October 2020

Michigan Waterfront Alliance (MWA) is pleased to announce that Mr. Ralph Bednarz has graciously accepted an invitation to serve as a member of our Board of Directors. A lifelong lake protection and preservation advocate, Mr. Bednarz brings a wealth of knowledge and experience acquired during a highly productive thirty-five-year career as a water resources and environmental protection manager within the Inland Lakes Management Unit of the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ) (now referred to as the Department of the Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE). Instrumental in planning, developing, implementing, and managing high profile MDEQ statewide lake water quality monitoring programs, including the Lake Water Quality Assessment, and the Cooperative Lakes Monitoring Program, it is also important to note that Mr. Bednarz played a critical role in helping to ensure the success of the Michigan component of the U. S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) sanctioned National Lake Assessments while serving as an EPA Senior Environmental Program specialist following his retirement from the MDEQ in 2011. In addition to his newly acquired role as a Michigan Waterfront Alliance Board member, Mr. Bednarz currently serves on the Michigan Chapter, North American Lake Management Society (McNALMS) Board of Directors, and is a pro-active representative to the Michigan Inland Lakes Partnership, and the Michigan Natural Shoreline Partnership. In recognition of his “significant contributions to the advancement of inland lake education, pro-active leadership in addressing key inland lake issues, and in promoting lake ecology, and management”, Mr. Bednarz also recently received the McNALMS Lifetime Achievement Award.  Welcome aboard Ralph!

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Sept. 30, 2020

Nick Assendelft, Public Information Officer, AssendelftN@Michigan.gov, 517-388-3135

Marcy Knoll Wilmes, Aquatic Biologist, KnollM@Michigan.gov, 517-342-4348

Residents across Michigan will benefit from a new $1.7 million contract for Michigan Clean Water Corps (MiCorps), a network of citizen volunteers who help EGLE by collecting and sharing water quality data with the goal of protecting lakes and streams.

MiCorps includes education, training and networking for citizen scientists working with EGLE program biologists as their guides in learning more about water, Michigan’s most precious resource. EGLE awarded the new contract to Michigan State University, which will administer the program and work with Michigan State University Extension, Huron River Watershed Council and the Michigan Lakes and Streams Association.

EGLE secured funding through the Renew Michigan Fund to continue this valuable program.

“MiCorps is a dynamic program that engages the public in monitoring our inland waters, staying vigilant for problems in their watershed and acting to solve local problems,” said Marcy Knoll Wilmes, EGLE’s MiCorps director. “I am so proud of the volunteers and the work they do across the state. EGLE values the data collected to help us assess Michigan waters. We have some exciting items that will be developed through this contract including a new database, phone app for data collection and mapping/GIS capabilities added to the web site.”

“We are thrilled to continue working with EGLE to support Michigan volunteers in their efforts to monitor lakes and streams,” said Dr. Jo Latimore of Michigan State University, who will provide leadership for the MiCorps team. “The excellent data collected by MiCorps participants supports local conservation work and contributes significantly to our overall understanding and protection of Michigan’s waters.”

For more information about MiCorps or to sign up to be a volunteer, go to MiCorps.net or contact Marcy Knoll Wilmes at 517‑342-4348 or KnollM@Michigan.gov.