Please park in the lot opposite the Coast Guard station. Weather circumstances might necessitate docking at the City Municipal Marina or Barrett's Marina in Spring Lake, so be sure to check with GVSU-WRI as to where the vessel will be for your particular cruise. Besides urban areas, land use in this watershed is largely devoted to agriculture with relatively few natural areas. The second sampling point is usually in Spring Lake. Along the route to Spring Lake, there is a sand mining operation, a large commercial unloading dock, marinas, and a power plant.
Spring Lake is surrounded by homes and has experienced elevated nutrient levels.
From U.S. 31, take Business U.S. 31 exit toward downtown Muskegon. Turn right onto Fourth Street. Turn left onto Shoreline Drive. Turn right and then immediately right again at the driveway of the large blue and white building which is the GVSU-WRI field station. The vessel is docked at the GVSU-WRI Muskegon Field Station on the Muskegon shoreline near Heritage Landing.