Quality water is required to sustain human, animal, and plant species. Protecting the integrity of our water resources is critical to a safe municipal water supply, agriculture, industry, and recreational activities, and ultimately, to the quality of life in southeast Michigan. The rivers and streams that run through our neighborhoods all drain to the very same water system that is the source of drinking water.
The Village of Milford is a partner in the Upper Huron/Kent Lake Subwatershed, which includes the communities of Milford Township, Highland Township, White Lake Township, Commerce Township, City of Wixom, and Village of Wolverine Lake. The Village believes that approaching stormwater management on a subwatershed, cross-jurisdictional basis is both cost-effective and environmentally sound. The Southeast Michigan Council of Governments (SEMCOG) has developed a public eduction program that can be accessed at
www.semcog.org .
A watershed is the whole area from which water drains into a river, lake, or reservoir. Storm drains in our streets connect to underground pipes that lead directly into nearby lakes, creeks, and the Huron River. Any oil, pet waste, leaves, or dirty water from washing your car that enters a storm drain gets into our lakes and rivers. If you wouldn't drink it, don't dump it.
Our everyday activities affect our waterways. Individuals and communities can protect our water resources in many ways. When you fertilize your lawn, you fertilize our lakes and rivers, which causes algae to grow and use oxygen that fish need to survive. Use fertilizer low in phosphorus, select a slow-release fertilizer where at least half of the nitrogen is “water insoluble”, and sweep excess fertilizer back onto your lawn. Fertilizers have three number such as 34-3-4. The middle number is phosphorus. When choosing fertilizer, use one with the lowest possible number for phosphorus. You can also make your lawn easier to maintain by moving high – 3 inches is the rule! Tall grass promotes root growth and shades out weeds. Let grass clippings fall back on the lawn. Clippings recycle nutrients back into the soil, so fertilizer needs can be reduced by 25% or more.
Antifreeze, household cleaners, gasoline, pesticides, oil paints, solvents, and motor oil are just some of the common household products that enter our storm drains. Instead of putting these items in the trash, down the storm drain, or on the ground, bring them to the Civic Center on household hazardous waste day, held annually on the third Saturday in May from 8:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Carefully store and dispose of household cleaners, chemicals, and oil. Identify it – be aware of household products that can harm children, pets, and the environment. The words “danger”, caution”, “warning”, or “toxic” indicate that you need to be careful in how you use and how you dispose of the product. Store it properly – keep unused products in their original containers with labels intact. Select cool, dry storage areas away from children, pets, and wildlife.
Clean up after your pet. Pet waste contains bacteria that is harmful to us and our water – it is a major source of fecal coliform and pathogens in many urban watersheds. Dispose of your pet’s waste promptly in the toilet or trash. Also, feeding ducks and geese may seem harmless, but in fact it can be a nuisance to people and harmful to our water. Feeding waterfowl causes them to become dependent on humans. This in turn, creates unnaturally high populations and problems in our parks and waterways. Waterfowl waste can pollute our water with harmful bacteria.
Practice good car care. Just four quarts of oil from your car’s engine can form an eight-acre oil slick if spilled or dumped down a storm drain. There are over 4 million cars in Southeast Michigan, so even small leaks matter. Keep your car tuned and fix leaks promptly. Not only will this make your car run better and last longer, it will be good for our lakes, streams, and air. When washing your car, keep the polluted water from going into the street and storm drain – consider washing your car on the grass. Your lawn will gladly soak up the excess water.
Choose earth-friendly landscaping. Use pesticides sparingly. Put mulch around trees and plants. Water your lawn only when it needs it (1-2 times a week is usually sufficient) and choose plants native to Michigan. Once established, these plants tolerate dry weather and resist disease.
Save water. When we over water our lawns, it can easily carry pollution to the storm drains and to our lakes and rivers. Consider using a broom instead of a hose to clean sidewalks and driveways. Hosing your driveway sends pollutants into storm drains.
Report illicit discharges. An illicit discharge is the release of untreated sanitary wastewater (including industrial and commercial wastewater) or other polluting materials into a river, stream, or other water body from improper sewage connections. These improper connections include sewage which should be connected to the sanitary sewer but are inappropriately connected to the storm sewer; effluent from improperly designed and/or operated septic systems; sanitary sewer overflows; improper disposal of waste products such as emptying a mobile home holding tank into a catch basin or pouring used motor oil into a catch basin; other discharges not composed entirely of storm water.
To report an illicit discharge, contact the Water Resources Commission at their 24-hour environmental hotline at
248-858-0931. The Storm Water Action Team will investigate your complaint, collect any necessary samples and information, and work with your community and other authorities toward a solution. The office will contact you within 24 hours of your complaint. Requests of anonymity will be respected. For more information, visit
http://www.oakgov.com/water/assets/docs/environmental_unit/hotlinebrochure_mar_2009.pdf .
Riparian Land Management:
According to the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, Fisheries Division, “ninety percent of all wildlife species use riparian areas for some aspect of their existence during their life cycle”.
Ultimately, the battle for a healthy river is won or lost on the land. Although all land within a watershed is important, the land directly next to a river or stream (the riparian area) is critical to its health. Because of the unique conditions next to rivers and streams, riparian areas play an important role in improving water quality, protecting the streamside environment, and preserving biodiversity.
Adequate vegetation in a riparian area helps filter and trap pollutants before they reach surface waters. A lack of plant root structure along stream banks also makes it easier for streams to cut into and erode bank. Evidence of stream bank erosion and stream widening is often evident where landowners have removed trees and replaced them with grasses or manicured lawns. Even small increases in sand erosion into streams can reduce the food supply of fish, which affects the amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals that rely on fish and other aquatic invertebrates for food. The negative effects from erosion ripple upward from the humble caddis fly to the majestic bald eagle.
Mature trees along rivers and streams are critical to stream health because they introduce large woody debris (LWD), which controls how our streams look and how they work. LWD provides food and shelter for aquatic insects, and habitat for reptiles, amphibians, fish, mammals, and birds. LWD in the river channel slows high water velocities, creates plunge pools, and scour holes and hiding places. Any angler that spends time fishing on Michigan rivers for trout, smallmouth bass, or northern pike knows how important it is to have wood in our rivers.
The key to managing riparian corridors is to maintain the natural species that have evolved to grow in conditions specific to that area. Fisheries biologists advocate protecting trees and shrubs in riparian management zones as the best method for preventing and/or reducing soil erosion and provide shade to maintain cool stream temperatures.
