Our September News to Us includes a trio of statewide stories about pollution cleanup challenges, improving the health of inland lakes and dam removal. Two additional items about the the Huron River focus on a project to fix Barton Dam in Ann Arbor and a fly fishing podcast featuring HRWC.
Michigan’s weak pollution cleanups are costing future generations
A new report from by Michigan State University and For Love of Water aims to quantify the long-term costs of pollution controls on public health. The study concluded that polluters consistently underestimate the costs of controls like capping soil and fail to remediate contamination. Recommendations include more transparency from polluters and strengthening Michigan’s cleanup laws. Read more about the polluter pay bills introduced in the Michigan legislature last fall that would do just that.
Michigan’s artificial shorelines are making its lakes sick. Can they be healed?
This article spotlights the work of local water steward Craig Kivi and his efforts to improve the quality of Portage Lake in the Huron River watershed. Kivi championed the installation of “fish sticks” near the shoreline as part of a restoration project to provide important habitat for all types of aquatic ecology from microscopic organisms to fish. The article also discusses the impacts of seawalls and other artificial shoreline features on lake ecology and introduces alternative shoreline strategies to improve habitat and lake health. If you live along the lake and river, learn more about how you can be a shoreline steward.
Cleaning up pollution and removing crumbling dams help to restore Michigan rivers
In this piece, Lester Graham from Michigan Public’s Environment Report investigates the opportunities and challenges surrounding dam removal across Michigan. For many projects, accumulated contaminants behind dams complicate progress towards removal. One such project to remove the Plainwell #1 Dam along the Kalamazoo River took decades and over $30 million due to legacy PCBs. Read more about the work being done to return the Kalamazoo River to a more natural state and the river recreation opportunities bolstered by dam removal. In addition, check out a recent blog from HRWC’s Dan Brown with updates on our dam removal efforts in Ypsilanti.
$12M project to fix Barton Dam problems moving forward in Ann Arbor [MLive Subscriber Exclusive Article]
The City of Ann Arbor will be proceeding with a $12 million project to improve the earthen embankment for Barton Dam, whose impounded water provides 85 percent of the drinking water for Ann Arbor. The project will involve construction of a stabilizing berm to mitigate seepage and improve drainage along the base of the dam’s earthen embankment. The construction, which is set to begin soon, will likely impact the Huron River Water Trail portage around Barton Dam. HRWC will share out updates with its audience when available.
🔊Wet Fly Swing Podcast: River restoration, smallmouth bass, and the Great Lakes with Belinda Friis and Ric Lawson🔊
In addition to the print articles above, listen to a recent episode of the Wet Fly Swing podcast featuring HRWC Board member Belinda Friis and HRWC Watershed Planner Ric Lawson, both avid fly fishers along the Huron River. On the podcast they discuss PFAS, smallmouth bass, local fishing outfitters, and the work of HRWC.