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Tecumseh Herald

Evans Creek runs high through Tecumseh during heavy rains

Submitted by Tecumseh Herald on Wed, 07/09/2008 - 5:27pm.
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Nancy Smith watches as water rises at Hermitage condominiums off Bidwell Street.

By CRISTINA TRAPANI-SCOTT

On most days Evans Creek, a tributary of the River Raisin that stretches 14.62 miles and ends at Globe Pond, trickles past Tecumseh resident Nancy Smith’s Hermitage condominium with a wide bank that she and her neighbors can enjoy. It’s when rains such as those that fell consistently over the last week before skies cleared for the Fourth of July weekend that the creek becomes more like a river and flows fast, nearly reaching the platform of a wooden footbridge that crosses the creek behind her home. Trees that normally stand in her neighbors’ backyards stand in the middle of a strong current of muddy brown water.

According to Smith, the creek receives runoff from close to 17,000 acres of farmland and the last 1.25 miles of the stream that runs through Tecumseh receives the brunt of that runoff. While much of the Evans Creek is under the jurisdiction of the Lenawee County Drain Commission, the portion passing through Tecumseh runs through privately owned property outside the drain commission’s jurisdiction.

For Smith’s neighbors the high waters pose a nuisance. It’s a nuisance she and her neighbors live with as residents on the creek. Still, it’s not simply the high water that Smith is concerned about. It’s the environmental impact on the Evans Creek, the extreme erosion to its banks and the high amount of sediment that is deposited because of the runoff that concerns her most.

“Sediment is a major pollutant impacting the fish and other stream life, in turn impacting on other life along the stream. I just want people to understand how important the water is, and we are just messing it up,” Smith said.

Smith currently serves as treasurer for the River Raisin Watershed Council. Throughout the past two years, the council has developed a management plan that details the conditions of the entire River Raisin watershed, including showing Evans Creek with the highest level of sedimentation of all the River Raisin sub-basins. “Evans Creek is definitely a priority sub-watershed of the River Raisin,” said Gayle Mitchell, executive director of the River Raisin Watershed Council. “There are a lot issues with erosion, not only because we are losing land, but some places are in danger.” She referenced Smith’s condominium complex with waters at flood stage eroding banks inches from the homes.
The management plan must be adopted by the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality in order for the council to receive grant funding. Mitchell said that approval for the plan is anticipated to be received by October. In the mean time, the River Raisin Watershed Council is working with the City of Tecumseh to address remediation. “We’ll need support of the general public. We also need more members and partners in order to get these grants,” she said.

Smith did recently send notification to the City of Tecumseh detailing the history of Evans Creek and the goals that she hopes will be addressed, including reducing the sedimentation coming into the stream and remediation of the erosion that already has occurred.

River Raisin Slideshow

Submitted by River Raisin Wa... on Thu, 07/17/2008 - 11:35am.

Human beings have rejoiced in the splendors of the natural world since the dawn of time.  We share a deep love and appreciation for nature.  For many of us, the natural world has produced indelible images that have shaped our lives and defined our purpose.  Nature inspires us with its majesty, enriches our lives and creates memories that last a lifetime. While we all enjoy experiencing nature, have you ever really pondered the benefits humans derive from it?  There are important emotional and social reasons why humans need to experience the great outdoors from time to time. We all need to get outside and breathe a little fresh air to relax, unwind, or recharge our batteries.  What better place to experience and appreciate nature than in your own backyard………………..the River Raisin Watershed! The River Raisin Watershed is home to the Goose Creek Grasslands Preserve, The Nature Conservancy’s Nan Weston Preserve and Ives Road Fen as well as Michigan State University’s Hidden Lake Gardens and a variety of State Game and Recreational areas.   The River Raisin Watershed is also the home to the Indiana Bat which is the first species to come under the protection of the Endangered Species Act. Threatened and Special Concern species such as  Blanchard’s Cricket Frog, Eastern Massasauga snake, Swamp  Metalmark butterfly and the beautiful Showy Orchis which thrives along stream banks also call the watershed home.  The River Raisin Watershed is home to the world’s most crooked river, the River Raisin.  Eighty four fish species call the River Raisin home.  Four species, the Lake Herring, Greater Redhorse, Eastern Sand Darter and the Silver Shiner (found only in the River Raisin and no where else in Michigan) are listed in Michigan’s Endangered and Threatened Species Program.  At least 216 different genera of aquatic insects and up to 27 species of freshwater mussels live in the River Raisin and its tributaries.  The river system performs important biological and ecological functions that are essential to life itself.  Human life depends on countless interactions among plants, water, animals and microorganisms. The river also factors into a vast array of economic benefits that are essential for agriculture, forestry, fisheries, recreation and human health.  These include kayaking, fishing, skiing and boating,  water for industrial purposes, irrigation for agriculture and drinking water for tens of thousands of people.  Pollinization, germination, seed dispersal, soil generation, nutrient cycling, predation, habitat maintenance, waste breakdown, and pest control are also all dependent upon the local habitat.   Not only is the River Raisin  a valuable and vibrant natural resource, it provides countless social, cultural and aesthetic benefits that are important to our quality of life and economic well-being.   The health of the River Raisin faces multiple threats. High nutrient, sediment, and pesticide inputs enter the river from agriculture, failing septic systems, overuse of residential lawn fertilizers, storm water overflows and confined animal feedlot operations (CAFO’s) among others sources.  Industrial operations have led to toxic pollution in areas of the river.  Land development and the draining of wetlands resulted in increased water flows and waterways that rise quickly during heavy rains.  Serious deterioration of drinking water after rain storms have been documented.  The US Environmental Protection Agency identified nine impaired waterways in the River Raisin watershed and fourteen impairments to a section of the river near its confluence with Lake Erie. Each year, thousands of people visit  parks, lakes and streams in the River Raisin Watershed.  There are even some who come to view the migrating birds or visit local preserves in hopes of spotting an endangered or threatened species.   Visitors spend money on accommodations, food, travel, entertainment and equipment.  This influx of visitors creates seasonal job opportunities and benefits the local economy .  The sheer scale of the benefits provided by the river and wildlife in the River Raisin Watershed to individuals and the economy is one more compelling reason for maintaining and improving the watershed in which we live.   From the perspective of sustainable use, the river and local wildlife is a renewable resource that provides many socioeconomic benefits.  We have much to gain from treating our river as a precious resource and managing water quality in a way that future generations will benefit from.  Governments, industry and the general public must have the  foresight to protect , preserve and enhance the river.  Decisions made today will impact  the environment and the economy for years to come.   We must work together to do all we can to improve our watershed to ensure the tangible and intangible benefits we all receive can be enjoyed for generations to come.  The economic costs of mismanaging the river and the watershed are  far greater than those of protecting them. Sustainable use is a challenge for us to achieve, but it holds the promise of ensuring that human beings can enjoy both a healthy environment and a healthy economy.  The choice is not one or the other.  A healthy river system, can in turn, continue to meet communities’ and individuals’ needs for safe drinking water, agriculture, recreation, and vital ecological services.The River Raisin Watershed Council is working to educate local stakeholders to protect the river, streams, wetlands, and lakes of the River Raisin basin.  Our organization is dedicated to fostering greater understanding of the interdependence of human health and wellbeing with that of all forms of wildlife living within the watershed.   We conduct stream monitoring twice a year at twenty sites throughout the watershed and provide public education to increase awareness of watershed issues.   Successful projects completed by the River Raisin Watershed Council include the development of a comprehensive Watershed Management Plan, implementation of an Adopt-A-Stream monitoring program, the publication of an educational activity book for elementary school students, wetlands analysis report, production of an informative River Raisin watershed map,  creation of a resource library and a seven year comprehensive study on water quality in the River Raisin that is available for download from our website.  We  give educational presentations to schools, agencies, groups and events across the watershed in addition to sponsoring numerous river clean-up events each year.   We also act as a conduit to local stakeholders for information and education and have awarded mini-grants for stewardship projects. You CAN make a difference!!!  Help support our mission to protect, improve and enhance the River Raisin Watershed by becoming a member and volunteerting for our Adopt-A-Stream program!!  Volunteers get hands-on experience monitoirng water quality in the River Raisin!  Clean water is essential to life!!!  Please become a member and help support our mission!  Your contribution will help us continue our programs to make the River Raisin Watershed a better place to live, work and play!! For more information please visit our website. (www.riverraisin.org) 

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