Study

We monitor chemistry and flow, assess habitat, and identify plants and river bugs that are sensitive to changes in the environment to gauge the health of land and water throughout the watershed.

Protect

We use our data to make informed recommendations to decision makers and practitioners on policy and other ways they can support clean water.

Restore

In the watershed we give nature a chance to recover. For example, we restore habitat, remove dams, and turn artificially straightened creek channels into curvy creeks to benefit aquatic life.

Connect

We connect people to the river by providing information and volunteer opportunities. We also work with local governments and businesses to feature the scenic Huron River in their communities and promote recreation.

OUR PROGRAMS

Biological Monitoring

We have been monitoring our watershed’s rivers and creeks for over 30 years so we can carefully track changes in our water. River Volunteers work with our scientists to collect and identify river creatures during three single day events every year.

Chemistry and Flow Monitoring

Volunteers collect water samples and take flow measurements. We lead this program for communities in the Middle Huron Initiative (MHI), the Alliance for Downriver Watersheds, and the Livingston Watershed Advisory Group (WAG).

Natural Areas Assessments

We partner with local communities, land conservancies, and property owners to assess and protect natural areas. We then work on creative solutions to protect high quality natural areas.

RiverUp!

We partner with businesses, governments, and community leaders to spark a river renaissance by investing in river recreation, local economic development, and improving the health of the river.

Education, Outreach, and Knowledge Networks

We partner with schools to inspire watershed protection among students of all ages. We also build relationships among communities across the watershed and work with the agricultural sector to secure funding for practices that protect water. We organize and present at conferences, consult on public outreach, and connect people to the right organization or government department to resolve an issue or inquiry.

Climate Change

We bring together community partners to examine the changing climate and how communities in the watershed and Michigan can maintain quality of life under projected scenarios. We also do restoration projects that help the river prepare for climate change.

Watershed Management Planning

One of our core functions is to create watershed management plans (WMPs) that serve as roadmaps for local governments, stakeholders, and other development planners. Our WMPs outline ways for communities to address problems while growing their economies and infrastructure to meet the needs of residents and businesses. We also lead Stormwater Groups to help communities implement the plans.

Green Infrastructure

We partner with developers, land use planners, and local governments to incorporate nature into infrastructure planning and projects. We plant rain gardens in public areas, promote shoreline buffer zones, and green streets to absorb stormwater runoff.

ADVOCACY AND POLICY

HRWC works with citizens and local and state representatives to enact policies and ordinances to protect the watershed’s land and water. Examples include banning toxic coal tar road sealants, speaking out against ground water contamination such as dioxane, and providing information on new areas of concern with lawmakers.

Dams and Impoundments

HRWC assesses the systematic problems caused by the one hundred dams in our watershed. We work with communities, dam owners, and dam operators to improve dam functionality or restore the river through strategic dam removal.

Clean-up and Restoration

We partner with local groups to clean up trash in the river. We’ve also built structures to support wildlife habitats such a rock vanes for fish and platforms for Osprey.

Lakes

The Huron River watershed has many lakes in its basin. Dive into these projects to learn more about how HRWC and our partners protect and restore these precious ecosystems - and how YOU can get involved!

STORMWATER GROUPS

HRWC partners with communities in the Upper, Middle, and Lower Huron areas to monitor water quality and address stormwater runoff. These municipal partnerships include the Livingston Watershed Advisory Group, the Middle Huron Partners, and the Alliance of Downriver Watersheds.

Upper Huron

The Livingston Watershed Advisory Group (WAG) is a collaborative membership group. HRWC developed watershed management plans for the Huron Chain of Lakes and Upper Shiawassee River watersheds in Livingston County with this group. The WAG now works together to implement activities that were recommended by those plans. They are also interested in adding the Red Cedar River watershed.

Middle Huron

The Middle Huron Program sets actions to reduce pollution in the middle section of the Huron River Watershed. Go here to access the Middle Huron Initiative and the Middle Huron Stormwater Advisory Group pages.

Lower Huron

HRWC has worked with communities in the lower Huron for many years: first we facilitated and produced a stormwater management plan. Today, we work with several committees, which have formally merged to create the Alliance for Downriver Watersheds (ADW), to carry out the plan. HRWC monitors the river and tributaries for the ADW and provides outreach materials for the area's communities to distribute.

Featured Projects

4th- 12th Grade Education

We offer stream-side and in-school programming to teach students about water quality and ways to protect the watershed.

Listen> Learn> Connect

We're finding new ways to connect with watershed residents who live in areas that are less engaged with our projects and programs over the last decade.

PFAS: Addressing the Pollution

Regulation and enforcement are needed. HRWC is working with the State, researchers, and other organizations to address these chemical contaminants.