A healthy functioning river system protects us from flooding and provides clean drinking water and recreational benefits. Changing temperatures and rainfall patterns bring a whole new set of challenges and preparing the Huron River takes more than one approach.
We’ve been adapting quite a bit at HRWC these days as we hunker down in our stay home, stay safe places and move our operations to remote locations. In consideration of adaptation and resilience, I thought I’d bring back a video we produced a few years ago on our work to adapt the river to a changing climate. Enjoy!
This video covers a few approaches that were part of a larger climate change project. Additional efforts included working with the five watershed townships that have state designated Natural Rivers Districts (NRD) along the Huron River. Some of these townships include policies that protect riparian areas from development in their local ordinances and some do not. NRDs are more effective when the local township can manage permitting through its own ordinances instead of sending requests to the State to process. Our goal was to help these communities incorporate NRDs into their local ordinances. We are pleased to report that Webster Township changed their ordinances to include the NRD regulations! We also worked with all five townships to mail brochures to every resident who lives in a NRD to inform them of the law and who to contact for permits.
Check out other HRWC climate change projects here.