Mysterious muck found in Lake St. Clair to be tested for E. coli
MACOMB COUNTY, Mich. (CBS DETROIT) - A mysterious muck looming along several areas of Lake St. Clair has Macomb County officials once again searching for answers as public health becomes a concern.
Macomb County Public Works Commissioner Candice Miller says the relatively new type of organic material in question is called Lyngbya. Miller calls it "muck," and that muck is what she says her team is finding where there is not much water flow.
"There are a number of boat wells along Lake St. Clair, where this stuff is just packed in, or you see it in different areas right along the shore where there are layers of it," Miller said.
This week, Miller says the Macomb County Public Works team went out on the water and collected samples of the material as part of their two-year study with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Officials collected their first samples in the spring.
"We recently took samples at the end of the summer season to see how they match up to the samples taken in early May by the agency's research biologists," Miller said.
Miller says the muck has caused issues for those moving on the lake, especially near boat wells.
While she says nobody knows what this stuff is, or where it's coming from, their biggest concern is what it could mean for public health.
"It has a huge impact on anyone that lives here. We fish in it, we swim in it, it's a drinking water supply, all of our beaches, etc. So we certainly want to find out what this stuff is, what we can do, and how we can advise our residents on hopefully how to eradicate it," Miller said.
Miller says her team, residents, and even boaters have tried removing the muck from several hot spots along the shoreline of St. Clair, but for some reason, it keeps coming back.
Officials are expecting to have results regarding the mysterious muck when their study concludes next summer.
