Jenny McKellar

Office Specialist

Ph: 231-922-4625 / Fax: 231-922-4633

Email: jennymc@msu.edu 

SERVING THESE 40 COUNTIES: Alcona, Alger, Alpena, Antrim, Baraga, Benzie, Charlevoix, Cheboygan, Chippewa, Clare, Crawford, Delta, Dickinson, Emmet, Gogebic, Grand Traverse, Houghton, Iosco, Iron, Kalkaska, Keewanaw, Lake, Leelanau, Luce, Mackinac, Manistee, Marquette, Mason, Menominee, Missaukee, Montmorency, Oceana, Ogema, Ontonagon, Oscoda, Otsego, Presque Isle, Roscommon, Schoolcraft & Wexford.

Click here to learn more about soil testing and getting your nutrients right.

Sing-up to volunteer today!

For local groundwater stewardship programs, available cost-share, Farm*A*Syst and MAEAP, check with the Groundwater Technician serving your county.

Groundwater Tech Map & Directory

MDA - Groundwater Stewardship Page

For the best local information check with your local MSU Extension office, listed by county in the directory

Water Quality Area of Expertise Team - includes information on program, project, bulletins, links to databases on information on water quality work in Michigan.

Institute for Water Quality Research  - includes information on drinking water, wetlands, land use, etc

The Water Withdrawal Assessment Tool is designed to assess the likelihood of an impact to the state's water resources by a specific large quantity water withdrawal.   The website allows you to learn about the tool and work with it.

Click here for a diagram of required well isolated distances in Michigan.

New Nitrogen Recommendations for Field Corn

WQ52 - Managing Shoreline Property  *Revised!

Also known as Lake*A*Syst, this is a risk assessment tool designed to help riparian owners address their yard & garden care, septic systems, stormwater run-off and other issues that impact lakes and streams.

 On-Farm Fuel Storage

New revised bulletin available free from your local MSU Extension office, or print your own copy from the bulletin link below.

 

Bulletin No. WQ-59

This bulletin was supported by the Water Quality AOE and North Region GREEEN grant.

More useful publications:

~WQ34 - Groundwater Contamination

~WQ39 - Managing Your Septic System

~WQ52 - Managing Shoreline Property  *Revised!

~Check Before You Choose a Fertilizer

~Check Before You Choose a Pesticide

~An Unused Well can be a Monster of a Problem

~Clean Up Your Act

~Know the Drill - Clean Up a Spill

~Don't Just Floor It, Properly Lock & Contain to Store It

Visit your local MSU Extension office for a hard copy of these and other free publications!

A risk assessment tool, Lawn*A*Syst, allows you to look at your lawn management practices with consideration for their risk to water resources.  If you live near water or in a city with storm drains then your chemical use may impact water quality.

Before purchasing fertilizer you should have a soil test done to determine what your soil needs.  If you have not had your soil tested, purchase zero-phosphorus lawn fertilizer since most northern Michigan soils have sufficient phosphorus.  If your lawn leaves look reddish then that is an indicator of phosphorus deficiency and suggests that your soil is phosphorus deficient.

Locally the following stores have indicated that they have zero-phosphorus fertilizer: 

Ace Hardware

Garden Goods

Home Depot

Lowes

McGoughs

Meijers

Walmart

Excess phosphorus can cause micro-nutrient imbalance (zinc and iron) in plants.  The plants will appear to have an iron and zinc deficiency. 

Excess phosphorus is an even more serious problem in our lakes and streams.  Most plants in northern Michigan lakes and streams are limited by phosphorus levels in the water.  As phosphorus levels rise in lakes, the algae and aquatic weeds increase. 

These plants and their decomposition can harm fish and other organisms and limit our enjoyment of the water.  Everyone has seen pictures of massive weed mats or experienced green slime in some lakes or rivers.  Boating, fishing and swimming may be wrecked.