The Sugar Island Monitoring Work Group, co-chaired by the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality and Environment Canada and consisting of U.S. and Canadian federal, state/provincial, tribal, and local agencies, has completed the St. Marys River/Sugar Island 2008 Monitoring Report.  The 2008 monitoring consisted of a coordinated response to any reports of floating materials in the river and weekly water monitoring of 39 stations for E. coli by Chippewa County Health Department, Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians, Algoma Public Health and the Ontario Ministry of the Environment.  Weekly samples were collected from June through September.  A Quality Assurance Project Plan was developed to ensure data quality and consistency among the agencies.  The effort also included the collection of additional water samples from 18 sites for DNA-typing analysis, to identify potential origins of E. coli in the river, as well as site inspections of the wastewater treatment facilities on the Michigan and Ontario sides of the river. 

Printed copies of the report are available through Gary Kohlhepp at 517-335-1289, or Email at kohlheppg@michigan.gov.