| June 8, 2006 |
Polluted stormwater runoff from streets and parking areas negatively impacts rivers like the Au Sable. Stormwater runoff leads to fluctuating water flows, downstream erosion, warmer water temperatures, and adds sediment, trash and potentially hazardous material to the river. For a coldwater trout stream and the community which depends on it, stormwater runoff is one of the worst possible problems a river can have.
Fortuntely, at least in the City of Grayling, local officals, the State of Michigan, and many conservation partners are working to do something about it. By using management practices which help infiltrate stormwater into the soil, water is handled the way nature intended it.
Within the City, the use of infiltration practices are being made possible by Rain Gardens located in the street right-of-way. Currently, Grayling is using 85 of these basins to handle 80% of the stormwater runoff from a 6 block section of the City.
While the basins were dug last fall, this June the Grayling-based nonprofit organization Huron Pines is planting each with native perennial plants, such as Sand Coreopsis, Joe Pye Weed, Smooth Aster, Purple Coneflower, and Butterfly Weed. The deep root systems of these plants help take-up pollutants which are common in stormwater runoff.
Help in planting the rain gardens was provided last Saturday, June 3rd, by the Paul H. Young Chapter of Trout Unlimited. Volunteers spent the day prepping the basins, planting plugs, seeding and mulching. In all, the volunteers were able to complete 10 rain gardens, covering an area of 2,875 square feet. The rain gardens in that area are reducing pollution by more than 80%. The additional 75 rain gardens in this year's project are being planted during mid-June by Huron Pines staff.
(Pictured is an example of one of the sites after planting and the Paul H. Young Chapter of Trout Unlimited working on one of their sites.)
While most of the basins have been planted with "plugs" and seed, a few have larger plant stock in order to show what the Rain Gardens will look like after a couple of years with proper watering. A conveinent example of one to view with larger plant stock located at 207 Brink Street.
Although the basins are being planted and watered this first year of growth, local residents are encouraged to supplement the watering in order to ensure plant establishment. Residents interested in adding additional plants to the Rain Garden basins are also welcome to do so, in order to customize the appearance to meet individual landowner preferences.
To help identify the rain garden sites and explain the project, small signs may be used in several of the basins. Many of the Rain Gardens may also have a small fence or string around them in order to better protect them as plants are being established. Once established, the Rain Gardens are very low maintenance.
The Grayling Stormwater Project was started in 2003, with completion scheduled for 2008. Because it is a first of its kind, demonstration project, support from outside the community covers approximately 85% of the costs, with $758,000 supplied through a Clean Michigan Initiative grant from the State of Michigan, $120,000 coming from conservation-minded groups, business and individuals from both the Grayling area and across the region, and the City of Grayling supplying $127,000.
In addition to volunteer time, the Paul H. Young Chapter of Trout Unlimited has contributed $22,000 toward the implementation project. Both the Michigan Fly Fishing Club and the Trout Bum Bar-B-Q are major project sponsors as well.
For questions about the project, please email info@huronpines.org or contact Jill Scarzo, Huron Pines Program Assistant, at 344-0753 ext. 21. Anyone interested in volunteering to assist with either planting or maintaining rain gardens should also be sure to call.
Huron Pines conserves the forests, lakes, and streams throughout Northeast Michigan. For additional conservation project information, visit www.huronpines.org
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| info@huronpines.org |
Grayling, Michigan
Au Sable River |
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