Figure 1: The Ottawa-Stony (North) watershed begins in Washtenaw County and flows through Wayne and Monroe counties before emptying into the Western Lake Erie Basin.
This is the first in a series of articles dedicated to updating the public on the progress of the Ottawa-Stony North Watershed Management Project (OSN WMP).
by Nicholas Machinski, Conservation Specialist
The Ottawa-Stony North (OSN) is the northern half of the Ottawa-Stony Watershed. The Ottawa-Stony is actually cut in half thanks to the Raisin River. While its southern boundaries contain most of Monroe County and extends into Ohio, its northern border includes Monroe, Washtenaw, and Wayne County (Figure 1).
So why is this watershed so important? The Ottawa-Stony is a large watershed that is part of the larger Western Lake Erie Basin (WLEB), a watershed which has been the focus of environmental efforts for years in order to reduce nutrient loading into Lake Erie. While the Raisin River and the Huron River (technically not part of the WLEB but empties into the Detroit River and then into Lake Erie) have watershed management plans to help focus projects and best management practices, Ottawa-Stony has not has never had one.
Ok, technically that is partially true. It has never had an approved watershed management plan completed; one that conservation organizations can implement. Back in 2005, a plan was written for most of the watershed by professors at Eastern Michigan University. However, it was never approved by the state and so could not apply for funding to put conservation projects in practice. Even further (1996) back a watershed plan was written for Paint Creek by WCCD. At that time the concern was that waters were warming too much within the watershed to be a home for brown trout (Figure 2). That plan implemented some wetlands and filter strips on farmland that are actually still in use today.
To tackle some of the problems facing Lake Erie it is key for all watersheds to be given the attention they deserve. So, in 2020, the idea arose to apply for a grant through Michigan’s Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy (EGLE) Non-point Source Program. In 2021, WCCD was awarded grant to undertake the project in partnership with the Monroe Conservation District and local governments.
Since, then we have been hard at work gathering data from tillage practices to water quality which will be used to inform decisions when the plan is being written. However, the comments and feedback from the residents within the watershed are also crucial to create the most inclusive and effective watershed management plan. Only after the plan is written can we implement action to improve the water quality within Ottawa-Stony and by extension Lake Erie.