previoius projects
Protecting our waters through on-the-ground projects
Since our origin in 1994, we have completed nearly 50 restoration projects throughout the Grand Traverse Bay watershed, bringing more than $15 million to our region to implement our watershed protection plans. As we continue to identify sites and seek funding for protection and restoration activities, check out some of the projects we have completed and their impact on preserving and improving water quality throughout the watershed.
Green Infrastructure in Elk Rapids
In 2020, we retrofitted landscaped strips along River Street into four rain gardens by excavating and planting them with native species to provide more stormwater volume storage and and treatment through increased infiltration rates. In 2022, we installed additional areas of green infrastructure to reduce stormwater inputs into Grand Traverse Bay. The first was a series of two underground infiltration trenches on Cedar Street near River Street. Next, we installed a series of six rain gardens in the village right-of-way along Cedar Street between First and Third streets.
Kids Creek Road Crossing Improvements
In 2021, three road-stream crossings were replaced on the main branch of Kids Creek where it crosses Cedar Street (twice) and 6th Street. All three culverts were removed and replaced with single concrete box culverts that were the appropriate size to help restore the natural function of the streams, reduce scouring and sedimentation, and provide a stable environment for fish and macroinvertebrates. Additionally, two crossings were entirely removed and replaced with pedestrian bridges that are much less impactful to the stream but still maintain connectivity and walkability in the community.
Green Infrastructure at Meijer
As part of the Traverse City Meijer’s parking lot improvements in 2022, we installed five underground infiltration trenches under the parking lot and six connected bioretention cells along the eastern edge of their property. Previously, stormwater generated from the northern section of this store’s parking lot drained either directly into Kids Creek or into a wetland with a direct channel to the creek. As part of this project, we also worked with university researchers to monitor stormwater runoff from the parking lot before and after green infrastructure installation to determine its effectiveness.
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