ASHLAND - One week after heavy rains hit the region, plumes of red clay are still visible in the Chequamegon Bay of Lake Superior as seen in this aerial photograph. The Chequamegon Bay Area Partnership (CBAP), a coalition of agencies, nonprofit groups and educational institutions working for the health of Lake Superior, has identified sediment as one of the key water quality issues facing the region. "Excessive sedimentation results in the loss of aquatic habitat. It can impede navigation and access," said Tom Fratt, CBAP partner and conservationist for the Ashland County Land and Water Conservation Department. "Because Chequamegon Bay is the source of drinking water for the City of Ashland, turbidity and sedimentation increase the cost of water treatment through additional filtering and disinfection." CBAP has implemented several projects to address sedimentation issues in the region. The coalition, coordinated by the Sigurd Olson Environmental Institute at Northland College, is using a plan completed in 2011 by the Ashland County Land and Water Conservation Department to guide restoration activities in the Fish Creek Watershed. The Fish Creek Watershed is one of the largest contributors of sediment to Chequamegon Bay.