The Department of Environmental Quality announced today the award of 14 water quality grants totaling $3.5 million to support projects across the state that include addressing water quality concerns at Traverse City area beaches, implementing agricultural water quality practices in the Saginaw Bay and Lake Macatawa watersheds, establishing a forestry demonstration area at the Michigan Technological University, and implementing a basin to control storm water in the St. Joseph River watershed.

"These projects show our commitment to partnering with organizations across Michigan to protect and restore our waters," DEQ Director Steven E. Chester said. "I'm particularly excited to support the Pinnebog River and Pigeon River Projects which will advance the priorities of the Saginaw Bay Coastal Initiative."

The full list of grants is as followed:

• Mona Lake Watershed Council - Mona Lake Watershed
  Outreach & Education- $110,729.00
• Michigan Technological University - Ford Center Forest Water
  Quality Management Demo Area - $165,590.00
• Black Creek Intercounty Drain Board - Black Creek Regional
  Curve Development & Implementation - $85,050.00
• Macomb County Public Works - North Branch Clinton River
  Watershed Plan - $200,000.00
• The Watershed Center Grand Traverse Bay - Healthy Beaches,
  Clean Runoff, & Social Values Assessment - $195,355.00
• Macatawa Area Coordinating Council - Macatawa Watershed
  Rural Program Development - $286,687.44
• The FORUM of Greater Kalamazoo - Portage & Arcadia Creeks
  Implementation - $416,665.80
• Berrien County Drain Commission - Hollywood Road Storm Water
  Basin Wetland Demo Facility - $315,000.00
• Allegan Conservation District - Gun River Greenbelt and Wetland
  Initiative/Implementation - $221,955.00
• Jackson County Conservation District - Upper Grand River
  Implementation - $370,112.00
• Huron Conservation District - Pinnebog River Implementation -
  $409,225.00
• Huron Conservation District - Pigeon River Watershed Plan -
  $285,852.00
• The Conservation Fund - Galien River Implementation -
  $309,441.00
• Huron River Watershed Council - Mill Creek Streambank
  Stabilization - $127,268.00

The Pinnebog River Watershed Implementation Project will restore wetlands to improve habitat and hydrology, reduce cropland erosion to decrease sediment and nutrient loading, and address failing septic systems to reduce pathogens. Funding for this project will be coordinated with other federal partners and incentive programs to improve education and increase the number of water quality practices implemented. The Pigeon River Watershed Planning project will provide funds to develop a watershed plan for the Pigeon River, which is in the thumb and empties directly into Saginaw Bay.

These grants are funded with federal Clean Water Act and state Clean Michigan Initiative funds. For a complete list of projects, see www.michigan.gov/deqnps.

Editor's note: DEQ news releases are available on the department's Internet home page at www.michigan.gov/deq.

"Protecting Michigan's Environment, Ensuring Michigan's Future"

Revised April 28, 2008 by Pat Watson