Institute of Water Research

Project Summary

The Clinton River Sensor Project is creating an ecologically based approach for effectively and equitably managing lakes and streams in the Great Lakes Region in response to the effects of urbanization and climate change. When completed, this pilot project will develop the first fully integrated and interactive model of groundwater, surface water and lake hydrology to meet water quality objectives in the Clinton River Watershed and along the U.S. side of Lake St. Clair.

Problem Statement

Lake St. Clair is the smallest lake in the Great Lakes drainage system. The open waters and coastal wetlands of Lake St. Clair are among the most globally productive in terms of fishery and wildlife resources; a significant thoroughfare for commerce, industry, and maritime traffic; and a recreational hub of the St. Clair-Detroit River System. Due to the highly urbanized nature of the its surrounding watershed, Lake St. Clair’s aquatic ecosystem, water quality, public health, and multiple uses are being affected (i.e., real and perceived risks) by changes in precipitation patterns, invasive species, contaminated runoff, wetland loss, hardened shorelines, beach degradation, and nutrient stressors. There are also data gaps that must be filled to effectively inform management actions needed on-the-ground to restore the Clinton River Watershed and Lake St. Clair.

Goal & Objectives

The project goal is to better understand the human uses of the land-water interface at a watershed-level scale. The primary project objectives are to develop and implement a suite of decision support tools that can help inform local and state-supported management actions that improve water quality and ecosystems of the Clinton River Watershed and Lake St. Clair.

Three focus area themes and associated objectives were identified to investigate:

• Human Use Effects & Nearshore Stressors: Assess water quality stressors at the margins of the land-water interface by coupling Clinton River Watershed and Lake St. Clair nearshore models and evaluate human use effects to inform future management decisions.
• Stormwater Peak Shaving: Assess storage capabilities and management of groundwater/surface water, farm runoff and city drainage systems to determine optimal placement of Green Stormwater Infrastructure practices that help manage runoff ahead of and during storm events, with an emphasis on the Clinton River Watershed.
• Coli Impacts: Assess the impacts of fecal contamination in the Clinton River and Lake St. Clair from failing infrastructure, organic debris, natural processes, agriculture runoff, and other potential sources to inform corrective action planning and implementation.

Coordinated Work Plan

Inventoried data resources and identify data gaps to provide a better understanding of the human uses of the land-water interface within the Clinton River Watershed and Lake St. Clair.

Data Development. Deploying sensors to measure weather events and record water quality parameters within watershed sub-catchments to account for different land-water interfaces, system hydrology, and local land use practices.

Consolidated Hydrological Model. Developing a system-wide hydrological model that integrates various surface and ground water models, which will provide a coupled-view of watershed and lake dynamics related to the three focus area themes.

Decision Support System. Developing GIS-based analytical tools and planning support toolkit that will enable local, county, and state agencies to investigate various management action scenarios to inform potential near-term and future management actions.

Participants

The project is a public-private partnership between the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy; University of Michigan; Michigan State University; Oakland County Water Resources Commissioner’s Office; Macomb County Public Works Office; Macomb County Public Health Department; Clinton River Watershed Council; and other regional partners.