Watershed restoration documentary highlights AWRI involvement

A locally produced documentary highlighting a multi-million dollar environmental restoration effort in the Lake Macatawa Watershed near Holland, Michigan, will be shown on WGVU-TV beginning April 23.

The film, Clarity, focuses on the $12 million, 10-year cleanup effort of the Lake Macatawa Watershed called Project Clarity, which relies in part on Grand Valley State University’s Annis Water Resources Institute for scientific expertise, on-the-ground monitoring and research.

The documentary will air on WGVU-TV at 11 p.m. on Wednesday, April 23. It will re-broadcast at 5 p.m. on Sunday, April 27 and 1 a.m. on Monday, April 28. 

“Project Clarity is a shining example of how an ecosystem restoration project should be planned, coordinated and implemented, with input and buy-in from all the stakeholders, and taking an integrated approach to tackle the problem in a holistic fashion,” said Alan Steinman, director of the Annis Water Resources Institute and lead scientist on the project.

Researchers from AWRI are collecting and analyzing water samples and the fish community structure from throughout the watershed and lake to assess restoration efficacy and long-term trends. They are also assisting in both the design of restoration projects and modeling the fate and transport of watershed pollutants. 

Project Clarity seeks to permanently clean, restore and maintain the waters of Lake Macatawa and the surrounding watershed, which consists of about 110,000 acres of land and the rivers, creeks and streams that feed to the lake.

For more information, visit macatawaclarity.org.