| May 9, 2007 |
GRAYLING—This week, the city of Grayling will reach an important milestone in the continuing effort to keep one of the nation’s premier trout fishing and canoeing streams clean for this and future generations. On Wednesday, May 9, contractors will use a crane to install the final of seven Vortechnic units, or oil-grease separators, in downtown Grayling. The Vortechnic units work by filtering out oils and sediments from rainwater runoff, allowing cleaner water to flow into the river.
The installation of the Vortechnic unit on Wednesday means that Grayling has addressed all nine major outfalls of stormwater into the river through different Best Management Practices (BMPs), or actions like the Vortechnic units, detention ponds, or rain gardens that filter and absorb polluted runoff from a neighborhood south of downtown. These BMPs are part of the Grayling Stormwater Project, a pilot project by the State of Michigan and the City of Grayling to improve the water quality of the Au Sable River, meaning cleaner, colder water for trout and a more beautiful river for canoeing and other recreation.
The Grayling Stormwater Project provides an example for how communities in Michigan can take the initiative to manage their stormwater and protect their resources before pollution becomes impossible to remediate. The collaborative efforts of state and city officials, recreational groups, and active individuals like Grayling Stormwater Project Committee Chairman Steve Southard have created a legacy of environmental action that will impact future generations of tourists, anglers, and Michigan residents.
Southard commented, “To our knowledge, this may be the first and only example in Michigan, and possibly in the whole country, such a community-wide pro-active effort has been undertaken to protect a high-quality stream such as the Au Sable from potential degradation caused by stormwater discharges. We are thrilled about having reached this milestone in the project and look forward to carrying the effort through to conclusion.”
Funding for the project was provided by a grant by the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality’s Nonpoint Source Program for the Clean Water Initiative and local matching funds from the City of Grayling, the Michigan Department of Transportation, the Trout Bum Bar-B-Q, the Paul H. Young Chapter of Trout Unlimited, the Michigan Fly Fishing Club, and many local groups and individuals.
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| Jennifer Muladore, ecologist
(989) 348-9319 ext. 30
jennifer@huronpines.org |
| Grayling, MI |
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