Rouge River Watershed Initiative

Rouge River National Wet Weather Demonstration Project

The Rouge River Watershed, located in Southeast Michigan, runs through the most densely populated and urbanized land area in the state. The Rouge River has been classified as one of the most polluted rivers in the United States and in 1981 was designated an Area of Concern by the International Joint Commission because of its severely degraded condition and its impact on the Great Lakes.

However, the Rouge River is being restored. Through the efforts of various agencies, including the Rouge River National Wet Weather Demonstration Project (Rouge Project) the water quality of the Rouge is improving. The Rouge Project, which began in 1992, is funded through grants from the United States Environmental Protection Agency and is being managed by Wayne County. The Rouge Project recognizes the importance of addressing wet weather pollution problems in the river and developing a cost-effective watershed wide approach to deal with them. This comprehensive program deals with the problems of combined sewer overflows, polluted storm water runoff and various other nonpoint source pollutants. Also included in the Rouge Project are an intensive monitoring/sampling program, modeling and geographic information systems and public outreach. The results of this watershed management effort can be used by other urban watersheds throughout the country.