Project Manager:James Graham, Friends of the Rouge Phone:(313)792-9900 E-mail:execdirector@therouge.org
Natural System and Location: Rouge River in the three-county Metropolitan Detroit area of Southeast Michigan.
Hypothesis/Goal: The use of rain barrels as on-site retention of rain water from residential roof tops in the City of Dearborn, Michigan will help restore a more natural flow regime in the Rouge River and help reduce the City's costs for the pending construction and maintenance of combined sewer overflow (CSO) retention/treatment facilities.
Restoration Strategy: Distribute rain barrels to be installed on the roof-top downspouts of households in two adjacent neighborhoods in the City of Dearborn where sewer flows are being electronically monitored. Compare pre-test data to data collected during the two-year test period to determine the impact of rainwater retention provided by the rain barrels on sewer discharge rates into the Rouge River. The Friends of the Rouge will implement a rain barrel demonstration and monitoring project in the Rouge River watershed. The project team will install rain barrels on residential downspouts to capture stormwater runoff and reduce overflows into the river. Reducing stormwater discharge volumes will improve flow regime and reduce erosion, sedimentation and pollutants in the Rouge River.
Anticipated Outcomes/Environmental Affects:
The on-site retention of rain water from a significant number of homes in the City of Dearborn will reduce the volume of combined and separated sewer discharges into the Rouge River.
The reduction of rainwater discharge volumes will reduce the City of Dearborn's negative impact on the Rouge River's flow regime and the resulting levels of erosion, sedimentation and pollutant concentrations.
Reducing the volume of storm water that enters the City's combined sewer system could result in cost savings in the pending construction and maintenance of its CSO retention/treatment facilities.
Progress to Date: 183 rain barrels distributed and may expand to other test sites. But smaller barrel has made it impossible to retain sufficient volume of water to impact combined sewer overflow. (City insisted on reducing size of barrel to be aesthetically pleasing). Public response to project has been very positive. Project manager has received many inquiries about the rain barrel project.
School of Natural Resources and Environment
Dana Building
430 East University
Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109-1115 riverflows@snre.umich.edu
