Happenings in Your ‘shed The Blue Watershed News St. Clair County Water Quality “Leopold Education Project” Sustainable Stormwater Board Meetings Workshop Management Workshop Issue 3 Fall 2005 A biannual publication of the St. Clair County Storm Water Program The public are welcome. November 5, 2005, 8:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. October 25, 2005; 8:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. Second Thursdays of the month; 2:00 p.m. This workshop is free. Fee: $75.00 St. Clair County Administration Bldg Pine River Nature Center, Goodells, MI Troy Marriott What Is a Watershed? Meeting Room #1 upstairs Contact Wendy Cheek at (616) 688-5172 200 Big Beaver Road, Troy, MI A watershed is an area of land that Green Roofs Have Landed in St. Contact Geoff Donaldson (810) 989-6950 or [email protected] Contact Shawn Keenan at (248) 391-3777 drains runoff to a common stream, river or lake. We all live in a Clair County watershed! “Right to Farm” Workshop “Protecting Michigan’s Wetlands” Ira Township is undertaking an For more information October 27, 2005, 6:45 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. Workshops What is Watershed innovative and proactive approach to Fee: $7.00 on any of these October 26, 2005 in Rochester Hills, or events or to add your Planning? managing stormwater by ‘greening’ their St. Clair County Metropolitan Planning November 2, 2005 in Chelsea event to our fire hall roof. A growing number of St. Clair County Administration Bldg 1:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. In 2003, the United States 200 Grand River Avenue, Port Huron, MI calendar, please businesses and residents are turning to Fee: $35.00 contact Sheri Faust Environmental Protection Agency To register: (810) 987-5931 East Michigan Environmental Action Council mandated that St. Clair County green roofs as a ‘natural’ solution to at (810) 987-5306. (248) 258-5188 or [email protected] and seventeen communities work storm water quality and quantity issues. together to address water quality in our watersheds. The intent of green roofs is to soak up and then slowly release rainwater into sewer systems or ditches, because If you no lon ger wish to receive The Blue Watershed News by mail, or you are not yet on our mailing list and would like to receive the newsletter These entities are working electronically or by mail, please call 810.987.5306 and leave your name, address, phone number, email, and whether you wish to be added or removed drainage from today’s concrete-covered together to outline actions they from the mailing list. must take to improve the quality of landscapes can overwhelm our systems. Mike Monterusso from Xero Flor America lays the Green roofs not only retain the rainwater, final layer of the green roof, a sedum vegetation This newsletter is distributed by the St. Clair County Storm Water Program on behalf of the Northeastern Watersheds (includes the Black River, St. Clair our rivers, lakes and streams. mat, on a Port Huron resident’s roof. but also moderate the temperature of the River and Lake Huron subwatersheds) and the Anchor Bay Watershed advisory groups. water and act as a natural filter for any of This process is called Watershed the water that happens to run off. Planning because actions must be In Port Huron, a resident installed a small taken across an entire watershed green roof this summer. If you are Rain falling on a green roof such as the in order for water quality to interested in learning more about these one that will be installed in Ira Township improve. green roofs, contact Kristen O’Reilly Jurs is absorbed by sedum, a drought- to set up an appointment at (810) 987- resistant succulent that can survive harsh St. Clair County We Need Your Help! 5306 or [email protected]. dry conditions. Health Department We want to hear about the water quality problems you see and the Excess runoff that Ira Township’s green Online Division of actions you want taken to resolve roof cannot absorb will be diverted to a www.greenroofs.com Environmental Health them. The best information we rain garden, which will absorb the excess www.thehenryford.com/rouge receive is from residents who live flow and filter out contaminants. The www.stclaircountystormwater.org Storm Water Program along a river, stream, creek, ditch remaining runoff will slowly filter into or drain. Dial the 24-hour Water th Swan Creek at a steady pace. Overall 3415 28 Street Quality Hotline at (810) 987-7253. this will help reduce heavy flows and Household Hazardous Port Huron, MI 48060 reduce runoff pollution to Swan Creek Waste accepted all year Northeastern Watershed during a rain event. PHONE long! Active Partners (810 ) 987 - 5306 St. Clair County Marine City To take full advantage of this cutting- ● Oil-based paints Marysville Port Huron edge sustainable technology Ira FAX ● Varnish St. Clair Clyde Twp Township secured a grant from the (810) 985 – 5533 ● Cleaners Burtchville Twp Kimball Twp Michigan Department of Environmental ● Gasoline East China Twp St. Clair Twp Quality. The grant came as a result of 24-HOUR HOTLINE ● Household batteries Fort Gratiot Twp Port Huron Twp Anchor Bay Watershed’s completed (810 ) 987-7253 ● And more Watershed Management Plan. Anchor Bay Watershed Appointments required Active Partners Besides natural storm water Smiths Creek Landfill St. Clair County Casco Twp management, other green roof benefits 6779 Smiths Creek Road include adding insulation and extending a Ira Twp Algonac Smiths Creek, MI 48074 roof’s life, reducing energy costs, and Cottreville Twp Clay Twp (810) 367-3061 Macomb County Lenox Twp preserving biodiversity. Our Water. Our Future. Ours to Protect. City of Richmond New Baltimore Ches terfield Twp Which watershed do you live in? Visit www.stclaircountystormwater.org! The Blue Watershed News The Blue Watershed News Making Sense of Watershed Stormwater Public River Day Event Highlights Goose Patrol Control Programs On Saturday, June 11, 2005 over Planning in St. Clair County Canada geese are a valuable Che ck out the variou s 1,000 residents descended on St. Clair resource that provides In March 2003, watershed planning enjoyment for birdwatchers, program s we offer to families, County to celebrate its rivers, lakes municipalities, youth groups, and bays. began in St. Clair County under federal hunters, and the public. schools, and civic groups. For a Phase II Storm Water regulations. However, the large population The purpose of River Day is to compl ete look at all of our Although these regulations create a of Canada geese in this area enhance our abundant water resources prog rams call Sheri Faust at strain on tight budgets, they have can cause problems through recreation, education, and (810 ) 987-5306 or visit resulted in the elimination of hundreds associated with water quality. stewardship activities. of failing septic systems, the www.stclairco untystormwater.org. development of public education What is the problem? The inaugural River Day event kicked Pollution Solutions activities (such as this newsletter, River Most complaints about geese off with over forty events offered Port Huron Township held their 18th annual This free, traveling hands-on Day and watershed road signs) and are from residents and free fishing clinic at the W P Thompson pres entation helps students Pond during River Day. increased discussion on water resource businesses frustrated with and adults relate the water management between municipalities goose droppings. When and County agencies. Because the cycle and pollution sources to simultaneously across the county ready geese concentrate on a site, their daily lives. Participants storm water requirements are droppings become an to capture everyone’s interests from “pollute” a St. Clair County hiking, to fishing to paddling, cleaning, numerous, demanding, and confusing, a aesthetic problem particularly watersh ed model and then planting and playing! summary is provided below on what the on lawns, beaches, docks, watch the affects of a watershed groups have accomplished. sidewalks and golf courses. homem ade rain storm and discuss water quality problems Did you miss River Day this In 2001, before Phase II Storm Water St. Clair County is made up of seven Goose droppings can also different watersheds. and solutions. year? Join us next year to regulations, St. Clair County received a pollute ponds, lakes, sand and celebrate Saturday, Hundreds of children kept cool during the grant to jump-start a Watershed streams. Droppings result in June 10, 2006! Storm Drain Marking grand opening of the Splashpad at Goodells Management Plan (WMP) for Anchor Enhance Recreational Uses; 2) elevated bacteria and nutrient County Park during River Day. Restore & Protect Aquatic Life, Voluntee rs label storm drains Bay. Fourteen municipalities and St. levels, which can contribute to Wildlife, and Habitat, 3) Protect Public with “No Polluting, Drains to Clair and Macomb Counties developed excessive algae growth and this WMP over the course of two years. Health; and 4) Reduce Impacts from Wate rways” permanent decals. closure of public swimming The WMP lays out the priority actions Peak Flows. areas. These decals promote the link between storm drains, run-off Coming To a Road Near You local government should take to address Anchor Bay’s water quality issues. This In 2003, the Northeastern Watersheds and water pollution. Door More than 25 new signs are being Low Cost Solutions past year, the group updated the plan Group formed to coordinate efforts hangers are distributed to installed on county roadways to mark Geese prefer a large, home s in the area where storm and began addressing one of its that meet the storm water regulations. unobstructed lawn area next the boundaries and river crossings recommendations: to reduce storm This watershed group is made up of drains are marked.