Water Protection Activities in Washtenaw County

B4 - Plan 4: Watershed Plan for the Huron River in the Ann
Arbor – Ypsilanti Metropolitan Area
Plan Date: Updated March 2000
The Washtenaw County Office of the Drain Commissioner
manages and updates the Watershed Plan for the Huron River
in the Ann Arbor – Ypsilanti Metropolitan Area. This plan was
originally prepared in 1994 by the Washtenaw County Office
of the Drain Commissioner and the Huron River Watershed
Council. The plan was revised in 2000 and is scheduled for
further revision in 2007. The plan covers the middle portion of
the Huron River including all or portions of Salem, Scio, Ann
Arbor, Superior, Pittsfield, and Ypsilanti Townships and the
Cities of Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti. The following Huron River
Sub-basins/Creeksheds are covered: Fleming, Traver, Honey,
Allen, Miller, Malletts, Swift Run, and Ford Lake. The plan
covers an area of approximately 73,300 acres.
The plan identifies major impairments to the watershed area
and describes associated sources and impacts. Identified
impairments include: excess nutrients, sedimentation, toxic
compounds, pathogens, E. coli, litter and debris, temperature,
and flow issues. A description of each of these impairments is
provided. There are 10 Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs)
currently in place or scheduled for development in this
watershed to address problems with phosphorus, E. coli, fish
consumption advisories, polychlorinated biphenyls, pathogens,
poor fish and macro invertebrate communities, and elevated
mercury in fish tissue.
The plan describes watershed management activities intended
to mitigate the impairments and lists them in three categories
as: “completed”, “ongoing”, or a “recent initiative”. On-going
programs include “Adopt-a-Stream” and “Community Partners
134
for Clean Streams”. The recent initiatives section of the plan
describes many programs including the Middle Huron
Phosphorus Reduction Initiative, the Malletts Creek
Restoration Project, and the “Time of Sale” on-site well and
septic inspection program.
The plan also contains a list of recommendations that aim to
protect the Michigan designated uses that are threatened, and
includes an additional designated use based on local concern –
Recreation and Urban Amenity Opportunities. The
recommendations are grouped into the following categories:
Best Management Practices (BMPs), Education and
Community Involvement, Planning Regulations and Policy,
Monitoring and Data Collection, and Interagency Coordination.
BMPs recommended include but are not limited to: storm
water capital improvements, flow management, catch basin
retrofits, stream bank stabilization, and dye-testing for illicit
discharges.
Appendices to this plan include a detailed physical and
biological assessment for each of the tributaries in the study
area conducted under a contract with the Washtenaw County
Soil Conservation District with additional volunteer work
conducted though the Adopt-a-Stream program. Also included
are watershed management plans for Fleming Creek, Malletts
Creek, Ford Lake, and Allen’s Creek, as well as a storm water
management plan for Buhr Park. Future updates of this plan
will include the Miller Creek plan that was completed in 2004.