The document summarizes a project to restore wetlands and reconnect a former celery farm to Bear Creek in order to reduce phosphorus levels causing eutrophication in Bear Lake and Lake Muskegon. Over 180,000 tons of phosphorus-rich soil was removed from two ponds on the 46-acre property. The ponds were refilled and a dike between them and Bear Creek was removed, reconnecting the ponds and creating 36 acres of natural wetlands. Native vegetation was planted and over 46,000 fish were relocated from the ponds. Water quality monitoring showed reductions in phosphorus and chlorophyll-a, though targets were not fully met, and the project's impact on wildlife is still being evaluated.

1. Bear Lake Hydrologic Reconnection and
Wetland Restoration
HUDSON ADAMS, DREW EWING,
AND HUNTER MORGAN

2. Bear Creek Watershed
● High levels of phosphorus (P) from Bear Creek are
causing eutrophication in Bear Lake and Lake
Muskegon
● The Bear Creek Watershed drains into Bear Lake
which then drains into Muskegon Lake
● This area has been identified in 1987 by the U.S.
government as an area of concern (AOC) due to water
quality related problems, including eutrophication
● The goal of the project was to remove phosphorus-rich
sediment from a former celery farm to prevent future
eutrophication, while reconnecting the farm to the
adjacent Bear Creek
Introduction
Muskegon Lake Nature Preserve(1)

3. Introduction
Eutrophication
● When excess nutrients enter a body of water, algal
blooms can occur
● The algae feed off of the excess nutrients and grow
rapidly in number. When the algae cell die, they are
broken down by bacteria cells
● This increases the biological oxygen demand or BOD
in the water, and results in the depletion dissolved
oxygen in the water needed for fish and other species
to breath and live
The Eutrophication Process(3)

4. Restoration
Restoration Approach
● The project began with the purchase of 46 acres of
former celery farm
● Restoration began by drawing down the two ponds, and
then removing ~180,000 tons of phosphorus-rich soil to
prevent future eutrophication from occurring downstream
in Bear Creek Lake
Bear Creek area prior to project (2013) (6)

5. Restoration
Restoration Approach
● Next, the ponds were refilled with water
● After refilling both ponds, 500 feet of artificial earthen
dike was removed to reconnect the ponds to the creek
● This created 36 acres of natural flow-through wetlands
A) Pre-restoration area within the Muskegon Lake Area
of Concern; B) View of restoration site with the
reconnected ponds and Bear Creek C) Muskegon on
map of Michigan (5)

6. Restoration
Vegetation and Fish Reintroduction
● Native vegetation was planted to create 2015 feet of
softened stream bank
● Over 46,000 fish had to be moved from the ponds to
Bear Creek during the drawdown phase
● The vegetation planted was intended to uptake
nutrients to prevent further eutrophication in the area
● The introduction of native vegetation helps jumpstart
the process of self-design within the ecosystem
46-acre property with Native Vegetation (5)

7. Methods
Water Quality Impairment
● The water quality of the AOC was monitored by Grand Valley State
University in the post-restoration period of the project
● The monitoring included water sampling and sediment core analysis
● The data collected was used to assess water quality impairment
associated with the restoration
● To evaluate water quality, a sediment P isotherm analysis was used to
determine the capacity to which the sediments could be a source or
sink of P. P lost after the a 24-hr equilibration period is considered
sorbed
Water Quality Monitoring Efforts (17)

8. Equations
To evaluate water quality
The amount of P sorbed can be determined from the following equation:
S1 = (V/m)(C0-C24)
Where:
S1 = amount of P sorbed (μg/g)
C0 = concentration of P added (μg/L)
V = total volume (mL)
C24 = solution P concentration after 24 hour equilibration (μg/L)
m = mass of dry sediment (g)
Native sorbed P (S0) is estimated using the least squares fit of the plot of S1 vs.
C24 at low P concentrations:
S1 = S0 + bC24 Where:
S0 = initial P sorbed (μg/g)
b = y-intercept constant considered as the initial sediment P
The values for S0 and S1 are added to obtain the
corrected P sorption (S):
S = S1 + S0
The equilibrium P concentration (EPC) of the
sediments is calculated from the equation:
EPC = S0/b
Where:
EPC = the solution P concentration at which S1 = 0

9. A version of the Langmuir equation was used to determine the
concentration of phosphorus from sediments in Bear Creek and
Bear Lake
c/(x/m) = (1/Smax)c + 1/(k)(Smax)
Where:
x/m = P sorbed by the sediment (mg/kg)
Smax = P sorption maximum (mg/kg)
k = sorption constant relative to P binding energy
(L/mg)
c = P equilibrium concentration (mg/L)
Equations

10. Phosphorus Concentration
● Lower TP concentration post-restoration
○ Decrease
■ Both ponds (all sites)
○ Not statistically significant change
■ Upstream and Downstream
● SRP showed significant
○ Decrease
■ West pond sites
○ Increase
■ Upstream and at both East Pond sites
○ Not statistically significant change
■ Downstream
Results
Post-restoration (2018-19) TP concentration at Bear Creek and Bear Lake
Pre- and Post-restoration (June 2017) EPC
concentration at stream and pond sites

11. Results
Chlorophyll-a (Chl a) Concentration
● Target: 10 𝜇g/L
○ Did not meet completely
○ Phosphorus levels released outside of the ponds
● Changes
○ Not statistically significant change
■ Upstream
■ One west pond site
○ Increase
■ Downstream
○ Decrease
■ Both East pond sites
■ One West pond site
Post-restoration (2018-19) Chl a concentration at Bear Creek and Bear Lake

12. Results Fish Relocation, Wildlife Habitat, and
Further Water Quality Impairment
● The fish relocation was deemed successful
○ 46,000 fish moved to stream
● The project site experienced near record high water
levels in the two years post-development
○ The high water levels have temporarily prevented use
of the wetland by wildlife, so the impact on the local
wildlife population was deemed inconclusive
○ It is assumed that the high water levels limited growth
of vegetation, further impacting water quality

13. Conclusion
● The restoration of Bear Creek has shown
success mixed with inconclusive results
● Through wetland restoration, water quality
problems such as eutrophication can be
mitigated in the Great Lakes Region and
beyond
● Water quality issues and environmental
problems can be addressed with the use of
ecosystem design and subsequent self-design
○ Design works best when it is done with
self-design in mind
Complete Bear Lake restoration in 2018(16)

14. References 1. Muskegon lake nature preserve: View of the lake and bridge. Muskegon Lake, MI: Muskegon
Environmental Research & Education Society. Retrieved from https://images.squarespace-
cdn.com/content/v1/54d8ec2de4b0518c10d94865/1426191250046-
HJNCW3Q7G14ZSDS3YTE6/ke17ZwdGBToddI8pDm48kPoswlzjSVMM-SxOp7CV59BZw-
zPPgdn4jUwVcJE1ZvWQUxwkmyExglNqGp0IvTJZamWLI2zvYWH8K3-
s_4yszcp2ryTI0HqTOaaUohrI8PIeQMKeWYgwh6Mn73n2eZmZLHHpcPIxgL2SArp_rN2M_AKMshLAGz
x4R3EDFOm1kBS/IMG_3544a.jpg?format=1000w
2. Liu, B., McLean, C. E., Long, D. T., Steinman, A. D., & Stevenson, R. J. (2018).
Eutrophication and recovery of a lake inferred from sedimentary diatoms originating from
different habitats. Science of the Total Environment, 628-629, 1352-1361.
doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.02.174
3. Eutrophication process (2017). EarthHow.com. Retrieved from
https://earthhow.com/eutrophication-causes-process-examples/
4. Steinman, A., & Ogdahl, M. (2014). Bear creek / bear lake (muskegon county) watershed
implementation (2) project: Internal phosphorus loading Retrieved from
https://www.gvsu.edu/wri/director/bear-creek-bear-lake-muskegon-county-watershed-implementation-
67.htm
5. NOAA helps save nearly 100 wetland acres for michigan restoration (2016). National
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved from
https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/news/aug16/michigan-wetlands.html
6. Bear creek land acquisition/restoration (2013). Retrieved from
https://www.michigan.gov/documents/egle/wrd-aoc-muskegon-bear-land_665764_7.pdf
7. Bear creek hydrologic reconnection and wetland restoration. Majka, B. (Director). (2017,
Apr. 13,). [Video] Muskegon Lake, Michigan: GEI Consultants.
8. Muskegon lake AOC habitat restoration (2015). [Bear Creek Fact Sheet] West Michigan
Shoreline Regional Development Commission. https://wmsrdc.org/wp-
content/uploads/2016/04/NOAAHabitat-MuskegonBearCreekFactSheet-122015.pdf

15. 9. NOAA restoration atlas [NOAA Habitat Restoration Projects] National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved from
https://restoration.atlas.noaa.gov/src/html/index.html
10. Rice, K., & Holem, R. (2017). Memo: Summary of fish and wildlife relocation associated with
the bear creek pond drawdown and hydrologic reconnection. West Michigan Shoreline Regional
Development Commission. Retrieved from https://www.glc.org/wp-
content/uploads/20170208_Bear-Creek-Fish-Wildlife-Relocation-Memo.pdf
11. Darnault, C. J. G. (2020). Lecture 12: Ecological design principles Clemson University.
12. Project table. Retrieved from https://www.glri.us/projects#glri_projects
13. Hassett, M. C., & Steinman, A. D. (2019). Muskegon lake AOC BUI removal assessment,
monitoring, and implementation: Bear creek hydrologic reconnection and habitat enhancement
project post-restoration BUI report. Annis Water Resources Institute.
14. Hassett, M. C., & Steinman, A. D. (2018). Bear creek hydrologic reconnection and habitat
enhancement project post-restoration monitoring report. Annis Water Resources Institute.
15. Rice, S. (2019). Memo: Summary of pre/post-restoration wading bird and waterfowl surveys,
bear creek pond hydrologic reconnection project. Kathy Evans, Environmental Program Manager,
West Michigan Shoreline Regional Development Commission. Retrieved from
https://www.glc.org/wp-content/uploads/20171026_Bear-Creek-Waterfowl-and-Wading-Bird-
Survey-Memo.pdf
16. Bear creek restoration project site (2018). Retrieved from https://zoom.earth/#view=43.265671,-
86.261525,16z/layers=archive1
17. Bear lake hydrologic reconnection and wetland restoration Retrieved from
https://www.gvsu.edu/wri/director/bear-lake-hydrologic-reconnection-and-wetland-restoration-
70.htm
References (Page 2)