County Executive Thomas L. Hickner, left, trades ideas on Saginaw Bay watershed improvement with U.S. Sen. Debbie Stabenow, right, at Friday's meeting. Saginaw Bay Muck is Focus of Sen. Stabenow, Local Watershed Officials
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Is it possible to reduce soil erosion enough to clear beaches of muck in Saginaw Bay?
Senator Debbie Stabenow, D-Michigan, is one who believes it can be done, and is working to obtain federal grants under the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative.
Controlling noxious phragmites and reducing phosphorous runoff are goals of the program. "We are seeing some real progress," said the Senator, adding: "Things are getting better, but we have a lot more to do."
Sen. Stabenow was in Bay City to meet with local officials and citizens on Friday, and talked about the effort:
"This is the biggest project, and I didn't have to explain to the President, since he is from Illinois -- a Great Lakes state -- why it is important," said the senator at a meeting in the Pere Marquette Depot in downtown Bay City.
The last ten years marked a milestone, the senator said. There was no net loss of wetlands in the watershed.
She lauded efforts like that in Bay County called the Septage Source elimination Program and Revolving Loan Fund. This program is designed to help homeowners protect the bay by improving septic system performance by offering low interest loans.
"Failing septic systems may be the least understood source of surface water contamination," said Bay County Executive Tom Hickner. "Mixed emotions and conflicting viewpoints definitely surfaced during our many discussions. But there's no question that everyone wants the problem fixed."
Mr. Hickner urged homeowners who suspect they have a failing septic system to contact the Saginaw Bay Watershed Initiative (WIN), 892-9171, or access info@saginawbaywin.org.
Sen. Stabenow noted that Pinnebog River watershed stakeholders had kicked off a large-scale sediment reduction project on Aug. 11 in Elkton.
The Pinnebog project received $745,000 in Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI) funds from the Great Lakes Commission and the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service (USDA-NRCS).
The project is one of nine GLRI watershed grants awarded under the Great Lakes Basin Program for Soil Erosion and Sediment Control, totaling more than $4.3 million, to reduce sediment pollution in priority watersheds.
The Pinnebog River watershed, which empties into Saginaw Bay on Lake Huron, consists of nearly 125,000 acres, 85 percent of which is agricultural land. The major source of sediment in this watershed is cropland and stream bank erosion. At the end of the three-year grant, at least 20,000 tons of soil and sediment deposition will be eliminated annually through the installation of the Best Management Practices funded through this project.
Senator Stabenow, Chairwoman of the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry, underscored the critical role agriculture is playing in conserving the Great Lakes and protecting Michigan's natural resources and waterways, at the meeting hosted by the Saginaw Bay Coastal Initiative.
Hosting the nation's top conservationist Dave White, Chief of the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), Stabenow said protecting Michigan's Great Lakes is a national priority critical to boosting Michigan's economy.
Chairwoman Stabenow stated: "Protecting the Great Lakes and Michigan's many miles of waterways is critical to boosting Michigan's economy and preserving the integrity of our natural resources for many generations to come. Through the implementation of critical conservation practices that prevent harmful nutrients from reaching Saginaw Bay, Michigan's farmers and landowners are on the front lines of the fight to protect our water. As Chairwoman of the Senate Agriculture Committee, I'm committed to continuing to work with Michigan's agriculture community to help lead the charge in protecting the Great Lakes."
Stabenow said the NRCS, as part of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, has been playing a critical role in developing partnerships with farmers, landowners and local agencies and organizations to conserve Michigan's natural resources and protect the Great Lakes.
Touching on current efforts and giving insight into how the work being done on the ground is helping, NRCS Chief Dave White discussed how farm bill programs help farmers adopt and install cost effective practices that help conserve soil health, protect water quality, and restore wildlife habitat.
Chief White said: "The Great Lakes are home to hundreds of species of fish and wildlife and provide drinking water for more than 40 million people. Michigan's farmers and landowners take pride in the Great Lakes and have shown steadfast leadership in preserving them using NRCS conservation programs. They understand that by using responsible and sustainable agriculture, they are not only helping to protect the future of agricultural production, but the health and vitality of our environment as well."
Bay County Executive Tom Hickner added: "We are very lucky to have a champion like Senator Stabenow protecting Saginaw bay, our waterways and natural resources . As chair of the Senate Agriculture Committee, she is a powerful voice for our community and someone we can count on for results."
Chairwoman Stabenow announced in July that the Saginaw Bay is one of only three watersheds across the country to benefit from a new national preservation and conservation effort, as part of President Obama's America's Great Outdoors initiative.
In June, she also announced that the USDA and NRCS strengthened its commitment to protecting and conserving the Great Lakes and wildlife resources, dedicating new technical and financial assistance to landowners and producers to implement a range of conservation practices intended to help with preserving the integrity of the region's resources. The stepped-up effort commenced with a sign-up period where Michigan farmers and landowners registered to enlist in the fight to protect the Great Lakes region.
Michael Kelly, Director of the Great Lakes office of the Conservation Fund, said: "Senator Stabenow has shown she is a proven leader and advocate for the entire Saginaw Bay region. She continues to play a critical role at the federal level protecting our water quality, while at the same time supporting our regional economy."
Gary Reif, who runs Reif Farms in Bay County, added: "With the help of conservation programs, we have implemented environmentally friendly practices that will ensure cleaner water for the future of Saginaw Bay. Our filter strips prevent soil erosion and keep unwanted pesticides away from drainage ditches that would flow into the Saginaw River and eventually the Saginaw Bay."
The meeting, which welcomed the input of local residents, community leaders and other stakeholders, was hosted by the Saginaw Bay Coastal Initiative. The Initiative is a collaboration between seven area counties, the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality and various regional and federal agencies focused on developing and implementing a comprehensive approach to promoting environmentally sound economic development and resource restoration in the Saginaw Bay coastal area. ###
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