Mission
Develop local capacity to improve and protect water quality educating Great Lakes basin residents, visitors, and decision makers about the causes and consequences of water quality degradation and by transferring research–derived information and technological tools to stakeholders responsible for stewardship of our aquatic resources. The Water Quality Specialist is located at the Sea Grant Advisory Services field office at UW-Green Bay. Her primary audiences include the general public, local agencies, industry and educators. This project seeks to actively involve the public in the educational effort.

However, there are 42 local "areas of concern" (AOCs) around the Great Lakes where the beneficial uses of water resources are restricted or impaired. In accordance with the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement, the International Joint Commission and the Great Lakes states and provinces designated these areas because water quality and habitat degradation persists despite recent water resources management policies and programs. There are five AOCs in Wisconsin—the St. Louis River, Superior-Duluth;the Menominee River, Marinette-Menominee;Lower Green Bay and Fox River, Green Bay; the Sheboygan Harbor, Sheboygan; and the Milwaukee Estuary, Milwaukee. Aquatic ecosystems in the AOCs are degraded as a result of contaminated sediments, accelerated eutrophication and habitat destruction. Fish consumption advisories exist for fish caught in Lake Michigan and Superior and in all five of the AOCs. State agencies and stakeholder groups have developed Remedial Action Plans (RAPs) for each AOC that recommend both protective and restorative actions.  

In addition, Lakewide Management Plans (LaMPs) are being developed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to address sources of toxic pollutants to each of the five Great Lakes.

Remedial actions to improve Great Lakes water quality include controls of point source discharges and air emissions, expanded pollution prevention for land runoff and toxic contaminants, and cleanup of contaminated land and water sites. Actions to sustain and enhance Great Lakes fish and wildlife communities include more effective protection for remaining habitats and rehabilitation of degraded habitats. In addition, better assessment through monitoring and research of alternative actions is needed to improve decision-making and optimize resource allocations.

Effective solutions to water quality degradation, especially from diffuse sources of pollution, require meaningful participation by knowledgeable stakeholders throughout Great Lakes watersheds. Greater than 2.5 million people (52% of the state’s population) live in the area of Wisconsin that drains to the Great Lakes and thus, have the potential to directly impact water quality and coastal habitats. Conversely, the quality and quantity of Great Lakes resources directly impact the economy and quality of life in coastal communities.  

The Wisconsin Sea Grant water quality and habitat restoration program provides science-based information and education about the sources, transport and fate of contaminants in the Great Lakes, the cause and effect relationships between watershed activities and water quality, and the impacts of coastal development on nearshore habitats. Watershed-based risk assessment and the principles of sustainable development are used to assist communities and agencies in identifying priority management actions. Stakeholder groups are actively involved in water quality assessment and habitat restoration projects. The program also synthesizes data and applies technological tools to improve access to Great Lakes information.