Cameron Davis, senior advisor for the Great Lakes at EPA; Sen. Carl Levin; and Andy Knott, Executive Director, announce the Watershed Center's $2.2 million in Great Lakes Restoration Initiative funding. Photo courtesy of Grand Traverse Regional Land Conservancy, copyright by Gary L. Howe.

The Watershed Center Grand Traverse Bay has been awarded three grants totaling $2.2 million to install improved runoff filtration systems in Suttons Bay and Traverse City, and to manage sediments as two dams are removed on the Boardman River.  

This funding comes from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Great Lakes Restoration Initiative.  More than 95 percent of this funding will be invested in on-the-ground projects in local communities.

“We are honored to be awarded these critically needed funds to protect our vital water resources,” said Andy Knott, Executive Director.  “Grand Traverse Bay and its 1,000 square-mile watershed are the foundation of our region’s economy and our Up North quality of life.”      

The Suttons Bay project involves working with the Village of Suttons Bay to install runoff drain systems using green infrastructure techniques.  “By managing runoff from the three largest storm drains in Suttons Bay, we hope to drastically decrease public health risks at local beaches associated with runoff,” said Sarah U’Ren, Program Director.  The new drain systems will also eliminate bacteria sources originating from storm drains at the Village’s two heavily used family swimming beaches.

Two of the three drain systems will be combined into one and diverted into an existing wetland between the marina and coal dock.  The other drain will be diverted into a biodetention basin on the north side of the beach near the marina.  Both drains will include pretreatment to remove litter and sediment.  This project will also be integrated with other planned park, TART trail and road improvements in Suttons Bay.  The Watershed Center will work with MDOT, the Leelanau County Road Commission and the Army Corps of Engineers among others.

The green techniques under consideration include a bioretention basin, porous pavement and underground storage.  All these techniques treat runoff by natural filtration rather than direct discharge to surface water.  Bioretention basins, or rain gardens, are shallow depressions containing attractive plants that retain and filter water.  Porous pavement readily absorbs water before releasing it to groundwater.  Underground storage utilizes an underground pipe that stores and slowly releases water to groundwater. 

Pervious pavement readily absorbs runoff. This pervious pavement is at Parking Lot K in Traverse City, across Union Street from the Post Office.

The Traverse City project involves working with the City of Traverse City to install a runoff filtering system at East Bay Park to reduce bacterial contamination at the beach.  “The ultimate goal is to remove East Bay Park from Michigan’s Impaired Waters list,” said U’Ren.  Techniques under consideration for this project include installing an underground vault system equipped with an antimicrobial filter.    

The Boardman dams project will manage sediment to protect aquatic habitat during removal of Brown Bridge and Sabin dams.  “These funds provide a significant boost to the largest river restoration project in Michigan,” said Knott.  Removing the two dams is part of a larger project that involves removing a third dam and modifying a fourth.  Removing the two dams will restore 184 acres of wetlands, 32 acres of upland habitat and 2.2 miles of coldwater river habitat.     

Knott emphasized the importance of regional collaboration through the Grand Vision as factors in receiving these funds.  All three grant applications cited the Grand Vision and other community collaborations.  “More than 12,000 citizens crafted the Grand Vision, which includes protecting our magnificent natural resources as a guiding principle,” said Knott.  “These grants fund shovel-ready, on-the-ground projects to help realize that vision.” 

Grant awards for each project are $987,000 for Suttons Bay; $768,000 for Traverse City; and $533,000 for the Boardman dams.   Engineering work for the projects will begin this fall with construction beginning in spring 2012.