Point Source Pollution
and Lake Macatawa

Point source pollution is pollution that can be traced to a single source such as a factory, a hospital, or a utility. Specific measures can be taken to reduce point source pollution, from changing processing techniques to closing facilities altogether. In the Macatawa Watershed point source pollution is a small fraction of total pollution. This does not mean we can ignore point sources; we need to move forward on all fronts. Point source polluters will generally only reduce their pollution under intense public and political pressure. Point source pollution can be reduced or eliminated relatively quickly.

Non-Point Source Pollution
and Lake Macatawa

Non-point source pollution is pollution whose specific origins cannot be easily determined using current methods. Non-point source pollution is by far the most significant form of pollution in the Watershed, and it is where we need to focus most of our attention.

The increasing quantities of silt being flushed into Lake Macatawa and the very heavy loads of phosphates and nitrates bonded to the silt particles are a major pollution issue. Despite the fact that the soils in the Watershed are naturally high in phosphates and nitrates, high rates of fertilizer application on lawns and farms together with land management practices we now understand to be detrimental and unsustainable means we are continually fertilizing the bed of Lake Macatawa. The phosphates feed weeds and algae in the water, causing the algal blooms we see on the Lake which reduce the Lake’s dissolved oxygen content. This process leads directly to the major fish kills we have seen in recent years.

Other significant sources of pollution are storm water and water used for washing equipment on impervious surfaces. Most runoff from impervious surfaces is not collected and treated; it is dumped directly into the Lake’s tributaries or through storm sewers into Lake Macatawa itself. This water contains a wide range of chemicals that do not belong in the Lake; petrochemicals from vehicle emissions and leaks, harsh cleaning compounds, excess fertilizer dropped on paths and driveways, and waste deliberately dumped into ravines find their way into the Lake in measurable – and undesirable --quantities.

Our best means of combating agricultural and residential non-point source pollution is through education and changing behaviors one person at a time. Our best means of combating pollution from storm water runoff is working with counties and municipalities to change ordinances and bylaws that influence the design and size of impervious surfaces such as roads and parking areas.