Figure 1: Cattle and ponies on pasture at Calder Dairy. This area will be replanted, and animals will be rotated to maintain vegetation. Picture by Madison Hess of Monroe Conservation District.
Ottawa-Stony North: Fall 2026 Update
The nights are cool and the days are getting shorter. The leaves are showing their colors as the wind whisks through branches, carrying some away. Fall is clearly here and while we at the Washtenaw County Conservation District are sad to see summer leave, we are happy with what we’ve been able to accomplish the past few months within the watershed.
With guidance from the Washtenaw and Monroe County Health Departments, postcards educating residents on Septic System maintenance were sent out to 1,325 residences in Washtenaw and Monroe Counties in early September. Failing septic systems are a major contributor to pollution in surface water. This is the first of several mailings that will help educate residents on steps they can take to ensure their septic system does not fail. More postcards will be sent out in November, so please keep an eye-out for them in your mailbox.
Figure 2: Adam Shedd of Sustainable Ag. Solutions meets with John Calder of Calder Dairy to discuss soil test results and best management practices that will be installed at the farm. Picture by Madison Hess of Monroe Conservation District.
Calder Dairy, a staple in the community, is a key partner on this project and will be installing stormwater management practices on their farm to keep rainwater out of manure and feeding systems. Engineers took soil samples to gather information for a grazing system that will move animals more efficiently on the property. Excluding animals from ponding areas and off worn-out vegetation helps keep water clean and allows plants to take in excess nutrients before it reaches surface water. Installation will begin soon and continue into Winter.
Finally, Susan Bryan of the Washtenaw County Water Resources Office hosted two rain garden events. The first one was hosted at the Mabee Branch Library and introduced the idea of rain gardens and what it takes to build them to about a dozen folks. A rain garden tour was hosted a few days later near Milan, showing a rain garden in action. Susan already has dates lined up for another rain garden workshop and tour for next year so mark your calendars with the dates below:
Rain Garden Workshop: Tuesday, May 18th, 2027, from 6:30pm-8pm at the Milan Public Library 45 Neckel Ct. Milan, MI, 48160)
Rain Garden Tour: Sunday, July 11th, 2027, from 1:00pm-2:30pm at 9556 Stony Creek Rd. Milan, MI, 48160
The Ottawa-Stony North Education and Demonstration project is funded by EGLE’s Nonpoint Source project funded. Be on the lookout for more updates on the project in your local media. If you have questions about the project, you can contact Nick Machinski at Nick@washtenawcd.org or Alex Caccari at Alex@washtenawcd.org.
Nicholas Machinski
he/him
Conservation Specialist
Alex Cacciari
she/her
Farmer Programs Specialist