Michigan DEQ announces successes of River Raisin restoration

The Michigan Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) announced several new developments on the River Raisin on Tuesday, which, after three decades of designation as an area of concern, is beginning to recover through environmental projects funded by the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI).

According to the DEQ, the GLRI has provided more than $6.5 million toward the River Raisin’s restoration, which was carried out by the city of Monroe and the Michigan Department of Natural Resources. Projects have included the removal or retrofitting of dams created in the 1930s, enabling fish to move past them and reach wetland restorations in Sterling State Park.

The success of this work was seen this month, when the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) removed two of the river’s beneficial use impairments, which are specific problems that areas of concern must face to recover.

According to the EPA, the River Raisin restoration projects have tackled the impairments of Loss of Fish & Wildlife Habitat and Degradation of Fish & Wildlife Populations. This action by the EPA means that the river’s ability to provide a habitat for fish and wildlife is improved enough for healthy populations.