For decades, Michigan’s Muskegon Lake was considered one of the most degraded areas in the Great Lakes region. In 1985, Muskegon Lake was listed as a Great Lakes Area of Concern, one of 43 “toxic hot spots” in the United States and Canada.
Through the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, NOAA has been working with the Great Lakes Commission, West Michigan Shoreline Regional Development Commission, and other partners to support several habitat restoration projects in the Muskegon Lake region.
With much of this work nearly finished, Muskegon Lake could soon be removed from the list of Great Lakes Areas of Concern. NOAA and partners' many efforts in this region are helping to restore an important ecosystem and support Great Lakes fisheries and communities.