By Hannah Bradshaw, Outreach Coordinator
Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) announced this week that the Washtenaw County Conservation District (WCCD), in partnership with the Monroe Conservation District (MCD), have been selected to receive $175,033 in funding over two years to update the Ottawa/Stony Creek Watershed management plan.
Ottawa/Stony Creek Watershed is a tributary to the Western Lake Erie Basin and covers rural, peri-urban and urban areas in primarily Monroe and Washtenaw counties. This area is mostly agricultural and discharges pollutants such as sediment, nutrients and bacteria into Lake Erie. The project will include agricultural surveys, water quality monitoring, wetland assessment and stakeholder focus groups to gather information about current conditions and select the best strategies for addressing local and Lake Erie water related issues.
Additional partners in this management plan update include the Washtenaw County Water Resources Commissioner's Office, Monroe County Water Resources, the Farmer-Led Conservation Group, Townships (Ypsilanti, Pittsfield, York, Augusta, Exeter, Berlin Charter, Frenchtown Charter), the Village of Maybee, Washtenaw and Monroe County Health Departments.
Once the plan is updated and approved, the Ottawa/Stony Creek Watershed will be eligible for implementation grants through EGLE that will address causes of nonpoint source pollution in the watershed.
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