Remediation and Restoration Projects for Clinton River AOC

On this page:

Clinton River Spillway Habitat Enhancement

Lake St. Clair Pointe Rosa Coastal Marsh Restoration

Partridge Creek Commons Restoration

Project Table of Remediation and Restoration Projects

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Remediation and Restoration Project Highlights

Restoration Project Highlight: Clinton River Spillway Habitat Enhancement

The Macomb County Public Works Office completed work with GLRI funds to enhance the habitat for fish and wildlife in the Clinton River “Spillway” in 2019. The Spillway is a 2.5-mile-long, 80-foot-wide, man-made channel constructed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in 1950 to provide flood control to the city of Mount Clemens, as well as to Clinton and Harrison townships in Michigan. The Spillway runs southeast from the overflow weir at Gratiot Avenue to Lake St. Clair. Both the Spillway and Lake St. Clair have fish communities that include emerald shiner, spottail shiner, largemouth bass, pumpkinseed sunfish, and brook silverside as predominant classes.

The GLRI funds were used to create diverse aquatic and terrestrial habitats. Fish spawning, rearing, and refuge habitats were enhanced through the excavation of floodplain shelves, the addition of gravel substrate, and the placement of wood structures. Woody debris and root wads provide habitat and resting areas for frogs, wading birds, turtles, ducks, and other native aquatic animals. Shallow water habitats in the excavated off-channel areas promote the growth of native cattail and other plants, and the newly created transition areas connect both riparian and floodplain areas to the channel. Plantings and invasive species control improved the density and diversity of native plant communities.

The goal of this project was to improve both the aquatic and terrestrial habitats of the Spillway, support robust populations of native wildlife, and make the area accessible and enjoyable to the surrounding communities. The project addressed the following BUIs:

• Degradation of Fish and Wildlife Populations
• Loss of Fish and Wildlife Habitat
• Degradation of Benthos

Restoration Project Highlight: Lake St. Clair Pointe Rosa Coastal Marsh Restoration

Macomb County and the Huron-Clinton Metropark Authority were awarded GLRI funds to restore the Pointe Rosa Marsh area of the Lake St. Clair Metropark in Harrison Township, Mich. Shoreline development, invasive species and non-point source run-off have damaged or contributed to the loss of coastal marshes in the Clinton River AOC.

The Pointe Rosa Marsh restoration project was completed in 2013. The restored marsh acts as a natural filtration system for stormwater runoff to Lake St. Clair and provides critical habitat for turtles, invertebrates, and threatened or rare birds such as the least bittern, the marsh wren, and the Wilson’s snipe, which all rely on healthy marshland to survive. The restoration project also incorporates habitat structures for native wildlife species, such as the Eastern fox snake. Lastly, the project removed invasive phragmites, promoting conditions necessary to restore the plants native to the marsh community.

These efforts addressed the BUIs below:

• Degradation of Fish and Wildlife Populations
• Loss of Fish and Wildlife Habitat
• Degradation of Benthos

More information:

On the St. Clair Coastal Marsh Restoration project, see Lake St. Clair Coastal Marsh Restoration.

Restoration Project Highlight: Partridge Creek Commons Restoration

Macomb County Public Works was awarded a GLRI grant to restore habitat in Gloede Drain, Partridge Creek Commons. The project was completed in 2019. The GLRI funding was used to treat invasive species, plant native vegetation, stabilize the eroding streambanks to reduce sedimentation, and create diverse in-stream, wetland, and upland habitats.

This table lists Remediation and Restoration Projects for Clinton River AOC.

Project Title	Project Description	Date Completed	Targeted BUI(s)
Sediment Remediation Project	Remediation of PCB contamination impacting sediments located inside and outside of the Federal Navigation Channel in the Lower Clinton River.	2025 (est.)	Restrictions on Dredging Activities Restrictions on Fish & Wildlife Consumption
Sterling Relief Drain Daylighting and GI Retrofit	Green infrastructure was added to create diverse habitats for wildlife such as monarchs and natural pollution and storm runoff control.	2020	Degradation of Fish & Wildlife Populations Loss of Fish & Wildlife Habitat Degradation of Benthos
Galloway Wetland Restoration	Debris was removed and natural soil exposed to plant native wetland vegetation that helps reduce creek pollution.	2020	Degradation of Fish & Wildlife Populations Loss of Fish & Wildlife Habitat Degradation of Benthos
Galloway Creek Fish Passage Restoration	This cold-water trout fishery was improved by removing fish barriers to reconnect habitat in addition to stabilizing streambank.	2019	Degradation of Fish & Wildlife Populations Loss of Fish & Wildlife Habitat Degradation of Benthos
Harley Ensign Coastal Wetland Restoration	Created different types of wetland habitat, upland habitat, and controlled invasive species at the mouth of the Clinton River.	2019	Degradation of Fish & Wildlife Populations Loss of Fish & Wildlife Habitat Degradation of Benthos
Shelby Township Streambank Stabilization and Habitat Restoration	One mile of natural river channel was restored, encompassing critical areas for native wildlife. Structures for fish habitat and native vegetation were added.	2019	Degradation of Fish & Wildlife Populations Loss of Fish & Wildlife Habitat Degradation of Benthos
Clinton River Spillway Habitat Enhancement	Two miles of spawning habitat for young fish were created off the channel and additional work provided fish spawning, rearing, and refuge habitat.	2019	Degradation of Fish & Wildlife Populations Loss of Fish & Wildlife Habitat Degradation of Benthos
McBride Drain Habitat Enhancement	Stream habitat was improved by making habitat morphology more natural, planting native vegetation, and controlling invasive species.	2019	Degradation of Fish & Wildlife Populations Loss of Fish & Wildlife Habitat Degradation of Benthos
Partridge Creek Commons Habitat Restoration	Aquatic and associated terrestrial habitats were improved by planting native vegetation and adding cover within the stream for wildlife.	2019	Degradation of Fish & Wildlife Populations Loss of Fish & Wildlife Habitat Degradation of Benthos
Wolcott Mills Metropark Wetland Restoration	Restored native grassland and forested wetlands ecosystems that had been lost in the Clinton River watershed.	2018	Degradation of Fish & Wildlife Populations Loss of Fish & Wildlife Habitat Degradation of Benthos
Black Creek Marsh Restoration	Fish and wildlife habitat were improved and natural coastal wetland habitat that improves water quality was restored.	2018	Degradation of Fish & Wildlife Populations Loss of Fish & Wildlife Habitat Degradation of Benthos
Clinton River Corridor Habitat Restoration	Instream, riparian and wetland habitats were restored and made more diverse for wildlife and to decrease erosion.	2018	Degradation of Fish & Wildlife Populations Loss of Fish & Wildlife Habitat Degradation of Benthos
St. Lawrence Cemetery Remediation	Stream bank stabilization to mitigate erosion and prevent the exposure of landfill debris.	2017	Degradation of Aesthetics
Sylvan Glen Golf Course Restoration	The natural shape of stream habitat was improved and wildlife connectivity between stream and other habitats was increased.	2016	Degradation of Fish & Wildlife Populations Loss of Fish & Wildlife Habitat Degradation of Benthos
Lane Drain Habitat Restoration	Fish passage and habitat in the Red Run Drain was improved by reconnecting stream habitat to tributaries and removing Aquatic Center Pond Dam.	2014	Degradation of Fish & Wildlife Populations Loss of Fish & Wildlife Habitat Degradation of Benthos
Paint Creek Habitat Restoration	Additional habitat restoration at Paint Creek involved stabilizing stream bank and reconnecting the floodplain to wetlands near the stream.	2014	Degradation of Fish & Wildlife Populations Loss of Fish & Wildlife Habitat Degradation of Benthos
Lake St. Clair Pointe Rosa Coastal Marsh Restoration	Restored coastal wetlands to protect threatened or rare birds and reptiles at Pointe Rosa Marsh and to improve water quality with healthy marsh filtration.	2013	Degradation of Fish & Wildlife Populations Loss of Fish & Wildlife Habitat Restrictions on Fish & Wildlife Consumption Degradation of Benthos Degradation of Aesthetics
Avon Creek Restoration Project	A pond bypass to facilitate fish passage was built and fish habitat within the stream was restored. Streambanks were also stabilized.	2012	Degradation of Fish & Wildlife Populations Loss of Fish & Wildlife Habitat Degradation of Benthos
Paint Creek Dam Removal and Habitat Restoration	Removal of the Paint Creek Dam restored fish passage and enhanced aquatic habitat.	2012	Degradation of Fish & Wildlife Populations Loss of Fish & Wildlife Habitat Degradation of Benthos
Cascade Dam Removal	The dam removal allows unimpeded fish passage, restoring access to high-quality headwater stream habitat for fish such as steelhead.	2011	Degradation of Fish & Wildlife Populations Loss of Fish & Wildlife Habitat Degradation of Benthos