. The project included shoreline restoration with invasive species removal and the planting of native flowers, grasses, and bushes.

Long-term Benefits

  • The cleanup reduced mercury contamination from the watershed's food chain, which over time will lessen exposure for people who eat fish from Muskegon Lake. It may take years before fish advisories in Muskegon Lake are less restrictive.
  • Shoreline restoration improved visibility of the lake for waterfront property in the area.
  • A cleaner watershed could lead to increased opportunities for recreation and tourism in Southwest Michigan.

More Information

Documents
Eat Safe Fish in Muskegon County (PDF, 2p, 2.3MB) December 2015
Muskegon Lake boater cards (PDF, 2p, 1.18 MB) September 2011
Division Street Outfall fact sheet (PDF, 2p, 334 KB) September 2011
Stakeholders
Muskegon Lake Watershed Partnership
West Michigan Shoreline Regional Development Commission
City of Muskegon
Hartshorn Marina
Michigan Department of Health and Human Services
Michigan Department of Environmental Quality
U. S. Environmental Protection Agency
IISG and GLR logos
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Contact Us

Great Lakes Mud c/o Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant
Purdue University
195 Marsteller Street
West Lafayette, IN 47907-2033

​Email: abelle@illinois.edu
© 2019 Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant, All Rights Reserved.
Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant strives to ensure equal access and an
​inclusive environment.
Website last updated December 14, 2022
  • Home
  • Pollution
    • Dioxins
    • Heavy Metals
    • NAPL
    • Oil and Grease
    • PAHs
    • PCBs
    • TBT
    • TPH
  • Partnership
    • Great Lakes Legacy Act
    • Cost-Sharing
  • Cleanup Process
    • Project Stages
    • Dredging
    • Dry Excavation
    • Caps and Covers
    • Habitat Restoration
  • Waterbody
    • Indiana >
      • East Branch - Grand Calumet River AOC
      • East Branch Phase II - Grand Calumet River AOC
      • East Chicago Waterways - Grand Calumet River AOC
      • Indiana Harbor Canal TSCA - Grand Calumet River AOC
      • Lake George Canal Middle & East - Grand Calumet River AOC
      • Roxana Marsh - Grand Calumet River AOC
      • Stateline - Grand Calumet River AOC
      • West Branch - Grand Calumet River AOC
    • Michigan >
      • Black Lagoon - Detroit River AOC
      • Centennial Park - Detroit River AOC
      • Division Street Outfall - Muskegon Lake AOC
      • Former MGP Site - St. Marys River AOC
      • Lower Rouge River Old Channel - Rouge River AOC
      • River Raisin - River Raisin AOC
      • Riverwalk - Detroit River AOC
      • Ruddiman Creek - Muskegon Lake AOC
      • Ryerson Creek Outfall - Muskegon Lake AOC
      • Tannery Bay - St. Marys River AOC
      • Torch Lake - Torch Lake AOC
      • Upper Trenton Channel - Detroit River AOC
      • Zephyr Site - Muskegon Lake AOC
    • Minnesota >
      • Azcon/DSPA Slip - St. Louis River AOC
      • Minnesota Slip - St. Louis River AOC
      • Munger Landing - St. Louis River AOC
      • Scanlon Reservoir - St. Louis River AOC
      • Slip 3 and Slip C - St. Louis River AOC
      • SLR Interlake/Duluth Tar - St. Louis River AOC
      • Spirit Lake Site - St. Louis River AOC
    • New York >
      • Buffalo River - Buffalo River AOC
    • Ohio >
      • Ashtabula River - Ashtabula River AOC
      • Cuyahoga River Old Channel - Cuyahoga River AOC
      • Gorge Dam - Cuyahoga River AOC
      • Jack's Marine North Slip - Ashtabula River AOC
      • Ottawa River - Maumee AOC
      • Otter Creek - Maumee AOC
    • Wisconsin >
      • Greater Milwaukee Estuary - Milwaukee Estuary AOC
      • Hog Island Inlet - St. Louis River AOC
      • Howards Bay - St. Louis River AOC
      • Kinnickinnic River - Milwaukee Estuary AOC
      • Lincoln Park - Milwaukee Estuary AOC
      • Sheboygan River - Sheboygan River AOC
      • Tyco - Menominee River AOC
    • More coming soon...
  • Education
    • Grade School Curriculum
    • High School Curriculum
    • More Resources >
      • Indiana
      • Michigan
      • Minnesota
      • Ohio
      • Wisconsin
  • Contact