June 22, 2007

The Department of Environmental Quality and the Partnership for the Saginaw Bay Watershed will be hosting a presentation on successful projects to address Combined Sewer Overflows (CSOs) to the Saginaw River on July 11, at 7 p.m. at the Bay City Recreation Area Visitors Center, 3585 State Park Drive, Bay City.

Russ Beaubien from Spicer Engineering will discuss how low impact development can provide relief for communities with combined sewer systems. By implementing managerial and structural best management practices for storm water management, communities can obtain measurable relief from the peak flows of storms and lessen the impact of system overflows into a region's rivers, lakes, and streams. The information provided will explore procedures and design methods for communities to pursue to collect and discharge stormwater in a methodology that will have low impact on the environment and combine aesthetics that may be pleasing to a community.

Beaubien's presentation concludes a series of discussions held over the last few months on CSOS and their impacts on Saginaw Bay, a priority issue identified through the Saginaw Bay Coastal Initiative.

Details of the Saginaw Bay Coastal Initiative and additional information are available online at http://www.michigan.gov/deq under "Issues to Watch."

Editor's note: DEQ news releases are available on the department's Internet home page at www.michigan.gov/deq.

"Protecting Michigan's Environment, Ensuring Michigan's Future"

Revised June 22, 2007 by Pat Watson