U.S. Senators Debbie Stabenow, vice chair of the Great Lakes Task Force, and Carl Levin, chair of the Great Lakes Task Force, yesterday announced support for the Huron-Clinton Metropolitan Authority to help ensure the Black Creek Marsh Coastal Wetlands’ ecosystem remains healthy.
The $648,000 grant, which will reconnect the Marsh to the Clinton River and re-create the former Black Creek Channel, comes from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
“ Conserving and protecting our valuable natural resources is critical to Michigan’s economy and our way of life, ” said Stabenow. “ This support will help make sure the Black Creek Marsh can support outdoor recreation and tourism for generations to come.”
“ This grant is tremendous news for all of us who care about our Great Lakes,” said Levin. “ We’ve already made great progress in restoring habitat in the Lake St. Clair basin, and this grant to the Huron-Clinton Metropolitan Authority will help ensure that vital work can continue with the reconnection of Black Creek Marsh to the Clinton River. ”
This funding will help reverse the damage caused to the marsh by dredging, filling, and hydrological modifications by reconnecting the marsh to its original sources, the Clinton River and Lake St. Clair. The project will also help manage and control invasive species in the marsh.