#friendsoftherogue

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River Rouge Stream Monitoring with Melvindale 6th Graders.

Last week at Arch, we assisted and observed the 6th Grade students of Melvindale's Strong Middle School, along with their teachers, as they engaged in activities related to conducting chemical tests on water samples from the Rouge River. The students also had the opportunity to examine various Protozoa species within the water samples using field microscopes. This hands-on experience with the scientific process of water sampling heightened their awareness of water resources and they appeared to thoroughly enjoy the activities, which promoted responsible behavior and stewardship of the Rouge River.

[cleanwaterchronicles]

Can a stormwater study help Metro Detroit communities get along?

author: Brian Allnutt

A new study is looking for ways to promote regional stormwater cooperation in southeast Michigan, where floods in 2014 and 2021 caused more than a billion dollars in damage in each instance.

There’s a “clear consensus the stormwater issue is getting worse,” said Carol Miller, director of Wayne State’s Healthy Urban Waters program. According to the 4th National Climate Assessment, extreme rainfall and flooding are likely among the most serious impacts of climate change in the Midwest.

Miller and colleagues from the University of Michigan and Michigan State University are working on the Michigan Center for Freshwater Innovation study. The goal is to see how flooding could be mitigated by pooling resources, especially land, which might be used to sequester stormwater and reduce the pressure on regional sewer systems during heavy rains.

The Great Lakes Water Authority and Detroit Water and Sewerage Department will be helping investigators with surveys and data gathering. Researchers will also be hosting listening sessions and bringing community members into advisory committees to produce a plan for local governments and utilities, which they expect to have completed within the next two years.

This effort could help communities move past the sometimes-bitter infighting that Miller says is “to be expected” for a system as large as the one served by the GLWA. 

In April 2022, several communities in Macomb County threatened to withhold payment to GLWA because of Highland Park’s water debts, which they said were inflating their own costs. And Warren Mayor Jim Fouts said in December 2022 that he was considering building a “dam” or “blockade” at the city’s border to stop sewage discharges from coming down the Red Run Drain from neighboring Oakland County.

Miller says an important part of the Center’s work will be mapping land for future stormwater projects, looking at vegetation, soil type, planned development, existing sewer pipes, and legacy pollution that could be released if the ground is disturbed. 

These maps can then be used to find sites for either green infrastructure, like retention ponds and rain gardens, which slow water movement into sewers to prevent flooding, or gray infrastructure, such as storm sewers or underground reservoirs.

Several recent stormwater catchment projects along the Rouge River are part of an effort to reduce basement and roadway flooding on Detroit’s west side. But Miller says that projects in more “upstream” areas outside of Detroit could do more to keep precipitation out of the system. 

These could help prevent flooding and sewer overflows when combined sewer and stormwater systems like Detroit’s receive too much water and discharge untreated or partially treated sewage into waterways. A 2022 Erb Family Foundation study supports Miller’s conclusion, finding that green infrastructure in metro Detroit may make the most sense in outlying areas.

Upstream solutions could also give the city better choices when dealing with combined sewage and stormwater. For example, Bryan Peckinpaugh, spokesperson for the DWSD, recently told Planet Detroit that the city’s plan for a “relief sewer” on the east side of Detroit would send untreated, combined sewage directly into the Detroit River. This would keep it out of basements, which would pose a serious public health threat, but send it into waterways, where it also presents a serious public health threat.

Yet, it may take a trusted authority to get communities to a point where they can move past their conflicts to work towards solutions that benefit the entire “sewershed” or drainage area that flows into the regional systems.

“I do believe that it’s very important that there is an identified champion… that has the respect of communities involved in these decision-making efforts,” Miller said.

Although the GLWA and Michigan’s Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) perform this function in some ways by mobilizing regional resources and setting rules, Miller suggests that a new agency may be needed to build a consensus for the best path forward on stormwater management.

This entity might resemble the International Joint Commission, where Miller serves on the Science Advisory Board. This quasi-governmental organization has operated since 1909, marshaling resources in the U.S. and Canada to address cross-border issues like Great Lakes water quality and air pollution. Appointed commissioners operate independently of their national governments and traditionally work by consensus.

“I think the IJC has been very successful because of the long-term vision and not steeped in any four-year or two-year political leadership,” Miller said. “People know that they can count on it and not worry about ‘oh, in two more years, we have different political leadership, and it’s going to change again.’”

Source: https://planetdetroit.org/2023/02/can-a-stormwater-study-help-metro-detroit-communities-get-along/

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Winter Watershed Events 2022

HURON RIVER WATERSHED COUNCIL

Virtual Master Rain Gardener Training

This March, design your own home rain garden with support from southeast Michigan’s top rain garden design educators, including HRWC!

This weekly virtual course includes presentations on how to create a rain garden, lists of native plants that will help you select suitable matches for the conditions of your lawn, one-on-one feedback from expert instructors, small group breakout Q&A sessions, as well as inspiring in-person rain garden tours across southeast Michigan.

Thursdays, March 3-April 7 (5 weeks) 10am-Noon

Cost: $145 (scholarships available)

Virtual live classroom with in-person tours

REGISTER by February 28 at TheRouge.org/mrg.

Hosted by the Clinton River Watershed Council, Friends of the Detroit River, Friends of the Rouge, Huron River Watershed Council, River Raisin Watershed Council, and the Washtenaw County Water Resources Commissioner.

Sponsored by Pure Oakland Water and the Washtenaw County Water Resources Commissioner.

Volunteer for Chemistry and Flow Monitoring

Help HRWC measure the quality of local rivers and streams this spring and summer!

Collect water samples, measure stream flow and sample runoff from rain storms at stream sites in Washtenaw, Livingston or Wayne counties. Commitment is two or more hours per month, April through September, depending on availability and interest.

ATTEND a Virtual Chemistry and Flow Monitoring Orientation

Saturday, March 19, 1-2:30pm

Additional hands-on training will occur in the field during the first week of sampling.

We have a strong need for volunteers to work downriver.

REGISTER at HRWC.org/volunteer/water-sampling.

Resilient Washtenaw Community Listening Sessions

Help Washtenaw County create an equitable and collaborative vision for carbon neutrality by 2035!

Get email updates, share ideas, map the areas where you experience climate impacts, get involved at the local level.

Share your vision at virtual community listening sessions (by district) on February 3, 8, 9, 15 and 17.

Your opinion matters!

FOR MORE INFORMATION go to ResilientWashtenaw.org

Quiet Adventure Symposium

Ready to start planning your next outdoor adventure? Learn about paddling, hiking, backpacking, biking, and canoeing from some of the best adventure experts out there!

The 27th Annual Quiet Adventures Symposium will be a mix of virtual and on-demand presentations. The virtual event will take place on Tuesday, March 1, 7-9:30pm.

For $10, registered attendees will get a great live hosted night of presentations and have access to over 20 on-demand presentations.

REGISTER at QuietWaterSociety.org.

Fly Fishing Film Tour

Saturday, March 5, 6pm, Michigan Theater, Ann Arbor.

The tour is back thanks to our long-time partners Schultz Outfitters, with a selection of films that are sure to get all local anglers dreaming about fishing the Huron River! From Costa Rica to Australia to Louisiana and beyond, catch the action and amazing stories of anglers from across the globe. HRWC will be there with information about our programs and how you can join us in protecting our home river.

GET TICKETS at FlyFilmTour.com.

Take Action in February!

Catch the Plastic!

Keep microplastic fibers out of our rivers and streams. Shed by synthetic clothes and textiles during laundering, these tiny fibers are not filtered out by the wastewater treatment process.

Washing machine filters and special laundry devices can help. And if you buy a new washing machine, choose a front loader.

LEARN MORE atHRWC.org/microplastics.

FRIENDS OF THE ROUGE/CLINTON RIVER WATERSHED COUNCIL

Become a Master Rain Gardener

This winter, design your own home rain garden with support from southeast Michigan’s top rain garden design educators! Apply now for the Winter 2022 Master Rain Gardener Training Program, taking place Thursday mornings in March.

This virtual course includes one-on-one feedback from expert instructors, small group breakout Q&A community building sessions, as well as inspiring in-person rain garden tours across southeast Michigan.

ABOUT THE MASTER RAIN GARDENER TRAINING PROGRAM

The Master Rain Gardener Training Program began in Washtenaw County in 2010, developed by Susan Bryan, Harry Sheehan, and Shannan Gibb-Randall. Since that time, hundreds of gardeners have earned certification as a Master Rain Gardener and built beautiful rain gardens! Rain Gardens filter and cool stormwater so that our streams and rivers run clean. It is a nonpoint solution for nonpoint source pollution. During class, you will…

Design your own rain garden step-by-step

Receive friendly encouragement each step of the way from course instructors, past graduates, and fellow students

Become your neighborhood’s expert on rain gardens!

TIME: 10am – Noon DATES: Five Thursdays, March 3, 10, 17, 24, and April 7 TOURS (OPTIONAL): Afternoons on…

March 3 (Ann Arbor, Washtenaw County area),

March 17 (Armada, Macomb County area), and

March 24 (Plymouth, Wayne County area),

Additional tour dates and locations TBD

LOCATION: VIRTUAL, with an in-person outdoor tour COST: $89 Early Bird Rate ($380 value; sliding scale scholarships available, minimum fee of $20) $145 for applications received after Feb 17th

FLINT RIVER WATERSHED COALITION

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Fall 2021 Watershed Events!

Friends of the Rouge Events

This October, you have two opportunities to train to become a Master Rain Gardener! Sign up for EITHER an in-person OR virtual Master Rain Gardener class. See below for more information on both course opportunities, as well as information on the free self-paced option.

IN-PERSON 2021 COURSE DETAILS

TIME: 2pm – 5pm

DATES: Five Thursdays, Oct 21, 28, Nov 4, 11, 18

TOURS: built into class schedule, tours in the Plymouth area, carpools available

LOCATION: Plymouth Library, 223 S Main St

COST: $119 Early Bird Rate ($380 value; sliding scale scholarships available, minimum fee of $20) $175 for applications received after Oct 11th

Register HERE

VIRTUAL 2021 COURSE DETAILS

TIME: 10am – Noon

DATES: Five Saturdays, Oct 23, 30, Nov 6, 13, 20

TOURS: Oct 30 from 2pm to 5pm, with tour sites TBD (likely in southern Oakland County and/or Detroit)

LOCATION: VIRTUAL, with an in-person outdoor tour

COST: $99 Early Bird Rate ($380 value; sliding scale scholarships available, minimum fee of $20) $155 for applications received after Oct 11th

Register HERE

SELF-PACED OPTION

Take the self-paced version of the course, or simply watch the video recordings online. If you build a rain garden on your own after watching the recordings, contact us about getting your certification.

PARC Rain Garden Plantings

Location: PARC-Plymouth Arts & Recreation Complex 650 Church St, Plymouth, MI 48170, USA

Description: To learn more, visit https://therouge.org/plant-rain-gardens-fall-2021-volunteer-opportunities/

Organizer: river.rouge47@gmail.com

Created by: mbertrand@therouge.org

9:00am – 12:00pm:

September: 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 8th, 11th, 16th, 17th, 18th, 23rd, 24th, 25th, 30th

October: 1st, 2nd, 7th, 8th

1:00pm – 4:00pm: September: 1st, 3rd, 8th, 17th, 22nd, 23rd, 24th, 29th, 30th, October: 1st, 7th, 8th Beech Woods Rain Garden Plantings

Beech Woods Park: 22200 Beech Rd, Southfield, MI 48033, USA

Description: To learn more, visit https://therouge.org/plant-rain-gardens-fall-2021-volunteer-opportunities/

Organizer: river.rouge47@gmail.com

Created by: mbertrand@therouge.org

9:00am – 12:00pm: September: 10th, 15th

1:00pm – 4:00pm: September: 10th, 15th

Merriman Hollow Workdays

Saturday, September 18 ⋅ 9:00am – 12:00pm Saturday, October 16 ⋅ 9:00am – 12:00pm

Description: Go to therouge.org/merriman-hollow-work-days to learn more and register!

Organizer: river.rouge47@gmail.com

Created by: jheikkila@therouge.org

Bug Hunt Events and Training

We invite you to come along and hunt bugs with us! No prior experience is necessary but PRE-REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED. We need your eyes, hands, and boots on the ground! Children eight and older are welcome when accompanied by a PARTICIPATING adult; groups of up to six people. All volunteers must self-screen for covid symptoms and wear a mask if not fully vaccinated.

Fall Bug Hunt Sat., October 16, 2021 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.

REGISTER HERE REGISTRATION CLOSES OCTOBER 1, 2021

Fall Team Leader Training

If you have attended a Bug Hunt or Stonefly Search or have some experience with benthic macroinvertebrate sampling, please consider taking the next step and becoming a Team Leader. Team Leaders are provided with training and guidance and are asked to be available to lead a team during the spring and fall bug hunts and winter stonefly searches. Sat. Oct. 2, 2021 9am-12pm Email spetrella@therouge.org if interested

Michigan Water School: Essential Resources for Local Officials

FOTR will be offering this training in Sept. 2021.

Our elected and appointed officials are increasingly having to make decisions about our water resources, including the Rouge River. To assist these decision-makers, Friends of the Rouge is partnering with Michigan State University Extension to offer Michigan Water School: Essential Resources for Local Officials.

This two-day training provides critical, relevant information needed to understand Michigan’s water resources, including the fundamentals of water science, in order to support sound water management decisions and increase awareness of current and future local and state water issues.

Huron River Watershed Council Events

Suds on the River 2021

September 9, 2021 @ 6:00 pm – 9:00 pm

Gather with old friends and new at a gorgeous outdoor riverside location to celebrate the Huron River. Savor local artisan brews and dine al fresco on gourmet fare. Enjoy the fresh air, learn how to cast a fly-fishing rod, and gather around a campfire with live acoustic music.

Enjoy gourmet delights and locally crafted brews on the shores of the Huron River. Paddle a canoe, enjoy acoustic music around a campfire, and meet old friends and new. GET YOUR SUDS TICKETS HERE

RECONNECT AND CELEBRATE SAFELY

For over a year, HRWC has taken a safety-first approach at all our activities and events, many of which went virtual. Now that it is safe for outdoor gatherings, we are thrilled to host friends and supporters on the river, once again. For this year’s Suds event will have these COVID-19 protocols in place:

All staff and volunteers will be vaccinated and masked

We are requiring attendees to be vaccinated

Our lovely outdoor setting gives us plenty of room for social distancing, tables will be generously spaced apart

We will follow all state and CDC guidelines

For questions about the event, please contact Wendy Palms, (734) 769-5123

Clinton River Watershed Council Events

WEEKLY CLEANS: Weekly Clean occurs every Wednesday from April-November. Locations will be posted online in advance (prior registration is not required, unless a large group plans on attending). Weekly Cleans are open to individuals of all ages and skill levels.

September: 1st, 8th, 15th, 22nd, 29th @ 10:00am ADOPT-A-STREAM TRAINING: September 8, 2021- 6:30pm-8:30pm (Online Zoom)- Oxford Public Library Register HERE

September 11, 2021- 9:00am-2:00pm (with Bug ID training)

Location: CRWC Office- 1115 W. Avon Rd. Rochester Hills, MI 48309 Register HERE

September 20, 2021-6:30pm-8:30pm (with Bug ID training) Location: Online hosted with Utica Public Library

October 02, 2021 – 8:00am-5:00pm (Fall Monitoring)

2021 TRASH RUNS Join CRWC and Clinton River Canoe & Kayak for a paddle down the Clinton while we pick up trash! Trash runs are intended for individuals 14 years of age and older, and registration is required. Learn More

September 10, 2021- 9:00am-1:00pm

Registration is Required to receive meeting location and route. Register HERE Canoes provided by Clinton River Canoe & Kayak

LANDSCAPING FOR POLLINATORS AND SEED BALL TUTORIAL: Join CRWC and Center Line Parks and Recreation for a presentation on Native Plants for Pollinators and a seed ball workshop!

September 15, 2021- 6:00pm-7:00pm

Location: Center Line Parks & Rec Pavillion #1 25355 Lawrence Ave. Center Line, MI 48015 Register HERE

CLINTON CLEANUP: The Clinton Cleanup is an annual event where volunteers and community organizations participate in cleanups throughout the Clinton River Watershed on the third Saturday in September.

September 18, 2021 – 9:00am

Flint River Watershed Coalition Events

iKayak Inclusive Kayaking:

FRI, SEP 10 AT 6 PM EDT

Our inclusive Kayaking Program provides an opportunity for people with disabilities to participate in adaptive kayaking on beautiful Buell Lake. Equipment, training and 1:1 support included!

There is a $20 suggested donation. If this donation is a barrier to participation, use promo code: Freekayak to waive this fee.

Visit kayakflint.org/ikayak to sign up! For alternative registration and/or questions contact Carrie at 810-742-1800 or carrieg@disnetwork.org

iKayak Inclusive Kayaking | Mindfulness Group

The Disability Network - 14098 N Genesee Rd, Clio, MI 48420-9122, United States

Flint Mindful Kayaking:

September 18th, 2021 & September 19th, 2021

Learn mindfulness practices while experiencing nature right here in our own backyard by kayaking local waterways!

Mindfulness is a basic human capacity that everyone can cultivate to support health, humanity and performance. Mindfulness supports health and well-being for all. The Teen Mindful Kayak's are ages 14-18 and the Adult/Family paddles are ages 8+ (Ages 8-13 must be accompanied by an adult).

September Kayak's will meet at Kayak Flint, located behind Tenacity Brewing

Mindful Kayak Pricing: $20 per person including kayak rental. For those facing financial difficulties - call Crossover Downtown Outreach Ministry at 810-234-2479 to sign-up and have all fees waived. Price includes shuttling, water, guides, and mindfulness practitioners. Lifejackets are required to be worn at all times on the water. All trips are scouted ahead of time. A limited number of canoes and kayaks are available to rent, so REGISTER EARLY!

Ticket Information HERE

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Environmental Great Lakes & Energy (EGLE) Classroom Launches Instructional Video Series

School’s back in session and the opening bell has rung for EGLE Classroom.

As students settle in for a new school year – whether at home or in the classroom – the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) is providing a variety of online videos through its EGLE Classroom initiative that teachers and parents can use to supplement school lessons all year long.

Want to learn more  about how you can interact with the environment? EGLE Classroom will share new content each week hosted by subject matter experts either on EGLE’s staff or through its partners. Environmental education is an essential ingredient  for developing environmental stewardship.

“EGLE Classroom will help instructors to think about how to talk to their students on ways to  interact with the natural world around them,” said Liesl Clark, director of  EGLE. “We want this to be a two-way collaboration and urge teachers and  students to create their own videos that can be shared with others across  Michigan as a statewide resource.”

Director Clark calls the class to order with this video. New material will be released each Tuesday.

We’re also looking for some help from teachers and students around Michigan. Record a quick classroom lesson or demonstration, post it to Twitter using the hashtag  #EGLEClassroom and don’t forget to tag @MichiganEGLE. Sharing knowledge  beyond classroom walls benefits students across the state, wherever and  whenever they are doing their schoolwork.

EGLE also has updated  its EGLE Classroom educational resources webpage.  There, you’ll find classroom resources from EGLE and its partners to assist  students and instructors with information on environmental topics. Come back  to the webpage often as it will be continually updated with new videos and  other instruction materials.

Still looking for  more content that can broaden school or at-home lessons about the  environment? Check out EGLE’s YouTube channel, where we’ve posted dozens  of videos from EnviroMinute shorts to in-depth presentations by staff or  recordings of webinars and public information sessions. There’s the  Brownfield Flip series, Shoreline Stewards, sustainability issues, lectures  and presentations.

Sources: https://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/MIDEQ/bulletins/2a31743

https://www.michigan.gov/egle/0,9429,7-135-3307_3580---,00.html