With warmer days ahead come opportunities to explore our local waters and rivers. This month’s News to Us showcases a few such opportunities, including walleye fishing in the Detroit River and statewide inland lake monitoring. Our other selected articles investigate the impacts of private septic systems, road salt, and aging infrastructure on our region’s water quality.
Michigan’s newest PFAS threat: Contamination from household septic systems
An investigation into PFAS contamination of private drinking water wells in Cadillac, Michigan revealed an unlikely culprit: household septic systems. After initially suspecting the PFAS contamination to be from industrial sources, state investigators found that residents may have unknowingly contributed to the contamination by flushing everyday products containing PFAS into their septic systems. This situation underscores potential risk to millions of Michiganders who rely on loosely regulated, unmonitored private drinking water wells and septic systems. Current state and federal PFAS remediation efforts largely focus on point source polluters like military bases and factories, leaving highly localized, nonpoint source PFAS contamination largely unaddressed.
Michiganders can sign up for volunteer lake monitor training through the Michigan Clean Water Corps
The Michigan Clean Water Corps (MiCorps) is offering training sessions in late April for volunteers interested in monitoring lake water quality this summer via its Cooperative Lakes Monitoring Program (CLMP). These sessions, both in-person and virtual, will teach participants about data collection procedures for monitoring water quality, invasive species, and shoreline ecosystems. Volunteers will gather data on various aspects of lake health, which will be used for lake management and research. The Huron River Watershed Council is a part of the MiCorps core leadership team and can answer any questions regarding MiCorps and CLMP.
Salty streams: Road salt runoff stresses urban waterways
Road salt runoff in urban areas is contributing to high levels of chloride in our waterways, which can negatively impact aquatic life. During the winter, urban areas use a substantial amount of road salt to keep driving safe amidst snowy and icy conditions. The salt applied to our roads can runoff into nearby groundwater, streams, and rivers which can harm aquatic life and disrupt ecosystems. Recent data collected by HRWC indicates higher-than-healthy chloride concentrations in many of Ann Arbor’s urban tributaries to the Huron River. Click here for information on how you can mitigate salt runoff from your household.
Fishing frenzy: Walleye are attractive for Downriver anglers
The spring walleye spawning run is here, attracting anglers from across the region and contributing over $1 billion to the Great Lakes economy. This annual event promises exciting fishing opportunities as 14 million walleye journey from Lake Erie up the Detroit River to lay their eggs. Recent restoration efforts have led to the construction of 11 spawning reefs to support fish populations. However, the long-term decimation of wetlands makes it challenging for young fish to survive. Dive into this article from the News-Herald for more information on great places to fish in the Downriver area.
Civil engineers say Michigan stormwater system is drowning in aged infrastructure
Michigan’s stormwater system faces significant challenges as it ages. The American Society of Civil Engineers latest infrastructure report card gave Michigan’s stormwater system a “D” grade, highlighting its inability to handle increasingly severe rainfall events. This outdated system compounded with the more intense precipitation events due to climate change have led to significant flooding issues in recent years. With increased investment, Michigan can ensure its water infrastructure is more resilient for future conditions.