Restoration & Resiliency of the Huron River Floodplain
Big Bend Area at Willow Metropark
Project Introduction
This project addresses the stormwater, habitat, and public-use issues in the Southeast Michigan region. The project will benefit the surrounding communities and wildlife habitats by improving resilience in the face of intensifying environmental stressors related to climate change, development, invasive species, nonpoint source pollution and other factors. By investing in green stormwater infrastructure solutions, the project seeks to reduce flooding and othe intensifying threats associated with major storm events, while also creating safe, dynamic, and enjoyable public green spaces that improve habitat values for wildlife and quality of life for residents and visitors to Willow Metropark.
Habitat Restoration
This restoration project at Willow Metropark is located at the Big Bend picnic area. This location runs along the shoreline of the Huron River and includes segments of both the statewide Iron Belle Trail along the hike-bike path and the Nationally recognized Huron River Water Trail.
The Southeast Michigan Resilience Fund grant was awarded in 2021 through the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation. The Huron-Clinton Metroparks is teaming up with Huron River Watershed Council (HRWC) to make the best restoration choices which includes gathering input from the public.
The goal of the project is to improve the habitat along the Huron River at the Big Bend Area of Willow Metropark by restoring the eroded river bank, installing in-stream habitat features, and providing connectivity with forested floodplain and native prairie habitat. This project will increase habitat complexity and biodiversity, create wildlife corridor along the river, benefit native pollinators, capture and infiltrate stormwater runoff, reduce sedimentation and nutrients in the river, and decrease flood potential.
Resiliency of the Huron River
The Big Bend Area is situated along the lower Huron River segment. With climate change contributing to overall vulnerabilities within the watershed with water quality issues, and climate change future land scenarios indicating an increase in water quantity issues, the Metroparks are investing in green infrastructure and restoration projects that address both water quality and quantity.
Planning
Where did it begin? Started with a plan...
The Metroparks developed a Stormwater Management Plan in 2019 (click link below) which provide a framework for this project. That plan identified physical improvements to improve water quality in the Metroparks. The plan included green infrastructure concepts, an approach to water management that protects,restores, or mimics the natural water cycle. Some of these green infrastructure techniques from the plan were proposed for the design in this project.
The Stormwater Management Plan offered green infrastructure solutions to the problems identified in the Big Bend area in the park.
Big Bend as the name suggests is located where the river carves a substantial bend. At the start of this bend, the force of the river is carving away a hillside (and releasing sediments along the way) and threatening park underground utilities, roads and trails. Limited HRWC data suggests that erosion and runoff from the bend may be delivering 12% more phosphorus than is found further downstream. Willow Metropark is the middle of three metroparks (the other two being Lower Huron and Oakwoods) situated along the Huron River between Belleville Lake and Flat Rock. These parks are important for the quality of the river as they protect riparian lands and the banks of the river. According to sampling conducted by HRWC, the lower Huron River has better water quality than streams to the north. The 2018-2028 Willow-Oakwoods Metroparks Master Plan (click link below) also identified improvements in the Big Bend area associated with this project, including the reduction in impervious surface lots and prairie restoration.
Plan Implementation
The grant from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation provided funding to employ a variety of techniques to reduce further erosion and improve runoff. Construction plans were designed by a consultant for both the in-stream and upland areas at Big Bend. First, to address the bank erosion and redirect the river’s energy, the Metroparks installed toe wood (from surrounding land tree falls) into the bank and backfilled with soil lifts on top of the logs, with live willows, native seed and plantings to cover. The toe wood deflects energy from the river and directs it toward the center of the river and provides excellent cover habitat for fish and other aquatic wildlife.
In the upland section of the park area, the Metroparks removed an unused parking area and restored it with prairie plantings and seed, and created four bioswales – drainage area depressions with slow moving runoff that are planted with native rain garden plants. This removal of the parking area will exand the area of an adjacent prairie, helping to create a more robust prairie habitat. Additionally, the Metroparks is expanding the riparian buffer area from the bend to the existing kayak launch. All combined, the restoration and green infrastructure work will annually capture 1.8 million gallons of runoff, reduce 156 tons of sediment, and eliminate 13.2 pounds of phosphorus from the river.
Public Input
Prior to completion of construction plans for implementation of the Big Bend project, the Metroparks held four stakeholder public focus group meetings, a community open house meeting and conducted a public survey to gather input on design concepts and gage future use of the Big Bend area. This resulted in the restoration work you can see today.
Whats Next?
In the spring of 2023, the following areas on the map below will continue to be restored with native plug plantings, riparian native tree plantings, and native prairie seed mix. During the summer, a Community Open House Meeting #2 will be facilitated by Planning and Development staff and encourage site walking tours along the Big Bend hike-bike trail to learn about the project improvements to Big Bend. Following this, the implementation efforts will be sustained with volunteers for seasonal maintenance and invasive species removal.
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1
Shoreline Native Plug Plantings
Final restoration spring of 2023
2
Riparian Tree Plantings
Trees planted along a 10 foot wide riparian buffer along the entire Big Bend top of bank
3
Parking Lot Removal
Restoration prairie seed mix where parking lot removed in 2022
4
Bioswale restoration
Spring 2023 Reseeded with swale mix