Monthly Progress Report
Executive Summary

• Thirty-eight communities have either passed council resolutions or submitted letters to the RPO confirming their intent to initiate the Voluntary Stormwater General Permit application process.
• Community Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Projects: Thirteen GIS projects were selected for grant sponsorship by the Rouge Project. A listing of the selected projects is shown under section 5.4, "Rouge Watershed Projects". Community project proposals for the second round of grant award are due by May 15, 1998.
• Community Stormwater Projects: The Community Project Evaluation Team completed their evaluation of the Stormwater Management proposals on April 28, 1998. Acceptance letters to selected projects are expected to be sent out during the second week in May.
• Community Recreation & Habitat Projects: Sixteen community proposals were received in April for the Recreation & Habitat Community Grant Program. Wayne County is currently evaluating the proposals and is planning to finalize grant awards shortly.
• Community Wetlands Projects: A notice of grant availability is expected to be sent to Rouge watershed communities by the end of May 1998.
• Wayne County Environmental Health Department: Submitted final report on the Septic System Database & Evaluation pilot project. The study found that 21% of the sites investigated during the project had failing septic systems.
• See the Subwatershed Pilot Projects and Rouge Watershed Projects sections for additional information on community project activities.

Outreach

Support

(WMD7.3)

• A speech was prepared for Jim Murray for presentation at the North Texas Section of the Water Environment Federation Seminar on Storm Water and Watershed Management, Dallas, TX on May 5, 1998. Mr. Murray discussed the details of the Rouge Project’s efforts on CSO and storm water control in the context of watershed management. Staff also prepared a slide presentation for Texas WEAT Conference and began compiling photos for the RPO digital library.
• The RPO began making arrangements for participation in a one day seminar in New Jersey to discuss the Rouge Project’s activities in stormwater control, CSO control and watershed management. The meeting will take place June 3 in Edison, New Jersey.
• RPO staff provided extensive material to the University of Buffalo, Buffalo, New York on past GLI seminars. The University in cooperation with New York Department of Environmental Protection is planning a seminar for cities and industries in New York on pollution prevention and the GLI. This will be a seminar similar to the Rouge Project led seminar held in Chicago in March, 1997.

• The Rouge Project was well represented at the Water Environment Federation’s Watershed Management Conference in Denver, CO May 4-6, 1998. Rouge Project speakers presented several papers and moderated sessions at the Conference.
• The RPO is completing a draft of a Toxics Report, and is expected to be complete in May 1998.

• RPO monitoring staff organized the startup of continuous, auto-sampling, NPS, and sewer system monitoring networks. Monthly activities included obtaining permission to install equipment, inventorying equipment needs, assigning tasks for installations, and monitoring progress.
• The RPO assisted Wayne County in preparing comments on the MDEQ 303(d) List submitted to EPA on April 1, 1998.

• RPO Program Management staff prepared for and attended the following meetings: a GIS TAG meeting (4/1), a schedule update meeting (4/2), two Technical Management meetings (4/13, 4/27), a Steering Committee Meeting (4/14), and a Subwatershed Managers meeting (4/28).
• The RPO prepared and made a presentation at the RRAC meeting in Canton Township on April 15.

• RPO staff reviewed subgrant CSO construction reimbursement requests including Dearborn Heights; City of Detroit (Hubbell-Southfield, Puritan Fenkell, In-System Storage, and 7-mile); Inkster; River Rouge; and Wayne.
• The RPO reviewed nonpoint community projects reimbursement requests including Farmington Hills Pebble Creek Soil Erosion study, Canton Twp. Fellows Creek Detention & Education, and Superior Twp. Site Conservation Easements.

(WMOG1.2)

• Staff summarized data from various RPO projects in response to updating the MDEQ 303d list of potential river reaches requiring TMDLs.

• New server has been installed and is being managed by Wayne County Information Processing.
• The data collected during 1997 is being loaded into the ORACLE data base for a May delivery of the RPO Data CD-ROM
• The Rouge WEB site will be integrated into the Wayne County Internet site with it’s own location name. Updates to the Rouge WEB site continue as directed by the Public Involvement team.

• The RPO reviewed project status and outlined opportunities for project applications for new projects at April 3 meeting of Upper Subwatershed communities.
• RPO staff facilitated meeting of Upper Subwatershed group working on general stormwater permit to work on PI and Illicit Connection/Illegal Discharge plans needed for application for the general permit.

• RPO/Wayne County Illicit Connection staff responded to complaint about stagnant water near Lower Rouge in Canton where sewage was suspected. In other detailed investigations, a carpet cleaning truck discharging wastewater to street was located.
• A presentation on the current illicit connection investigation efforts of the Rouge Project was presented by staff at the Water and Environment Federation conference in Denver on May 4.

• RPO staff distributed the Closure Guidelines document to bidders on the Wallaceville site closure.

• The RPO prepared hydrographs for the influent and effluent channels of some of some basins currently under evaluation.
• Staff completed an evaluation of potential SOD monitoring locations for 1998 in response to WERF Peer Review comments. A monitoring plan and budget were also prepared.
• RPO and Wayne County prepared comments to MDEQ on the evaluation criteria for the CSO Phase 1 evaluation.

• PI staff solicited corporate sponsors for the Rouge River Water Festival scheduled for May 5, 1998.

• RPO PI staff distributed 50 each of the following to MWEA Public Involvement in Watershed Management Conference: recreation placemats, activity books, Rouge Friendly Business Program and Rouge Friendly Neighborhood Program brochures.

• Cost estimates for the data development phase of each application is being finalized by GIS staff.
• The RPO received data from the city of Detroit; it is the last data set required.