DETROIT RIVER AREA OF CONCERN

St. Clair- System Initiative March 2, 2017

Claire Sanders, DRCC Melanie Foose, MDEQ AREAS OF CONCERN SCDRS OBJECTIVES AOC Program - Primary Objective: • Complete habitat improvement projects to remove the Loss of Fish and Wildlife Habitat BUI

AOC Program - Secondary Objectives: • Increase riparian complexity/connectivity through increased softened shorelines and native riparian vegetation • Increase continuous area of functional wetlands and their connectivity to the SCDRS • Increase river spawning habitat

DETROIT RIVER AREA OF CONCERN U.S. SIDE

DETROIT RIVER AOC – BENEFICIAL USE IMPAIRMENTS

1. Restrictions on Drinking Water or Taste and Odor Problems – Removed 2011 2. Tainting of Fish and Wildlife Flavor – Removed 2013 3. Degradation of Aesthetics 4. Beach Closings 5. Loss of Fish and Wildlife Habitat 6. Degradation of Fish and Wildlife Populations 7. Degradation of Benthos 8. Restrictions on Activities 9. Bird or Animal Deformities or Reproductive Problems 10. Restrictions on Fish and Wildlife Consumption 11. Fish Tumors or Other Deformities

HABITAT AND POPULATIONS BUIs

DETROIT RIVER HABITAT PROJECTS

1. Blue Heron Lagoon 2. South Fishing Pier 3. US Steel Shoreline 4. Wayne County’s Refuge Gateway Shoreline 5. Detroit River Fish Spawning Reefs • Belle Isle Reef • Grassy Island Reef • Fort Wayne Reef 6. Detroit Upper Riverfront Parks 7. Belle Isle Hydrologic Analysis 8. Belle Isle Flatwoods 9. Lake Okonoka 10. Milliken State Park 11. Hennepin Marsh 12. Stony Island 13. Sugar Island 14. Celeron Island Detroit Upper Riverfront Parks Blue Heron Lagoon Belle Isle Reef

Lake Okonoka Belle Isle Flatwoods

Milliken State Park South Fishing Pier

Belle Isle Hydrologic Analysis Fort Wayne Reef

US Steel Shoreline Grassy Island Reef

Hennepin Marsh

Wayne County Refuge Gateway Shoreline Stony Island

Completed Project Celeron Island Current Project Sugar Island Future Project

South Fishing Pier

Belle Isle Flatwoods

Blue Heron Lagoon

Lake Okonoka MILLIKEN STATE PARK & BELLE ISLE FLATWOODS • Lead – DNR • SOGL Funding for Milliken State Park Design and Construction • SOGL Funding for Belle Isle Fatwoods for Design MILLIKEN STATE PARK

DETROIT RIVERFRONT PARKS PROJECT

• Funded for Design – EPA • National Parks Service and City of Detroit leading community outreach • Tuesday, April 25, 2017 – Community Open House STONY ISLAND Expected Completion: Fall 2017 or Spring 2018

600 Linear Feet of Shoal Islands 10,000 Square Feet of Common Tern Habitat 3,000 Linear Feet of Shoal Restoration/Creation 50 Acres of Back Water Habitat Protected 100 Slab Stone Habitats 41 Basking Logs 37 Basking Log Bundles 34 Gravel Spawning Habitats 10 Mudpuppy Habitat Structures 4 Mudpuppy with Mussel Habitat Structures 2 Acres of Deeper Water Habitat STONY ISLAND STONY ISLAND

STONY ISLAND DETROIT RIVER AREA OF CONCERN CANADIAN SIDE SCDRS Objective 1: Complete habitat improvement projects to remove loss of fish & wildlife habitat BUI

Loss of Fish and Wildlife Habitat (BUI #14) ..will be considered not impaired when:

Aquatic & riparian habitat: Protect existing fish and aquatic wildlife habitat (deep water, coastal, nearshore) and restore ecosystem function of these priority areas in, and hydrologically connected to, the Detroit River.

Coastal wetlands: Protect existing coastal wetland habitat and restore wetland function in priority areas of the AOC and its watershed

Terrestrial habitat: Protect other major existing natural terrestrial corridors and restore ecosystem function between the Detroit River and the Ojibway Prairie Complex, the LaSalle Candidate Natural Heritage sites, and identified habitat sites. AOC Criteria - Aquatic & riparian habitat: Protect existing fish and aquatic wildlife habitat and restore ecosystem function of these priority areas in, and hydrologically connected to, the Detroit River. SCDRS Objective: Increase riparian complexity/connectivity though increased softened shorelines and native riparian veg  8 Shoreline Projects (2.7km of restored shoreline) + assessment of shoreline condition and shoreline alternatives design manual Decision Matrix Ranking of proposed restoration sites - Use existing data and newly collected information & ecological planning theory with basic landscape principles translated to the aquatic environment - ecological, practical and economic methods for the evaluation and ranking of physical habitat restoration actions. Site Locations Map

Location Site Name Restoration Opportunity Proposed Benefits Description Peche Island: North of Island Construct series of breakwaters in Induce establisment of aquatic Site 2 shallow water are north of island vegetation providing spawning & nursery areas Peche Island: Inner Canals Open island's inner canals; construct Improve water quality and reduce Site 4 small current deflector at mouth sedimentation : Western shore @ Construct current deflector at Create open water wetland Site 4 south most northern point of site and extend disposal cell 200m into river; construct off-shore islands in cell water created by current deflector Fighting Island: Western shore and Series of off-shore islands in area of Create open water wetland Site 5 southernmost shallow water shelf disposal cell Fighting Island: South end of Island South end of island: reconstruct Create open water wetland Site 6 historical islands previously lost due to wave action Bois Black Cove on east side Expand existing break wall by Protect cover from wave anc current in (Boblo) Island: of Island installing large boulders; construct the main river; induce aquatic Site 3 similar breakwater to the south of vegetation to establish and provide for the existing dock increased spawning & nursery areas Amherstburg East shoreline Treatment type unknown. Consultant Old Boblo Dock to recommend treatment. Cost Estimates & Designs

Area Alignment Height of Rock Quantity of Each Feature Type Cost/Ha of area Site Alignment Protected Estimated Cost Length (m) Berms (m) (Ha) Type 1 Type 2 Shoals Reefs Protected

Original 900 2.8 11.5 8 4 4 12 $ 2,275,000 $ 200,000 Peche Island Option 1 850 2.7 7.0 8 3 4 12 $ 2,075,000 $ 300,000 Site 2 Option 2 450 2.5 2.5 4 2 2 6 $ 975,000 $ 390,000

Cross Height of Rock Site Length (m) Estimated Cost Section Berm (m)

Peche Island Type 1 Berm 38 2.2 $ 90,000 $ 135,000.00 Site 4 Type 3 Berm 18 2.2 $ 45,000

Cross Total Length Height of Rock Estimated Site Section of Berms (m) Berm (m) Cost

Peche Island Type 1 North East 250 3.6 $ 1,300,000 Berm Shore AOC Criteria - Coastal wetlands: Protect existing coastal wetland habitat and restore wetland function in priority areas of the AOC and its watershed SCDRS Objective: Increase continuous area of ecologically functional wetlands & their connectivity to SCDRS

SCDRS Indicator Canadian Input Percent of accessible Not assessed on Canadian side... tributary habitat. Maintain and increase No net loss of wetlands wetland acreage. Marsh Bird IBI Marsh Bird IBI ranges from Poor-Fair when assessed across the 4 AOC wetlands (typically ‘fair’) Invertebrate IBI Aquatic macroinvertebrate community is typically ‘good’ Amphibian IBI Not assessed on Canadian side. Some Marsh Monitoring data collected by volunteers.

Degradation of Fish and Wildlife Populations

AOC Criteria - Terrestrial habitat: Protect existing natural terrestrial corridors and restore ecosystem function between the Detroit River and the Ojibway Prairie Complex, the LaSalle Candidate Natural Heritage sites, and other major identified habitat sites.

Essex Region Natural Heritage System Strategy (ERNHSS) Challenges & Opportunities

• Assess effectiveness of restoration projects to date • How do we improve our (Bird) IBIs? • Restoration is opportunity based

• Further refine delisting criteria and targets for Degradation of Fish & Wildlife Populations and Loss of Fish & Wildlife Habitat Other BUI Monitoring & Assessments

Benthos BUI Fish Tumours BUI

Phytoplankton & Zooplankton BUI THANK YOU!