The Van Buren Conservation District has recently been awarded a grant from the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality for the Black River Watershed Project. This will be a three-year project in which we work to implement portions of the Black River Watershed Management Plan. The project will run from April 2006 to March 2009. Project SummaryThe Black River Watershed encompasses 287 square miles in Allegan and Van Buren Counties in southwestern lower Michigan. Three main branches of the river converge and flow into Lake Michigan at South Haven. Pollutants of concern include sediment and nutrients, and sources include streambank and stream channel erosion and stormwater runoff. The overarching goal of the Black River Watershed Project is to implement long-term protection and improvements to water quality in the Black River Watershed. This goal will be approached holistically, rather than relying on short-term “band-aid” solutions. The three primary objectives to achieve this goal are 1) implement Best Management Practices in two high-visibility locations; 2) provide information and education on water quality issues for watershed residents, municipalities and businesses; and 3) provide long term protection of the Black River Watershed through improved local land use policies and land protection.
Link to Michigan DEQ's press release announcing the grant award. |
