1. Watershed Management Planning for the River Raisin:
Perspectives on changing land use, dams, water quality,
and best management practice
River Raisin Watershed Council Annual Dinner
April 24, 2007

2. The watershed is divided into two main geological areas, and you can see that reflected in the presettlement landcover. The upper watershed consists of mainly glacial deposits; it’s hilly and relatively well drained. As a result it tended to support oak-hickory ecosystems, including oak savannas and similar. The lower watershed consists of lake plain, with moist clay soil. It supported mainly beech-maple forest, with patches of wet prairie and marsh land.

3. Location of Water Chemistry Sampling Sites
Site Code
Tributary
RR5
River Raisin G1
Goose Creek I1
Iron Creek
RR7 E1
Evans Creek
RR6
SB3
Wolf Creek
SB2
S. Branch Raisin B2
Black Creek
RR1
RR2 S1
Saline River M1
Macon Creek
RR3
LRR1
Little River Raisin
RR8 B1
RR4
SB1 S2

4. Sampling Events and Discharge
MAY
OCT
JUNE
AUG
Wet-Weather Sampling
-May 17-19, 2006
-October 4-5, 2006
Dry-weather Sampling
-June 13-15, 2006
-August 22-24, 2006

5. for the River Raisin Watershed
Using Geographic Information System Scorecards to Convey Water Quality Data
for the River Raisin Watershed
OBJECTIVES
Enable comparison of water quality performance across space, time, and environmental variables
Facilitate decision-making about watershed restoration targets to address in the River Raisin Watershed Management Plan
Objectives

6. Total
Nitrogen
Subwatershed Percent
Cropland
Sampling Event
Legend
Unique maps were created for each environmental variable of interest.
For each site, a colored grid presented scores on different dates.
Site scores were organized and labeled by subwatershed, subsheds colored by total sq miles cropland.
Colors were chosen such that increasing color intensity corresponded to increasing concentrations categories.
This objective seems to have been met, as initial stakeholder response to the scorecards has been very favorable.

7. Total Nitrogen Phosphorous Suspended Matter
Conductivity
Total
Nitrogen
Phosphorous
Suspended
Matter
South Branch, Black, Saline, Macon, and Lower Raisin subwatersheds scored consistently high across time and variables. Same subwatersheds also contain the greatest total square miles of cropland  agricultural pollution is a major cause of water quality degradation across the basin.
Given our score categories, basin is more impaired by high TN and TP levels than by TSM or conductivity.
Temporal trends harder to discern.

8. Selection factors for suggested agricultural BMPs: Nonstructural AND
Facilitate decision-making about watershed restoration targets to address in the River Raisin Watershed Management Plan
Selection factors for suggested agricultural BMPs:
Nonstructural AND
Effectively reduce in-stream TN and TP OR
Are low-risk and require low labor input OR
Have been formerly recommended for adoption in River Raisin OR
Have proven effective in the River Raisin OR
Are supported by Farm Bill programs in basin
What are BMPs? Why does plan seek to list target BMPs? Scorecards – need to mitigate agricultural pollution.
Our report cards have shown that interventions aimed at reducing nutrient levels (TN and TP).
Review of literature surrounding agricultural BMPs looked at in addition to efficacy at mitigating target pollutant, practical considerations are also important (farmer familiarity, support by Farm Bill programs, etc.).
Nonstructural b/c preventive, not end-of-pipe. Last few factors increase familiarity and proven success important b/c suite of local factors which influence effectiveness

9. Suggested Agricultural BMPs
Facilitate decision-making about watershed restoration targets to address in the River Raisin Watershed Management Plan
Suggested Agricultural BMPs
Conservation tillage
Contour cropping
Nutrient management plans
Cover cropping
Residue management
Critical area planting
Riparian buffers
Irrigation management
Rotational grazing
Conservation coverage
South Branch, Black, Saline, Macon, and Lower Raisin subwatersheds should receive priority for resource allocation

10. Impacts, Assessment, and Removal
River Raisin Dams
Impacts, Assessment,
and Removal

11. Dams on the River Raisin
Average age 65 years
Low hazard
Small size
Substantial cumulative impacts

12. Waterloo Dam Constructed 1820, Monroe, MI
Severs the Raisin River ecologically from the Great Lakes
Rebuilt in 1970’s
Adjacent to Veterans Park
MDEQ significant hazard rating
Six low head beautification dams
Removal would open up 16km of habitat upstream

13. Ecological Impacts Fragmentation of habitat
Barriers to fish, mussel, and aquatic macro-invertebrate reproduction and migration
Interruption of sediment transport downstream and alteration of riverbank formation and wetlands
Alteration of seasonal flow characteristics and temperature

14. Benefits of Dams Water supply Fire control Lake level maintenance
Power supply (decommissioned)
Anchoring public parks
Recreational opportunities

15. Costs of Dams Liability of ownership Repair and maintenance
Hazards to life and property

16. Hazard Ratings for Dams on the River Raisin
Hazard Distribution
3.50
3.00
2.50
2.00
1.50
1.00
0.50
Hazard Rating 40 30 20 10
Frequency
Hazard Ratings for Dams on the River Raisin
Thirty-six Low Hazard structures
Fourteen Significant or High Hazard structures

18. Methods Potential for removal determined by: Hazard Rating (1-3)
Ecological Impact (0 or 2.5)
Age of Structure (1-5)
Purpose (1-5)
Size of Structure (1-3)

19. Range of possible scores: 4 - 18.5
Analysis
Score is 0 to Good Potential for Removal
Score is 9.25 > and < Moderate Potential for Removal
Score is = or > Poor Potential for Removal
Range of possible scores:

20. Results

21. Conclusions
The majority of dams on the River Raisin present opportunities for removal.
The watershed council should focus on dams which provide significant ecological benefits given their limited resources.
Stakeholder resistance to dam removal can be overcome through education, adequate outside funding, and a well developed vision of the project post-removal.