Kleinheinz Discusses Water-Quality Research

Greg Kleinheinz, a UW-Oshkosh professor of environmental engineering technology, last summer in Sturgeon Bay with two of his students. File photo by Rachel Lukas.

The Door County Environmental Council is presenting “Water Quality in Door County: the Good, the Bad and the Needed” with Professor Gregory Kleinheinz on May 31, 7 pm. 

Kleinheinz has been running Wisconsin’s Beach Monitoring Program since 2003 to test and evaluate water quality at beaches along Lake Michigan, including some in Door County. He’ll discuss the changes he’s observed and the current water conditions in Door County. 

Kleinheinz usually pairs the summertime beach monitoring with other projects, and in doing so, he’s tackled beach economics, aquatic trash, beach remediation and beach microbial source identification, among others.

As part of the beach-monitoring program that conducts research for 12 Wisconsin counties using a summer research group of more than 50 students at 100 beaches, Kleinheinz has also partnered with Crossroads at Big Creek to have a state-certified microbiology lab operational in Door County.

The group analyzes more than 8,000 surface-water samples, 10,000 drinking-water samples and 350 well inspections annually. Through these various projects, Kleinheinz and his group have conducted more than $25 million worth of water-research projects.

All are invited to this free program: in person at the Kress Pavilion, 7845 Church St. in Egg Harbor; or via Zoom. Find the link to join virtually at dcec-wi.org.