Kalamazoo River Stream Bank Erosion Site Survey Extending from Augusta to Otsego, Michigan
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Authors
Andrus, David R.
Issue Date
1997
Type
Thesis
Language
en_US
Keywords
Alternative Title
Abstract
The Kalamazoo River, like all rivers, experiences an influx of various types of
pollution from the elevated land around it, known as a watershed. This pollution is
collectively referred to as nonpoint source pollution. One major cause of nonpoint source
pollution in a river's watershed comes from the erosion of sediment from the river bank
directly into the river. Not only does erosion carry the problem of depositing sand and silt
into the river with ecological consequences such as water temperature flux and flow
redirection, but, in many areas of the Kalamazoo River in particular, the sediment carries
with it polychlorobiphenyls (PCB's). PCB's are known to be extremely detrimental to the
vitality of the surrounding ecological niches.
This erosion site survey the Kalamazoo River was overseen by the Nonpoint
Source Pollution Advisory Committee of Kalamazoo County, a small coalition of local
businesses and environmental organizations. The river survey was conducted via canoe,
using topographic maps and aerial photographs of Kalamazoo County and Allegan
County. It resulted in the identification of 19 sites, 3 being of minor severity, 13 of
moderate severity, and 3 severe sites. This report outlines the methodology underlying the
quantitative and qualitative measurements taken to categorize the severity of each of these
sites, as well as describing each site, individually. This study is designed as one of the
primary initiatives towards treatment of the nonpoint source pollution problem facing the
Kalamazoo area.
Description
vii, 63 p.
Citation
Publisher
Kalamazoo College
License
U.S. copyright laws protect this material. Commercial use or distribution of this material is not permitted without prior written permission of the copyright holder.