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Upper Grand River Implementation Project |
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About the UGRIP |
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The Upper Grand River Implementation Project (UGRIP) is a three-year effort to reduce erosion and sedimentation in the Portage River Sub-basin of the Upper Grand River Watershed. The project began in January 2006 and will extend through December 2008.
The project was created in response to the 2003 Upper Grand River Watershed Management Plan. The plan discovered that certain portions of the Portage River Sub-basin ranked as some of the worst areas in the entire Upper Grand River Watershed for nitrate/nitrite pollution, off-field soil loss, adequacy of riparian buffers, and amount of remaining wetlands. In 2003, the MI Department of Environmental Quality developed two Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs) for the lower five miles of the Portage River. Streambank erosion was identified as the main nonpoint source of pollution. The TMDLs set a goal of reducing total suspended solids (TSS) in the Portage River by 50%.
A 2002 physical inventory conducted by the Jackson County Conservation District identified more than 117,000 feet of riparian areas along four waterways in the targeted sub-basins in need of high conservation practices. The inventory also revealed areas totaling 6,400 acres that could be restored as wetlands.
UGRIP will design programs to educate the public about these watershed issues, and will also work directly with landowners and local governments to plan and implement Best Management Practices for protecting water quality.
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For more information Please contact: Cecilia Govrik, Watershed Project Coordinator (517) 784-2800 Ext. 208 |
