Combined Sewer Overflow Control
The Rouge CSO control program is, through a series of CSO demonstration projects adding to the knowledge base for CSO characteristics and control options and, as part of using a watershed approach, determining the need for additional CSO controls within the Rouge watershed to meet water restoration goals.

Brief Summary
Overview Description of the CSO Control Program
CSO Demonstration Projects
MDEQ Criteria for Success in CSO Treatment
Technical Papers and Professional Presentations on CSO Control Program
Technical Reports - Monitoring and Other
Emerging Information on CSO Facility Performance
Environmental Results

Local Community Information
Many communities in the Rouge River Watershed are actively working to protect and preserve this resource. You can find out more about your community's efforts by selecting your community or subwatershed.

Other Technical Information
The Rouge Project takes a holistic approach to restoration of the Rouge River. Below is a list of some of the technical topics in which the Rouge Project is involved:

Contaminated Sediments
Contaminated Sites
Geographic Information Systems
Illicit Connections
Leachate from Abandoned Dumps
Modeling
Newburgh Lake Restoration Project
On-Site Disposal Systems
Other Nonpoint Source Pollutants
Sampling and Monitoring
Stream Flow
Wetlands

Products & Data
The Rouge Project has developed numerous reports and publications documenting the demonstration aspect of the Project. You can either search the publications or view by the following categories:

Project Overview
Combined Sewer Overflow
Storm Water Management
Illicit Discharges/Onsite Sewage Disposal Systems
Nonpoint Source Pollution
Wetlands
Public Information and Education
Institutional Arrangements
Sampling and Monitoring
Computer Modeling
Geographic Information Systems
Data
Maps

Public Involvement
The Rouge's public outreach strategy is based on the philosophy that communication with Rouge River watershed stakeholders must be continual, consistent, truthful and always two-way. The outreach includes:

Brief Summary
Overview Description of the Public Involvement and Education Programs
Public Involvement and Education Program Reports
Papers and Presentations on the Public Involvement and Education Programs

Wildlife & Recreation Improvements in the Rouge River has increased the recreational opportunities and wildlife present in the watershed.

Recreational opportunities
Wildlife

Institutional

Year in Review Reports
Example 1
Example 2

Community Links

Calender of Events
Getting Involved
Ordinance Information
Related Sites
Students and Teachers

Rouge River Gateway Project

Rouge Gateway Overview
Rouge Gateway Partnership Brochure
Detailed Plans
Rouge Oxbow Restoration Project

Storm Water Management
Storm water runoff is a primary pollutant of concern in this highly urbanized watershed. Topics include:

Brief Summary
Overview Description of Storm Water Management in the Rouge Watershed
Michigan General Storm Water Permit
Applying for a Michigan General Storm Water Permit
Guidance Materials for Applying for a General Storm Water Permit
Phase II Federal Storm Water Rule
Subwatershed Management Planning
Storm Water Management Pilot Projects
Storm Water Management Reports
Rouge Project Presentations on Storm Water Management

Watershed Management
The Rouge Project demonstrates watershed management techniques illustrating that many water quality and ecosystem problems are best solved at the watershed level rather than at the individual community or discharger level.

Brief Summary
Overview Description of Watershed Management in the Rouge Watershed
Subwatershed Management Planning
Watershed Restoration Projects
Watershed Restoration Reports
Rouge Project Presentations on the Watershed Management Approach
Institutional and Financial Arrangements
Other Watershed Management Information

Watershed Restoration Projects
The Rouge is involved in numerous projects that demonstrate various watershed management and restoration techniques.

Brief Summary
Combined Sewer Overflow Demonstration Projects
Nonpoint Source Best Management Practices
Newburgh Lake Restoration (contaminated sediment restoration)
Inkster Constructed Wetlands Project
Community-based projects focused on the following topics:
   Geographic Information Systems
   Illicit Discharge Elimination
   Public Involvement & Education
   Pollution Prevention
   Recreation and Habitat
   Septage/Waste Management
   Streambank Stabilization
   Storm Water Management:
      Construction, Retrofit, & Restoration of Detention/Sedimentation Basins
      Control of Street Runoff & Pollutants
      Erosion Control Projects
      Innovative Land Development
      Ordinances, Management Plans, & Institutional Projects
   Wetlands Projects

Wetlands
An important component of the Rouge Project is identification, protection and restoration of wetland habitat in the Rouge River watershed. Topics include:

Brief Summary
Overview Description of the Wetland Program
Wayne County Wetland Mitigation Bank and Wetland Preservation Fund
National Association of Counties Award for Wetland Preservation Fund
Locating and Assessing Wetlands
Why Wetlands Are Important
Rouge Project Presentations on the Wetland Program
Wetland Program Technical Reports

Calendar of Events
View current events happening around the watershed.

Getting Involved
Learn how to get personally involved in Rouge River restoration efforts.

Brief Overview
Join an Organization
Volunteer Opportunities
Individual Actions
Phone Numbers
In Your Community
Become a River Friendly Partner
Fact Sheets, Flyers, Newsletter Articles

Ordinances
As part of a comprehensive program that includes education and regulation, ordinances can be an effective tool in the protection of area resources.

Brief Overview
Sample Ordinances
Summary Guide of Ordinances for Rouge River Communities
Putting the Southeast Michigan Water Quality Plan into Action: Tools for Local Governments
Center for Watershed Protection

Wildlife & Recreation
Improvements in the Rouge River has increased the recreational opportunities and wildlife present in the watershed.
Recreational opportunities
Wildlife

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Leachate from Abandoned Dumps

Leachate from Abandoned Dumps

Improperly disposed of industrial, commercial and residential waste has the potential of leaking heavy metals, toxins and other pollutants into surface and ground water. This occurs because these pollutants are dumped in areas that are not lined to prevent leaching. It also occurs when the river banks erode and expose refuse in old dump sites. A survey of 18 abandoned dump sites did find some leachate seeps, gas seeps, stressed vegetation and insufficient cover over the waste. The Rouge Project is working to identify these abandoned dumps, thereby allowing them to enter into the proper regulatory process discussed below.

These sites of environmental contamination are addressed by various programs of the Remediation and Redevelopment Division (RRD) of the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ). The RRD administers Part 201, Environmental Remediation, of the Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Act, 1994 Public Act 451, as amended, (formerly known as Act 307) and portions of the federal Superfund program established under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA). Within these programs, the RRD conducts and oversees investigations and cleanup activities at contaminated sites throughout the state. The RRD reviews and approves site cleanup plans and oversees the cleanup process at many cleanups performed by private parties.

To encourage and facilitate the redevelopment of contaminated urban sites, the RRD provides a wide range of site redevelopment services. Services include grant and loan funding for local units of government for investigations and cleanup actions, site re-use consultation, generic cleanup options based on future land use, and provisions to protect innocent parties from liability for pre-existing contamination, including review of baseline environmental assessments and due care plans. To obtain more information about the ERD programs please click here to go to their web site.

MDEQ has many interactive and data driven lists that can be accessed by clicking on Environmental Online Services. These online lists will show locations of such things as the Part 201 hazardous waste sites, leaking underground storage tanks, hazardous waste treatment, storage, and disposal facilities in Michigan and their status, Superfund sites, etc. These lists, available by county, are kept current by MDEQ and therefore provide the latest available information.

"A Summary of Waste Disposal Sites in the Rouge River Watershed" was prepared by the Rouge Project Office in 1994. The report is a summary of data on waste disposal sites along the Rouge River in Wayne and Oakland counties. A total of 112 active and inactive landfills and dumps were located. Additional information can be found on the website under Contaminated Sites.

To learn more about the Rouge Project's abandoned dump sites evaluation and guidance click on the technical reports listed here:

Leachate from Abandoned Dumps

Last Updated: 6/21/2004

Please address all comments and suggestions about the contents of this Web page to rougeweb@co.wayne.mi.us.

The Rouge River National Wet Weather Demonstration Project is funded, in part, by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Grants #XP995743-01, -02, -03, -04, -05, -06, -07 and C-264000-01.