Looking Glass River Watershed Management Plan - Greater ...
Looking Glass River Watershed Management Plan - Greater ...
Looking Glass River Watershed Management Plan - Greater ...
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<strong>Looking</strong> <strong>Glass</strong> <strong>Watershed</strong><br />
The <strong>Looking</strong> <strong>Glass</strong> <strong>River</strong> is a major tributary to the Grand <strong>River</strong>, located in<br />
Central, Lower Michigan (Figure 1-1). The <strong>Looking</strong> <strong>Glass</strong> <strong>River</strong> discharges<br />
into the Grand <strong>River</strong> in Portland, Michigan (Ionia County), which continues<br />
on west and drains into Lake Michigan.<br />
Approximately 80,000 acres of the total number of acres that comprise the<br />
<strong>Looking</strong> <strong>Glass</strong> <strong>Watershed</strong> are included in this watershed management plan<br />
(WMP). Within the watershed there are about 183 miles of rivers and<br />
streams. The two largest are the <strong>Looking</strong> <strong>Glass</strong> <strong>River</strong> and Vermilion Creek.<br />
There are also approximately 900 acres of lakes within the watershed, with<br />
the largest lake being Park Lake (182 acres), Round Lake (87 acres), Lake<br />
Geneva (58 acres), and Perch Lake (35 acres).<br />
Purpose of the <strong>Watershed</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Plan</strong><br />
On March 10, 2003 any municipality within the Lansing Urbanized Area<br />
(UA) was required to submit a NPDES Phase II storm water permit. In<br />
Michigan, permittees were given the choice of submitting a jurisdictional or a<br />
watershed based permit. Michigan is the only state to offer this permitting<br />
option. With over 300 communities in Michigan needing to apply for Phase<br />
II permit coverage, over 250 have decided to use the watershed planning<br />
option, due to its many benefits over a traditional permitting program.<br />
Participating NPDES<br />
Permittees<br />
• Bath Township<br />
• Clinton County Drain<br />
Commissioner<br />
• Clinton County Road<br />
Commission<br />
• DeWitt, City of<br />
• DeWitt Public School<br />
District<br />
• DeWitt Township<br />
• East Lansing, City of<br />
• Ingham County Drain<br />
Commissioner<br />
• Lansing, City of<br />
• Lansing Public School<br />
District<br />
• Lansing Township<br />
• Meridian Township<br />
• Watertown Township<br />
Some benefits of the watershed approach include: access to grant funding,<br />
including the State Bond Fund known as Clean Michigan Initiative (CMI),<br />
expanded schedules for watershed management planning, and choices on<br />
how and when implementation will occur. A watershed approach involves<br />
coordination with both public and private sectors focusing efforts to address<br />
the highest priority problems.<br />
As a result of this watershed permit approach, the <strong>Greater</strong> Lansing Regional<br />
Committee on Phase II Nonpoint Source Pollution Prevention (GLRC) was<br />
created. The GLRC has developed this plan to address the requirements<br />
outlined in the Phase II permit and to improve and protect the ecological,<br />
hydrological, and cultural resources of the <strong>Looking</strong> <strong>Glass</strong> <strong>Watershed</strong>.<br />
1-2 <strong>Looking</strong> <strong>Glass</strong> <strong>River</strong> <strong>Watershed</strong> April 2007