State of Michigan

07/12/2021 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 07/12/2021 10:54

Two Southeast Michigan organizations awarded EGLE watershed planning grants

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

July 12, 2021
Nick Assendelft, Public Information Officer, [email protected], 517-388-3135
Robert Sweet, Nonpoint Source Grants Coordinator, [email protected], 517-512-9765

The Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) today announced two grants totaling $276,000 for projects that will develop watershed management plans to control polluted runoff. The plans will set local priorities and select best management practices for restoring and protecting water quality by reducing sources of sediment, nutrients and bacteria.

These watershed management planning projects are funded through the federal Clean Water Act. The projects will help improve local lakes, streams and wetlands as well as enhance conditions in the Western Lake Erie Basin.

The following organizations were awarded funding:

  • Washtenaw County Conservation District, $175,033, to develop a new watershed management plan for the Ottawa/Stony Creek watershed, a tributary to the Western Lake Erie Basin. This primarily agricultural area discharges pollutants such as sediment, nutrients and bacteria into Lake Erie. The project will include agricultural surveys, water quality monitoring, wetland assessment and stakeholder focus groups to gather information about current conditions and select the best strategies for addressing local and Lake Erie water related issues.
  • River Raisin Watershed Council, $100,967, to develop a new watershed management plan for the Upper Wolf Creek watershed, a tributary of the River Raisin with known water quality impairments and concerns about harmful algal blooms. The project includes water quality monitoring, agricultural surveys, wetland assessment and modeling to prioritize pollutant sources and help choose solutions.

EGLE's Nonpoint Source Program issues annual requests for proposals for projects implementing approved watershed management plans. The next request for proposals will be available in mid-July and posted at Michigan.gov/NPS.

In May, the Nonpoint Source Program announced 18 grants totaling $600,000 for projects that will support watershed organizations with conservation and educational efforts. In June, 11 grants totaling more than $4.7 million were announced for watershed management projects that will benefit wetlands, lakes and streams.

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