The Ann Arbor News reports that phosphorus levels have dropped in the Huron River as it courses through Washtenaw County.  Excerpt and link:

Phosphorus levels in the Middle Huron, the section of river that courses through much of Washtenaw County and provides most of Ann Arbor’s drinking water, have begun to drop, according to new data.

A study for the city by University of Michigan researchers showed that “statistically significant reductions” in total and dissolved phosphorus were measured each month from May through September.

The study was undertaken this year as part of an effort to determine whether the city’s new fertilizer ordinance has been effective. Enacted in 2007, the law is designed to help keep naturally abundant nutrients from being over-applied in the form of fertilizer for lawn care.

Additional data from the Huron River Watershed Council, which has been monitoring phosphorus levels in the area since 2003, mirror the city’s findings: Levels have dropped in the river near Ann Arbor recently, said Ric Lawson, a watershed planner with the council.

Full story:

http://www.mlive.com/annarbornews/news/index.ssf/2008/10/huron_river_phosphorus_levels.html

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