Are sediments, air, land, and water sources or pathways of contamination that affect the integrity of the ecosystem?
Sediments, air, land, and water continue to be sources or pathways of contamination that affect the integrity of the Lake Michigan ecosystem. While regulatory and remediation programs reduce pollutant sources, ongoing releases and the region’s legacy of contamination continue to serve as sources of pollutants. The findings of the Lake Michigan Mass Balance Study will allow decision-makers to better understand pollution pathways, permitting them to develop more effective policies to deal with pollution issues and pathways. The mass balance approach is based upon the principle of conservation of mass, which states that the mass of a chemical contained in the lake is equal to the amount entering the system, less the amount leaving and chemically changed in the system. What is the Lake Michigan Mass Balance Study? The Lake Michigan Mass Balance (LMMB) Study is an enhanced monitoring and modeling project which developed a scientific base of information to inform LaMP policy decisions and to
