LANSING — The Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy announced two grant awards totaling $234,050 for two watershed management plans, including one based in Adrian, to control polluted runoff and preserve natural land use.
The plan will set local priorities and select best management practices for restoring and protecting water quality by reducing or preventing sources of sediment, nutrients, and bacteria.
River Raisin Watershed Council in Adrian, Michigan, was awarded over $184,150 to develop a watershed management plan for the Saline-Macon Watershed.
This plan identifies critical areas and specific recommendations to address local E. coli impairments, as well as phosphorus inputs contributing to harmful algal blooms in Western Lake Erie.
In addition, Friends of the Rouge in Plymouth, Michigan, was awarded nearly $50,000 to develop an update to the Rouge River Watershed Management Plan, identifying priority protection areas in the Johnson Creek subwatershed, the only coldwater tributary to the Rouge River.
This update will create a framework for protecting natural land use in a heavily urbanized watershed.
These two projects will develop plans to improve local lakes, streams, and wetlands, as well as help ensure clean drinking water and enhance opportunities for outdoor recreation.